Credible Sport Information

2009-04-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

PROJECT CREDIBLE SPORT DVD HEADQUARTERS

PROJECT CREDIBLE SPORT DVD THE REAL OCTOBER SURPRISE.

"Iran Hostage rescue STOL Aircraft, code-named Credible Sport, in a DVD ready to purchase.
The story includes Lockheed, C-130 Hercules aircraft, USAF, SuperSTOL technology, and a surface to air recovery mission from Eglin AFB, Florida to the Persian Gulf to rescue American hostages. Actual test footage of modified C-130, order DVD online. You can own this amazing Historical Aviation Footage today."

The DVD includes the Lockheed, C-130 Hercules aircraft, SuperSTOL technology, tested at Wagner Field Eglin AFB, Florida. The DVD includes test footage of a modified C-130 (see below for modifications).

You can own this amazing Historical Aviation Footage today." The true account of what could have been the real "October 1980 Surprise" for the Iranian students who held the 53 American Embassy employees Captive in Iran for 444 days from November 4 1979 to January 20, 1981.
This terrorist act triggered the most profound crisis of the Carter presidency and began a personal ordeal for Jimmy Carter and the American people that lasted 444 days.

The DVD includes:

Project Credible Sport “TOP SECRET” VIDEO Transferred to Digital DVD 28:00 minutes long.

Still Photographs of the 4 Credible Sport aircraft.

The 1st YMC 130 on it's record breaking take off.

Credible Sport film 2:30.

GUNSHIP AC-130H SPECTRE GUNSHIP FOOTAGE 4:00.

Test of the Lockheed AC-130 SOFI Modified at Lockheed Ontario in 1989-1990. See China Lake Gun Range Footage. Watch Tanks explode in flames. See the FLIR targeting image. Watch the 20 Gatling Gun the 40 MM canon and the 105 MM Howitzer fire and watch the shells fly. Also over 80 Gunship interior photographs.

AC-130 Gunship.

PROJECT APOLLO FLARES 3:15
See the Lockheed Ontario workers install the IRCM (Infrared counter measures) and Chaff Dispensers on the C 130 deployed for the Bosnian Airlift. Watch the Flares fire and the chaff disperse.

C-130 Launching Anti Missile Flares.

FULTON RECOVERY SYSTEM S.T.A.R.S. COMBAT TALON PROJECT 46 S.T.A.R.S.SURFACE TO AIR RECOVERY SYSTEM 2:51.
Watch as MC-130 E CLAMP 64-551 Piloted by Skip Davenport picks up a package of 4 to 6 test packages with the Fulton Recovery Device from the Edwards Air Force Base Dry Lake bed. The Projects goal was to enable the Combat Talon MC-130 E Clamp aircraft equipped with the Fulton Recovery
Device to pick up 4 to 6 Soldiers, or operatives anywhere in the world.

MC-130 H picking up a package with the Sky Hook Fulton Recovery device.

MC-130 H taking off at Edwards AFB, CA.

Total DVD run time 49:00

An archive of Credible Sport Historical Documents.

This DVD package also, includes a CD, that Contains Credible Sport Documentation in PDF format.

1. 1995 Sport files
2. August 1980 documents
3. Credible Sport familiarization Course
4. Chapter from Thigpen's Book Praetorian Star ship on Credible Sport
5. YMC-130 Accident Report
6. YMC-130 Baseline Drawings and Graphs.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS THAT LEAD TO PROJECT CREDIBLE SPORT or XSC-130 H, YMC-130 H, YSC-130 H, etc. SUPER STOL PROGRAM.

