The 86th Airlift Wing of Ramstein AB, Germany retired one of its C-130 Hercules yesterday, reports Stars & Stripes, because the “E” model is out of date. The cargo plane, nicknamed the “Ace of Spades,” began its service life on June 5, 1964. Its new home will be the boneyard, the familiar sobriquet for the Aerospace Maintenance and Recovery Center at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., where it will be stripped of any parts that might be useable for current models.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
