The C-130 Hercules

Described as lumbering, the C-130 Hercules transport plane is not much to look at. Like its mythical Greek namesake, however, the Herc is incredibly strong. Able to carry troops, equipment, jeeps, and tanks to the front lines of the world's hotspots, the C-130 makes rapid deployment of the armed forces possible. It can also serve as a gunship, a flying gas station, and an emergency room. In the civilian world, the Herc is valuable in fighting forest fires and delivering humanitarian relief supplies. Jan Goldberg offers a lively tour of this sturdy plane with a thousand uses.