From the beginning of modern warfare the most important component of any military operation is the supply line or logistics. This important component of warfare is the responsibility of the Quartermaster Corps.
The out come of every battle in every war depends solely on how quickly the Quartermaster Corps can supply and replenish the needs of the combat forces. What will it cost in the lives of their men and material?
From Experience gained by the United States Armed Forces in World War II, during Aerial Re-supply Missions --such as the fighting at "Bloody Ridge" on Guadalcanal in 1942; "Hellzapoppin Ridge" on Bougainville in 1943; the Naktong and Chosen Reservoir fighting in 1950; outpost, column, and
hamlet defense in Indochina and South Vietnam; and siege breaking at Dien Bien Phu and Khe Sanh (one successful and one not).
The Commander of the Troops at Colonel Lownds estimated that the logistical requirements of KSCB were 60 tons per day in mid-January and rose to 185 tons per day when all five battalions were in place The greatest impediments to the
delivery of supplies to the base were the closure of Route 9 and the winter monsoon weather. From the beginning of the battle until early March, low-lying clouds and fog enclosed the area from early morning until around noon. Even then, the cloud cover rarely rose above 2,000 feet, closing the airfield to all but the most intrepid aviators.
In all of these cases, Aircraft sustained the combat efforts of the ground troops by supplying the troops with the needed or required supplies i.e. ammunition, and other necessary ration and supplies from the air by supplying the troops from the air with air drops or for the troops substituted for the lack of available roads Logistics and supporting fire artillery assets and often offset huge force disparities between opposing sides.
At the battles of Guadalcanal, Bougainville D-Day and Operation Market Garden, to name a few. From The United states Military experience gained during the Korean War from Chosen Reservoir air supply mission and, The Vietnam war.
The United States Air Force recognized the need for a Close Air Support Advanced Medium Stol Tactical Transport and sent request for proposals to a number of Aircraft Companies.
The US Air Force was researching the possibility to augment the C-130 with a super short take-off and landing (STOL) airlifter, with the Boeing YC-14 and McDonnell YC-15 as the candidates.
The Lockheed Georgia Company responded with a proposal for a superSTOL version of the C-130 H. The use of such an aircraft would be used typically in more desperate or peculiar circumstance.Budgets evaporated, funding shrank and eventually the requirement changed into, the Douglas/Boeing C-17A Globemaster III to replace the Lockheed C-141B Starlifter.

C-130 SUPERSTOL MODIFICATIONS

The government proved reluctant to fund the C-130J development work, Lockheed struck out on its own with the HTTB ( HIGH TECHNOLOGY TEST BED) which was dubbed the C-130X. This was based on a L-100-20 air frame stretched C-130 featuring refinements for STOL performance and advanced avionics. It first took to the air on 19 June 1984 with the registration C130X. The HTTB crashed on February 3, 1993. Killing all on board the aircraft.

Recently Lockheed proposed a wide body C-130 to the Government:

From 1964 to 1973 Lockheed proposed a Hercules Amphibian modified with Horsal and Dorsal Fins which were later incorporated into the modifications of the Credible Sport Aircraft and the HTTB. .

DATE:08/09/08
SOURCE:Flight International
By Stephen Trimble

Lockheed Martin confirms studies are under way for a new version of the C-130 featuring a wider fuselage to

accommodate a proposed class of US Army ground

vehicles entering service after 2015. The enlarged

 airlifter would compete against the Airbus Military

A400M and Boeing's proposed C-17B to support the

army's Future Combat System.

"There's clearly things we can do to the C-130 to

increase the size of the fuselage if there's a market that

wants that," says Jim Grant, Lockheed's business

development director for global mobility and special

operations forces.

"We have teams looking at what it would take to make a [longer] fuselage," Grant says, "and then we also have

the design teams looking at the emerging technologies

should the requirements drive us to the new airframe."

Current plans for the FCS consist of a family of

networked vehicles and systems, including a key subset

of manned ground vehicles that has already outgrown

the C-130's cargo hold and payload weight limits. The

current aircraft's cargo box has a diameter of 2.78m (9ft),

versus 4m for the A400M and 5.48m for the C-17A.

The US Air Force plans to maintain a fleet of nearly 600

new or upgraded Hercules, and believes a mix of 221

modernised C-130Hs and 172 new-generation C-130Js

will be sufficient to meet most of the army's intra-theatre

airlift requirement, as only 15 of its 76 future brigade

combat teams will receive FCS equipment.

But with the fleet to leave a capability gap for the

proposed FCS manned ground vehicles after 2015, the

USAF is discussing several options.

One is to partner the army to develop an all-new airlifter

for delivery after 2021. A notional development program

me called Joint Future Theatre Lift, emphasising either

vertical or super-short take-off and access to austere air

strips, is in the planning stages.

Another option is to buy an off-the-shelf aircraft such as

the A400M. Boeing has also proposed the C-17B, which

is adapted for austere landings with higher-thrust

engines, triple-slotted flaps and an extra main landing

gear.

Meanwhile, Lockheed is considering a widened version

of the C-130J. Grant says engineers are studying

modifications for super-short take-off capability, but

appears dubious that any existing turboprop-powered

airlifter will be large enough to accommodate the FCS

requirement.

