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Lockheed C-130 Hercules
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===Background and requirements=== The [[Korean War]] showed that [[World War II]]-era [[Reciprocating engine|piston-engine]] transports—[[Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar]]s, [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]]s and [[Curtiss C-46 Commando]]s—were no longer adequate. On 2 February 1951, the [[United States Air Force]] issued a General Operating Requirement (GOR) for a new transport to [[Boeing]], [[Douglas Aircraft|Douglas]], [[Fairchild Aircraft|Fairchild]], [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]], [[Glenn L. Martin Company|Martin]], [[Chase Aircraft]], [[North American Aviation|North American]], [[Northrop Corporation|Northrop]], and Airlifts Inc. The new transport would have a capacity of 92 passengers, 72 combat troops or 64 [[paratroopers]] in a cargo compartment that was approximately {{cvt|41|ft}} long, {{cvt|9|ft}} high, and {{cvt|10|ft}} wide. Unlike transports derived from passenger airliners, it was to be designed specifically as a combat transport with loading from a hinged loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage. A notable advance for large aircraft was the introduction of a [[turboprop]] powerplant, the [[Allison T56]] which was developed for the C-130. It gave the aircraft greater range than a [[turbojet]] engine as it used less fuel.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Today in History – April 21, 1964 – Military version of the C-130 finally takes flight |url=https://supersabresociety.com/this_time_in_history/today-in-history-april-21-1964-military-version-of-the-c-130-finally-takes-flight/ |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=Super Sabre Society |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{cite journal |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20050019274 |website= Nasa.gov |title= An Investigation in the Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel of a YT-56A Turboprop Engine Incorporating a Decoupler and a Controlled-Feathering Device |date= 9 September 1954 |last1= Rogallo |first1= Vernon L. |last2= Yaggy |first2= Paul F. |last3= McCloud |first3= John L.}}</ref> Turboprop engines also produced much more power for their weight than piston engines. However, the turboprop configuration chosen for the T56, with the propeller connected to the compressor, had the potential to cause structural failure of the aircraft if an engine failed. Safety devices had to be incorporated to reduce the excessive drag from a windmilling propeller.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto2"/>
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