The Air Force Gave This Crashed C-130J Super Hercules A Second Chance At Flight

The C-130J Super Hercules, many of which are still flying today, weighs in at a colossal $75.5 million (FY 2017) apiece. So when one becomes damaged, it's vital to consider the practicality of repairs, the cost, and the complication of it all. At the same time, of course, it's an awe-inspiring moment to see a Super Hercules take to the air, particularly one that may have seemed as though it would never fly again. In April 2020, one of these 97-feet-long cargo planes performed an assault landing as part of a training exercise.

Pilots executing an assault landing sharply drop engine power as the aircraft descends in order to stop it as soon as possible, but the pilot began this maneuver too soon in the descent. As a result, the Super Hercules landed with significantly more force than intended. Such a landing comes with risks, potentially causing structural damage to the aircraft. In this particular case, the damage sustained during a seemingly routine training flight was severe enough that the wings and engines were adversely affected.

According to the U.S. Air Force, serious conversations had to take place regarding the aircraft's ultimate fate. The 86th Maintenance Group commander, Col Lucas Buckley, stated that it came down to deciding what was the most practical course financially. Col Buckley said, "Between the engineers, planners and technicians, taking the steps to put the aircraft back together was the best investment for the Air Force." It wouldn't fly again until July 15, 2025, and getting there was quite the labor of love, involving brand-new techniques to replace components.

Languishing in Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the Super Hercules, one of the few propeller planes still used by the U.S., needed new wings. So, new wings were built and delivered to Ramstein in a painstaking process that took four years. In order to transport the wings to the European base, the Air Force had to also devise containers that could transport them safely. It was an unprecedented procedure for the heavy C-130J Super Hercules.

The 86th Maintenance Group and members of the 402nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron completed the restoration, and it was ready to fly back to the United States by late July 2025. The quality assurance superintendent of the 86th Maintenance Group, Master Sgt. Justin Jordan commended those who took part in this historic event, saying, "That first flight was a tribute to everyone who believed in her and worked tirelessly to bring her back to life."

This is just one example of what can happen when the many talented individuals who make up the U.S. Air Force combine their skills. In March 2023, General Duke Richardson, per Air & Space Forces Magazine, praised certain "ninjas" who restore aircraft quickly and efficiently. Those "ninjas" are a different group known as the Aircraft Battle Damage Repair Airmen. It's an elite group of only around 150 who can pool their expertise in their particular areas of aviation and, in tandem with taking advantage of strategically-placed collections of materials and tools around the world, make those repairs quickly.