"I don't know whether the A400M will be able to carry

the [FCS manned ground] vehicles," Grant says. "I do

not know whether the weight of those vehicles will

climb right through the weight [limit] of the A400M or

not.

What I can say is that the A400M will continue to be veryheavy for [C-130]J-type capability."

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Directorate approached Lockheed Georgia to modify 4 C-130 H aircraft for a planned second Hostage Rescue mission to Iran. In July of 1980 the Air Force was given the task of providing a quick reaction force response team to manage the OSD ( office of the secretary of
defense) program. The QRF (Quick Reaction Force)Team
included the following individuals:
General Bart Krawetz, Lt. Col. Terry, Major Pete W. Moates or Coates and Colonel Ken Belden. Who went to Lockheed Georgia and hand picked an engineering team for the "Credible Sport" program. A multi-service Special Operations Forces program. The "Credible Sport" phase I program was initiated by the OSD directorate and was designed to validate S.T.O.L. approach configuration and associated avionics.

“An Airplane that can do anything can’t always do everything. In 1980, Operation Eagle Claw, an attempt to rescue Americans held hostage in Iran, self-destructed when a dust-blinded Marine Corps helicopter clipped one of six Herks waiting at a remote airfield code-named Desert One. A follow on rescue scheme, Operation Credible sport, added large retro-lifting, and takeoff rockets to three C-130s, with the idea of landing commandos in a Tehran soccer stadium and flying the hostages out. During the first landing trial, the lift rockets failed to fire and the on board computer triggered the upper retro-rockets prematurely, dropping the Herk to the ground. The crew got out, but the shattered aircraft was destroyed by fire. Before a second effort could be mounted, Iran agreed to free the hostages.” Air & Space August 2004 page 43 Carl Posey.

THE MISSION
These aircraft were to take off from Eglin AFB in Florida; and refuel in-flight on the way to Iran; then land in the Amjadien soccer stadium across the street from the U. S. Embassy in Teheran Iran; with the intention of extracting the American Hostages from the Embassy in Tehran Iran. After rescuing the Hostage these aircraft were to land on an airfield in Egypt or The U.S.S. Nimitz aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf.
These airframes were specially modified to take off and land in a very short distance (specifically the Amjadien or Amjadieh soccer stadium across the street from the U. S. Embassy in Teheran Iran).
Airframe modifications included but were not limited to the following modifications:
Take off and landing capability was as follows to make a ground clearance of 90 feet at 600 feet from the starting point as was the case for testing in 1980. The airframe was fitted with an array of 30 Rockets on
the airframe, namely: 8 ASROC (Zenith) engines pointing forward in fairings on the fuselage side; 8 pointing straight down to cushion the landing by the wheel wells and fire approx. 6 to 12 inches above the ground. For takeoff 8 ASROC engines provided lift pointing backwards and down on the side of the fuselage, with 6 smaller rocket engines (Platypus) 2 on each wing pylon mount and 2 on the rear fuselage under the beaver tail to prevent over rotation of the airframe.

American Embassy in Tehran IRAN.

American Embassy in Tehran. and the Amjadien Soccer Stadium.

The Amjadien Soccer Stadium

Flight profile to land in the Amjadien Soccer Stadium

The tests were conducted at:

Wagner Field / Eglin Air Force Aux #1, Niceville, FL

30.67 North / 86.35 West (Northeast of Eglin AFB, FL)

The "CREDIBLE SPORT" or XSC-130 H, YMC-130 H, YSC-130H, etc. SUPER STOL PROGRAM. Defined on Lockheed top drawing No. 3319810. This program was declassified according to the Secretary of the Air Force and the DOD in 1986.

Many organizations participated in CREDIBLE SPORT and directly contributed to its success.

