In this video, Lt. Roger Shapiro gives me a brief tour of an LC-130 Hercules, Number 93-3300 or 33300 or 73-3300 or CN 382-4508, as it’s parked at Williams Field outside of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. This Herc is specially adapted for polar duty, and in the video we go over a bunch of the special modifications, including the skis and JATO bottle mounts. Additionally, I had the opportunity to open the cockpit’s emergency escape hatch and take a look out. Thanks very much to Lt. Col. Shapiro and the New York Air National Guard 109th Airlift Wing (Wiki) for the time and consideration.

Also for a bit of entertainment – in researching this aircraft, I found a company producing die-cast models of this particular plane. Cool!