FS2004 Tepper Aviation L-100-30 Hercules
Model: Mike Stone
Repaint: Alejandro Hurtado
----- THE PLANE -----
Engines: Four 3362kW (4508shp) Allison 501-D22A turboprops driving four blade constant speed propellers.
Performance: Max cruising speed 571km/h (308kt). Range with max payload 2472km (1334nm), range with no payload 8950km (4830nm).
Weights: Operating empty 35,260kg (77,736lb), max takeoff 70,310kg (155,000lb).
Dimensions: Wing span 40.41m (132ft 7in), length 34.37m (112ft 9in), height 11.66m (38ft 3in). Wing area 162.1m2 (1745.0sq ft).
Capacity: Flightcrew of three or four. Max payload of 23,158kg (51,054lb) comprising pallets or containers.
Total L-100 built: 114 (incl 22 L-100, 27 L-100-20, and 65 L-100-30).
History
Lockheed's L-100 freighters are the civil equivalents of the venerable military C-130 Hercules, and have proven to be of great utility, particularly in undeveloped countries.
Lockheed initiated design of the Hercules in response to a 1951 US Air Force requirement for a turboprop powered freighter. This resulted in the C-130 Hercules, which first flew in prototype form on August 23 1954. Design features included the high mounted wing, four Allison 501/T56 turboprops and the rear loading freight ramp. The USAF ordered the C-130 into series production in September 1952, and since that time more than 2500 have been built.
The C-130's appeal to freight operators led Lockheed to develop a civil version. The first commercial versions were based on the C-130E model, and a demilitarised demonstrator first flew in April 1964. This initial civil development, the L-100 (L-382), was awarded civil certification in February 1965. This model was soon followed up by the series L-100 (L-382B), which introduced an improved freight handling system.
Sales of these initial versions were slow, leading Lockheed to develop the 2.54m (8ft 4in) stretched L-100-20 (L-382E), which offered better freight capacity and operating economics. The L-100-20 was certificated in October 1968, but was soon followed by the even longer L-100-30 (L-382G). The -30 was 2.03m (6ft 8in) longer than the -20, first flew in August 1970, and was delivered from December that year. Most civil Hercules sales have been of the L-100-30 variant. Although basically a civil aircraft, several L-100s are in service with military operators, e.g. in Algeria, Gabon and Kuwait. The last L-100 was built in 1992, while the last military Allison 501/T56 powered C-130 was delivered in 1996.
----- THE COMPANY -----
Anouncement: "Tepper Aviation, Inc is an air cargo company operating 3 L-382G-30 (civilian C-130) aircraft worldwide out of our home base in the panhandle of Florida. We are looking for pilots with C-130 experience for full time employment. Since we recently acquired the third aircraft we are increasing our crew complement. We presently have sufficient Flight Engineers and loadmasters but are looking for pilots and mechanics. Mechanics are required to have C-130 experience and an A&P license. All positions require relocation to the Florida panhandle area. Any interested parties should submit a resume to Tepper Aviation"
21 January, 2003: On this day two Drakens from Linz/Hörsching AB intercepted this Lockheed Hercules transporter with the US civilian registration N8183J, suspected of being underway on a non-military but also non-civilian mission. The Hercules took-off from the Rhein Main AFB, in Germany, and was operated by the Tepper Aviation Inc. The investigations of Austrian reporters about the destination of the Hercules revealed that the aircraft was underway to Baku, in Azerbaijan
Tepper Aviation Inc. is registered in Florida since 1989, and became known for a number of obscure incidents, which indicate the possibility of this being a CIA-set front company (in fact, Tepper Aviation Inc. was mentioned as "owned" by the CIA in several different reports).
It is not yet entirely clear why was this Hercules not forced to land in Austria, but "only" intercepted: officially, the Austrian Foreign Ministry considered the aircraft as civilian, and saw no reason to authorise the Ministry of Defence to force the aircraft to land.
----- THE REPAINTER -----
This plane was going to be a venezuelan Sabre, but when I had almost finished the repaint, I found the F-86F made by Claudio Sanchez. I'm not 100% sure about his plane, mainly in its tail and junction details, but I don't repeat planes which are already made.
I found some pictures of this L-100 on the internet, liked, and searched for information about Tepper Aviation as I allways do. I don't know if the information mentioned above is true or not but if I made a mistake, I will retract myself without any problem. I believe that many flightsimmers will find interesting to fly any of this planes, and maybe they will know someday the real one...
Aknoweledged miskates: If you see the pictures of the real plane, you'll find that the C-130 has a second set of windows under the common ones, in order to improve the landing visibility. The Mike Stone model has this second set, but the real L-100 has not. There is a difference ahead of the main weels too, where you can find the air intake in the C-130. About the lack of name on the starboard side of the N2189M, it's not a mistake: the original one has the company's name just on one side.