They are:
Department of the Army, White Sands Missile Range.
Headquarters Department of the Navy,
Naval Ordnance Station, Indian Head Maryland.
Naval Surface Weapons Center Dahlgren Virginia
Naval Weapons Center, China Lake California.
Patuxtent River NAS, Maryland.
Naval Air Test Center
Headquarters, United States Air Force
Headquarters Air Force Systems Command
Armament Division
Aeronautical Systems Division
Air Force Wright-Aeronautical Laboratories
Air Force Rocket Propulsion laboratory
Air Force Human Resources Laboratory
Air Force Logistics Command.
Tactical Air Command

The air frames for CS Phase I were tested from August to October 1980. The "Credible Sport" program was a response to a quick reaction force requirement for heavyweight aircraft, modified for short field, takeoff and landing capability. The original CS I aircraft was a single point design and only explored a limited portion of the flying envelope. The CS I aircraft were designed for a specific, limited mission. The Phase I program did not posses the normal margins of safety required for peace time operations. The following 4 C-130 H air frames were pulled out of active Air Force service inventory and were considered expendable. These air frames were modified from April to August 1980 as follows:

The First Air frame to be modified was:
# 4667 382 c-41 d 74-2065, Airframe #3 was Assigned to the 463 T A W Oct 1977 to Sept 1980. This airframe was never completely modified to YMC-130H configuration and was used as a test platform for form fit and function of the forward fireing Rockets. This is the only modification to this air frame. This Air frame was DE-modified in November 1984 at Lockheed Ontario. Painted in Lizard Camouflage scheme February 1988. Oct. 1991 assigned to the 773AS to present day.

The 1st airframe prior to firing the forward pointing rockets.

The 1st airframe prior to firing the forward pointing rockets

The 1st Air Frame modified to test the feasibility of forward firing rockets to stop a C-130 during landing.

To Y M C-130 H configuration.

LOCKHEED # A.F. Serial Number CS, Phase I
# 4658 382 c-41 d 74-1683, Airframe #1 Assigned to the 463 Tactical Air
Wing Oct 1977 to Sept 1980.
Hercules 74-1683 was modified so it could take off and land almost like a helicopter. The aircraft was equipped with lift rockets slanting downward, slowdown rockets facing forward. The aircraft was intended for use in Iran to rescue American hostages. During a STOL demonstration flight the pilot fired the upper set of slowdown rockets at a height of 40 feet, instead of 20 feet at usual. The navigator was trained to fire the lower slowdown rockets three seconds later, just after touchdown. When he fired the rockets, the plane was at a height of 20 feet and came almost to a standstill in the air, falling down onto the runway. The right wing collapsed and a fire erupted.
Modified to an YMC-130 H configuration for a rescue operation in Iran. With a C-141 in-flight refueling pod, DC-130 type radome. 30 Rockets total (ASROC engines provided by the Navy) pointing Forward and downward on the forward and rear fuselage. This was the first airframe modified. It was tested at Wagner Field Eglin AFB. It flew approximately 4 test flights there. This airplane crashed at a demonstration on Oct 29, 1980.

C-130 STOL MOD GENERAL ARRANGEMENT

YMC-130 H at Lockheed Georgia

In the Air in 160 take off roll.

In the Air after 160 foot take off roll.

Testing Shrike Rockets to Cushion Ground Effect. Testing the firing Rocket motors on the first Air Frame. Firing The Forward Firing ASROC Rocket Motors and Breaking off the Right Wing.

Fuselage Modifications to the aircraft Forward Firing , and rearward beaver tail Asroc Rocket Motors, Rearward Firing Mk 56 Standard rocket Motors, Tail hook.

The YMC-130 Crashes with the Right wing being torn off at the wing chines.

Aftermath of the accident.

The crash site at Wagner Field.

Accident Report diagram.

Wagner Field Diagrams.

Accident Description Status:
Date: 29 OCT 1980
Type: Lockheed YMC-130H Hercules
Operator: United States Air Force - USAF
Registration: 74-1683
Msn / C/N: 4658
Year built: 1976
Crew: 0 fatalities /? on board
Passengers: 0 fatalities /? on board
Total: 0 fatalities /? on board
Airplane damage: Written off
Location: Valparaiso-Duke Field, FL (EGI) (USA)
Phase: Landing
Nature: Military
Departure airport: Valparaiso-Duke Field, FL (EGI)

CS Phase I & II aircraft # 4669 382 c-41 d 74-1686 Airframe #2 Assigned to the 463 TAW September 1976 to 1980. Modified to Y M C-130 H. 4950 Tactical Air Wing November 1982 to October 1987. Modified for a rescue operation in Iran. Modified as 74-1683. This air frame was used for experimental testing purposes at Warner Robins AFB. These test provided the foundation and prototype testing for the Combat Talon II aircraft. This air frame was DE-modified and given to the Warner Robins museum in March 1988. Sadly this air frame is scheduled SHORTLY! to be cut up for scrape, unless another aviation museum is willing to transport it it's museum.

