The Lockheed L-100 Hercules is the civilian variant of the prolific C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft made by the Lockheed Corporation. Its first flight occurred in 1964. Longer L-100-20 and L-100-30 versions were developed. L-100 production ended in 1992 with 114 aircraft delivered.[2][3] An updated variant of the model, LM-100J, completed its first flight in Marietta, Georgia on 25 May 2017, and started production in 2019.[4] L-100 and LM-100J aircraft can be distinguished from the C-130 and C-130J military versions by the absence of side and forward windows underneath the main windshield.
| L-100 Hercules | |
|---|---|
| |
| ASaudia L-100-30 during RIAT 2011 | |
| Role | Transport aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Lockheed Martin (LM-100J) |
| First flight | April 20, 1964 (L-100) May 25, 2017 (LM-100J)[1] |
| Introduction | September 30, 1965 |
| Status | In limited service for cargo transport (L-100) Flight testing (LM-100J) |
| Primary users | Indonesian Air Force Safair Lynden Air Cargo Transafrik International |
| Produced | 1964–92, 2018– (LM-100J planned) |
| Number built | 114 |
| Developed from | Lockheed C-130 Hercules Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules |
In 1959, Pan American World Airways ordered 12 of Lockheed's GL-207 Super Hercules to be delivered by 1962, to be powered by four 6,000 eshp Allison T56 turboprops.[5] Slick Airways was to receive 6 such aircraft later in 1962. The Super Hercules was to be 23 ft 4 in (7.11 m) longer than the C-130B; a variant powered by 6,445 eshp Rolls-Royce Tynes and a jet-powered variant with four Pratt & Whitney JT3D-11 turbofans were also under development.
The prototype L-100 (registered N1130E) first flew on April 20, 1964, when it carried out a 25-hour, 1 minute flight, the longest first flight of a commercial aircraft at the time.[6] The type certificate was awarded on 16 February 1965. Twenty-one production aircraft were then built with the first delivery to Continental Air Services on September 30, 1965.
Deliveries totaled 114 aircraft, with production ending in 1992. Several L-100-20 aircraft were operated on scheduled freight flights by Delta Air Lines between 1968 and 1973.
An updated civilian version of the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules was under development, but the program was placed on hold indefinitely in 2000 to focus on military development and production.[2][3] On February 3, 2014, Lockheed Martin formally relaunched the LM-100J program, saying it expects to sell 75 aircraft. Lockheed sees the new LM-100J as an ideal replacement for the existing civil L-100 fleets.[7]
The launch operator for the LM-100J was Pallas Aviation: from 2019 they would operate two aircraft from Fort Worth Alliance Airport in the United States.[8] By early March 2022 the four LM-100J aircraft (tail numbers N96MG, N71KM, N67AU and N139RB) then owned by Pallas had begun flying numerous flights, numbering at least 522 by May 16, 2024 between Ramstein AB and secondary military air facilities at Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą (EPNM), Poland; Boboc (LRBO), Romania; Sliač (LZSL), Slovakia; Lielvārde (EVGA), Latvia and Aalborg (EKYT), Denmark.[9][10] A fifth and final LM-100J, N91BU, was delivered to Pallas Aviation in August 2023. In early June of 2024, Larry Gallogly, Lockheed’s director, customer requirements for air mobility and maritime missions said, “We have not seen robust demand for the commercial variant of the [LM-100]J, so we haven’t had follow-on customers.”[11]
Civilian variants are equivalent to the C-130E model without pylon tanks, side and front windows under the main winshield or military equipment.
In March 2011, a total of 36 Lockheed L-100 Hercules aircraft were in commercial service. Operators include Lynden Air Cargo (10), Transafrik (5), Libyan Arab Air Cargo (3), and other operators with fewer aircraft.[15]
In May 2011, 35 Lockheed L-100s were in use with military operators, including:
Other users with fewer aircraft.[16]
Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft,[2] Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft[18]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