My previus repaints are:
For Fs2002 only:
b190ah6: Beech 1900D from Us Air Express
b190ah7: Beech 1900D from the canarian island's Air Atlantic
b737ah8: American Airlines Astrojet, a 2001 plane painted like the 60´s
b737ah12: A BWIA 737-800 in caribean decoration.
c235ah13: The CN-235 was used by the spanish line Binter Mediterraneo
d328ah15: The two Do-328 (prop) of Welcome Air
d328ah16: Air Engiadina was the launching client of the DO-328
For FS2002, in Fs2004 the night cockpit lightning doesnt looks well from outside:
b727ah1: Green and yellow Braniff's 727
b727ah2: 727 flow by Viasa when was bought by Iberia
b727ah3: Braniff 727 painted by Alexander Calder
b727ah4: One of the first 727 flow by Kulula.com
b727ah11: Alaska Airlines 727 leased to the Seattle NFL Team Seahawks
For FS2002, displays a warning in Fs2004 but works ok:
Ju52mlka: Ju-52 owned by Milka chocolats company, in flying state
tornah10: Tornado in 2001 Tiger Meet painting
For FS2004 and FS2002:
md11ah5: MD-11F from Eva Air Cargo
l1011ah9: Two L1011 leased by Iberia
d328ah14: The only Do-328JET of Welcome Air
atr4ah17: Two of the ATR-42 owneds by Lai, a venezuelan company
pby5ah18: A water bomber PBY Catalina, the Canso 71 was used in Spain
pby5ah19: A water bomber PBY Catalina, in red painting from Spain.
b727ah20: 727 flow by Singapore Airlines
d328ah21: DO-328 (prop) Welcome Air, upgraded for FS2004
b727ah22: Alaska Airlines 727, upgraded for FS2004
1049ah23: Super Constellation belonging to Linea Aeropostal Venezolana
b727ah24: Green and yellow Braniff's 727, upgraded for FS2004
b727ah25: Blue Braniff 727
1049ah26: Super Constellation from Iberia
b727ah22: Alaska Airlines 727, upgraded for FS2004
1049ah23: Super Constellation belonging to Linea Aeropostal Venezolana
b727ah24: Green and yellow Braniff's 727, upgraded for FS2004
b727ah25: Blue Braniff's 727.
1049ah26: Super Constellation from Iberia
d328ah27: Do-328 prop of Air Engiadina, upgraded for FS2004
p51dah28: P-51D Cripes a'Mighty 3rd, a beautifull warbird
b757ah29: Three liverys of the same B757 from LTE to Volar Airlines
b727ah30: Viasa's 727 with Iberia-like colors, upgraded for FS2004
d328ah31: Do 328 flow by VIP Airlines.
b737ah32: Rutaca's 737 in the colors of the Vinotinto Football Club
p51dah33: The only venezuelan P-51D
b727ah34: Red Braniff 727
a320ah35: A320 when LTE was renamed as Volar Airlines
b737ah36: American Airlines Astrojet, upgraded for FS2004
b727ah37: 727 charter flow by Amerijet
b757ah38: 757 Prestige, the biggest spanish private plane
p51dah39: Two P-51D Taiwan Air Force
p51dah40: Another P-51D Taiwan Air Force
p51dah41: P-51D Popular Liberation Army Air Force
p51dah42: Another P-51D Popular Liberation Army Air Force
d328ah43: Do 328-110 from Swisswings
met3ah44: Metro 3 Air Catalunya, a spanish charter company
met3ah45: Three Metro 3 operateds by Key Lime Air
p51bah46: A civilian P-51D in black and red colors.
b737ah47: The famous spanish 737 from Air Europa with Martini stickers
crvlah48: Two Finnair's Caravelle.
b737ah49: two 737-200 owned by the venezuelan company Avior.
crvlah50: Two Caravelles from the spanish line Hispania
p51dah51: This P-51D appeared in the movies "The Empire of the Sun" and "Menphis Belle"
b190ah52: Beech 1900D from Us Air Express, upgraded for FS2004
Fixes:
fix01ah: Fixes the bottom color of b727ah24
fix02ah: Improves the flight dinamics of b757ah29 and b757ah38
Warranty:
I love the warranty wrote by Andrew W. Hall:
"None. Zip. Nada. Use at your own risk. I dont think
this will harm your computer in any way, but if it does, I
dont even want to hear about it."
A last remark: Why don't become a repainter? There are a lot of planes with special markings. I'm tired of the usual F-16 low-vis scheme, or the usual 757 in Delta markings. Why don't a "Bat's outa Hell's" B-25 or a serie of Qantas 737s? The plane modelers like Mike Stone are very important, but they can't make all the painting schemes by himselfs. So why don't help him and his friends?
INSTALLATION:
Just unzip c130ah53.zip in your "Aircraft" folder of FS2002, FS2004 or FS9 (make sure "use folder names" is checked), install your desired panel and that's all. If you don't know how to install a panel, copy the gauges folder to the common gauges folder and let the panel that comes with the plane, but I don't like this.
