This is none other than the first production Hercules, which made its maiden flight on 7th April 1955 with blunt nose. Converted to AC-130A gunship in December 1968, serving with a number of units in Vietnam and suffering combat damage. It was not until 1981 that it was modified with four-blade props. After withdrawal from duty with the 711th SOS at Duke Field in 1995, flown to Eglin for preservation in September 1996. My photo here shows it at Duke in 1979 with three-blade props

Photographer unknown - note three blades propellers

Photgrapher: David Ostrowski. Assigned to 711 SOS.

Photographer: Thomas Brewer.

Photographer: Jack Morris. Assigned to 415 SOTS.

Photographer: David Menard.

Operated by 711SOS/AFRES. First Production C-130A. First flew in 1955. Converted to a JC-130A in 1959 and an AC-130A gunship in 1968. Retired at Eglin 1995. Preserved at the USAF Armaments Museum there from 1996.

The first production Hercules to be built, following two YC-130 prototypes, made its maiden flight on 7th April 1955 as a C-130A with the original blunt nose. The left wing burned off on the ground after a fuel leak on her third flight, but repaired. Converted to AC-130A gunship in December 1968, serving with a number of units in Vietnam (hit by a 37mm shell in 1971). Seen here in service with the 711th SOS; after withdrawal from duty in 1995, placed on permanent display at the USAF Armament Museum, Eglin AFB in 1996