I received your E-Mail today requesting information on aircraft 57-0490. I personally flew that aircraft to Chanute AFB, IL, around 1984 or 1985. Then, I flew it back to Stratton Air National Guard Base, NY in 1995 or 1996 to be displayed near the main entrance of our Air National Guard facility, where it is today, looking fine.

Col. Marion G. (Graham) Pritchard, Air/Base Commander, and I flew the C-130D's with the 17th TAS in Alaska before the planes were transferred to our unit years ago. As of this date, we are two of a handful of C-130D pilots remaining that flew them in support of the DEW line Station (DYE II and DYE III).

We presently have seven ski aircraft, four 1983 LC-130H2's and three brand new (48 million each) LC-130H3 ski aircraft. The unit is presently in the process of taking over the Navy's Antarctic Deep Freeze Mission down at McMurdo Station located on the Antarctic continent. In two years, we will be receiving two more LC-130R's from the US Navy when the transition--conversion is complete, a very exciting future and mission for the 109th Airlift Wing.

We used to have an Air Force advisor named Lt. Col. Don Moorman who flew the C-130D with the 17th TAS, and I also met a gentleman at Flight Safety in San Antonio, TX, named Mr. John Nave, who also flew with the Firebirds.