For sure an AC-130, but not sure what model they are calling this one. It is a "One
Off" test model being used for the new 30mm cannon tests. I'm sure that it was off on a
test somewhere.

For all intents and purposes it resembles a U model, but it isn't.

Les F-4C, D, E, G WSO/EWO; AC-130A EWO; MC-13E EWO retired
Who still hangs out at Hurlburt on a daily basis


"Lush Rimshot" wrote in message
...
Please excuse the obvious doctoring these images underwent. This C-130 was
circling east Houston for about 90 minutes this afternoon. Kind of an
unusual occurrence around here. I'm guessing she was at about 11,000 feet,
and I had to play with the pixels to eke out some contrast & details. Still
shows up okay with 8 megapixels at 400mm & ASA 400, but that's still a lot
of damp sky to shoot through. Especially in May in Houston, where the state
bird is humidity.

Anyway, someone here might have some insight as to what those little
mini-domes, bumps and bulges might be on the underside, as well as those
knobs on either side of the aft fuselage, but especially that...'pole'...
sticking out from the aft left fuselage. The C-130 has more lives than my
neighbor's dozen cats, and since I have no idea what this version does, I
thought I'd ask the group for some better-informed opinion. I'm so out of
the loop on this one I'm wondering if the long pole could be anything from
an antenna to home in on illegal micropower radio stations to one of those
'burp' guns at 60 rounds a second. Or thereabouts.

We often have some F-16C's from the 147th Texas ANG (I think) out of
Ellington Field patrolling the the port and Refinery Row, but this a
different sort of bird, doing a different sort of thing. I'm just curious.

Thanks, KB