Speaking of foreign aircraft abandoned in the U.S.

"Tristan" (casselts) 01/11/2019 at 14:52 • Filed to: None

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Here’s a reminder that Libya still has eight C-130s sitting in the back forty at the Lockheed plant in Marietta, GA. Built in 1972, and never delivered because of political tensions between the U.S. and Libya.

I wonder if they’d let me store one in my back yard...

AestheticsInMotion > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:04

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That would be a pretty cool man cave

ttyymmnn > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:08

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So why doesn’t the US just take them? Or sell them? Also, time for some Google Earthing. This shot gives you a great idea of just how big the C-5 is.

And that’s a pretty sad looking L-1011 in your photo. I wonder what its story is, along with that P-3. 

Tristan > AestheticsInMotion 01/11/2019 at 15:09

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I could keep at least 2 cars in the cargo bay... though C-130s do tend to leak like a sieve in the rain. It would be the coolest playhouse EVER for my girls, and with my prior T-56 engine experience, I’m sure I could get the engines fired up to annoy to snot out of my neighbors, or at least run the obnoxiously loud GTC.

ttyymmnn > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:09

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And they’ve got a go-kart track!

AestheticsInMotion > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:11

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This sounds like a win-win. And think how many Volvos you could fit under the wings.... 

Tristan > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 15:14

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When I was still a C-130 maintainer stuck on the graveyard shift, myself and a few co-workers went and snooped around on a transient C-5 that was parked across the ramp. It’s SO. FREA KIN’. BIG. I just remember thinking how tiny the 130s looked as we walked back towards them after studying the C-5.

The P-3 doesn’t look quite right... seems to be missing the tail boom antenna? Maybe it’s an Electra? The fuselage looks big for a P-3/Electra, though. Still curious about it!

ttyymmnn > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:27

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The fuselage does look big, but it could just be a tick of the light. Th e tail isn’t complete, either. (click to enlarge)

I also found this, another interesting C-130 v C-5 comparison.

ttyymmnn > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:29

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Lots of interesting bits and pieces over here, too.

Milky > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:34

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N o shit, they really are just shoved away in the corner,

Also, wtf is this?

Tristan > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 15:49

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Whoa!

Here’s another famous image:

The P3 certainly does appear to be missing quite a bit of empenage...

ttyymmnn > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 15:51

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GET IN MAH BELLEH!

Mercedes Streeter > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 15:58

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Is that a L-1011 chilling out back there?

Mercedes Streeter > Milky 01/11/2019 at 15:59

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Looks like a plane mockup for firefighter training.

And I think that trijet up there IS a L-1011! :D

ttyymmnn > Mercedes Streeter 01/11/2019 at 16:02

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You mean rusting? Yes, it is.

Tristan > Milky 01/11/2019 at 16:06

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It’s a steel sorta-replica of a generic aircraft used for firefighter training. Lots of bases have them!

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 16:08

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I would imagine that the deal got far enough that they are technically Libyan property, even if the US wont allow them to be exported. There probably isn’t anything that Lockheed or the US government can do without having to refund Libya which I’m sure our government would frown on.

ttyymmnn > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 01/11/2019 at 16:11

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What’s Libya gonna do about it, though? Place sanctions on the US?

Tristan > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 16:11

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On my last trip to Bagram we had a particularly troublesome aircraft. We changed the acronym “FMC” from “Fully Mission Capable” to “Firmly Mounted on Concrete” when referencing its status . Someone in the unit printed this image and taped it to the DCC’s locker with the caption (redacted tail number)‘s ride home”.

ttyymmnn > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 16:13

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“Firmly Mounted on Concrete”

LOL

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 16:22

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No idea. I doubt anyone has even thought about these planes in at least 20 years.

ttyymmnn > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 01/11/2019 at 16:26

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I’m sure somebody thinks about them every time Lockheed does an audit.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 16:31

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Holy crap. Th at is crazy

shop-teacher > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 16:35

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How many of us all want to be featured in one of those Jalopnik, “The neighbors can’t stand this really cool thing” articles?  I know I do!  I’m not sure I can get Mrs. Shop Teacher on board with this plan though.

Tristan > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 01/11/2019 at 17:09

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What about the poor bastard who has to mow around them? Imagine the wasp nests these suckers are housing!

DarkCreamyBeer > Tristan 01/11/2019 at 17:19

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Dobbins sits mor or less at the empicenter for evil bastard yellowjackets, so I imagine they are a considerable hazard there.

Tristan > DarkCreamyBeer 01/11/2019 at 17:26

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I’d be terrified to stick my head up under the gear doors! 

ranwhenparked > ttyymmnn 01/11/2019 at 19:56

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They’re in a sort of limbo state, Libya paid for the planes in full and legally owns them, but the DoD refused an export permit. Currently, I believe they are under the custody of the State Department. We have more or less normalized relations with Libya now, but they haven’t pushed to recover the planes, instead, I think they’re trying to get their money refunded. 

BaconSandwich is tasty. > ranwhenparked 01/11/2019 at 20:36

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I’d export them... just cut into square foot pieces, or in a few ingot’s worth of melted parts.  They’d get the planes... just some assembly required.

facw > ttyymmnn 01/12/2019 at 00:52

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I assume if we seized them without some justification, we would have to refund the money paid for them. Holding them on arbitrary national security grounds is a better deal for us. Building C-130s is mostly a jobs program anyway. And frankly at this point, those are probably so far gone they’re only worth scrap value anyway.

Mudpie > ttyymmnn 12/17/2019 at 01:15

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The “go kart track” is on the Georgia Tech Research Institute grounds.

Mudpie > Tristan 12/17/2019 at 01:20

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I took a subcontractor out to the L-1011 to snag some of the plumbing out out of it. They were making spares for a medical NGO that used them as por table hospitals/evacuation aircraft.

Mudpie > Tristan 12/17/2019 at 01:28

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It is a P-3 that has been heavily picked over, lots of stuff missing. I picked up a number of fuel filler and vent components from it as part of developing some leak detection test equipment for use on P-3 aircraft still in service.  The comment below on the wasps doesn’t do things justice.  Those planes are jammed pack with all manner of bugs and some small furry critters as well.  You could probably pick up diseases they don’t even have names for from those aircraft and the stuff populating them.