Editing Lockheed MC-130 (section)

====Credible Sport====
{{Main|Operation Credible Sport}}
One of the measures considered for a second hostage rescue attempt in Iran was a project to develop a "Super [[STOL]]" aircraft, to be flown by Combat Talon crews, that would use a soccer stadium near the US Embassy as an improvised landing field. Called [[Operation Credible Sport|''Credible Sport'']], the project acquired three C-130H transports from an airlift unit in late August 1980, one as a test bed and two for the mission, and quickly modified them.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 241. C-130Hs used in ''Credible Sport'' were 74–1683, −1686, and −2065.</ref>

Designated the XFC-130H, the aircraft were fitted with 30 maneuvering rockets in five sets: eight firing forward to stop the aircraft, eight downward to slow its descent, eight rearward for [[JATO|takeoff assist]], four on the wings to stabilize them during takeoff transition, and two at the rear of the tail to prevent it from striking the ground because of over-rotation. Other STOL features included a dorsal and two ventral fins on the rear fuselage, double-slotted [[Flap (aircraft)|flaps]] and extended [[aileron]]s, a new radome, a [[tailhook]] for landing aboard an [[aircraft carrier]], and Combat Talon avionics, including a TF/TA radar, a defensive countermeasures suite, and a [[Doppler radar]]/[[GPS]] tie-in to the aircraft's [[inertial navigation system]].<ref>Thigpen (2001), pp. 241–244, includes photographs of all the external features.</ref>

Of the three aircraft, only one received full modification. The program abruptly ended when one crashed during testing on 29 October 1980; international events soon rendered another rescue attempt moot.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 245–246.</ref>