2nd Credible Sport air frame modified for the mission. This aircraft was never fitted with armed rockets.

2nd Credible Sport air frame modified for the mission. This aircraft was never fitted with armed rockets

2nd YMC-130H airframe after removal of the modifications for the rockets.

#1832 (C/N 382-3795) converted to C-130E-II, later to be redesignated EC-130E in 1976. Is to be converted to HC-130P. Was still EC-130E Oct 2003 when noted with 79th RQS. The conversion program to HC-130P was deemed a failure and the modification was canceled.

The 4th airframe used to engineer the seating arrangements for the hostages and any wounded troops.

Rear view of the EC-130 showing the seating arrangement.

Close up view of the rear view of the EC-130 showing the seating arrangement.

Close up view showing the seating arrangement.

The Program
Credible Sport Phase II 24 August to 11 November 1981. The purpose of CS II was to satisfy prototype test requirements for Combat Talon II avionics and unique airframe modifications. The vehicle being tested for CS II program is configured as the end configuration from the CS I project. The STOL capability would allow CT II aircraft to operate from landing zones of 1500 feet or less (over a 50-ft obstacle) at 140,000 gross weight. To provide 1500 foot landing capability, CT-II would be configured with aerodynamic modifications including horsal and dorsal fins, double slotted flaps, and extended ailerons -- no reverse thrust augmentation is required to meet the 1500-ft criteria. The 1500-ft takeoff capability would require some thrust augmentation. The thrust augmentation would entail a proven low-risk development effort.
Phase II testing ended in 1987.

The HTTB (High Technology Test Bed) Program As a result of the Data gathered from the Credible Sport program, in February 1984 the HTTB program was established. In June 1984 an L-100-20 N130X was modified as the HTTB. Some of the engineering and experience gained from the CS Phase 1,2 programs were incorporated into the design of the HTTB; I.E. enlarged ailerons Horsal (Horsals) fins a Dorsal fin
and double slotted-flaps, and S.T.O.L. telemetry and avionics instrumentation. The HTTB Crashed On February 3, 1993. Killing all on board the aircraft.

The HTTB (HIGH TECHNOLOGY TEST BED) C-130X.

A Drawing of the HTTB (HIGH TECHNOLOGY TEST BED) C-130X.

Newspaper of the crash of the HTTB.

SNOW AVIATION:
Snow Aviation has developed a number of upgrades for the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules:C-130M STOL Herk: In 2006, Snow Aviation completed initial flight testing of a C-130E with the new eight-bladed NP2000 propellers in preparation for them to be offered as an upgrade for the original four-blade 54H60 propellers to increase performance and improve reliability. These are the same propellers being fitted to the E-2C and C-2A by the US Navy. The upgrade decreases take-off roll by over 20 per cent and significantly reduces noise signature of the aircraft. This performance improvement extends to the landing performance with improved reverse thrust. Flight testing has also reportedly shown that brake usage is not needed for normal landings on even short runways. A new electronic control is responsible for providing greater reliability, and more accurate speed governing over the original C-130 propellers. Other design features of the NP2000 propeller system include on-the-wing blade replacement, and bolt-on compatibility with the current Rolls-Royce (Allison) T-56 turbo shaft engine. Also features Snow-designed 1,940 litre (512 US gal) tip tanks and centre wing box rectification. The new tip tanks help improve airframe efficiency by removing the need for underwing fuel pylons, which enhances climb rate, total mission fuel burn and operational ceiling. SAI also extends the rudder chord and enlarges the dorsal fin to improve directional stability in case of a flight critical engine failure and reduces minimum control speeds on the ground and in flight. New York ANG LC-130Hs fitted with the new propellers

Snow Aviation's C-130M

A front view of Snow Aviation's C-130M

Sources:
Jane's Defense Weekly 5 March 1997 Vol. 27 No.9 "How Credible Sport made
SuperSTOL a Reality." these aircraft in 1997 or 1998.
Richard Secord Honored and Betrayed.
William Cooper Behold a Pale Horse. Cooper Claims the Credible Sport
Technology was UFO based.
Steven Emerson Secret Warriors.
James H Kyle The Guts to Try.
Jerry L. Thigpen The Praetorian Starship: The Untold Story of Combat
Talon. Chapter on Credible Sport.
The author of this site is interested in Hearing from
individuals who were involved with Project Credible Sport.

You can watch a portion of the Credible Sport video here at You Tube:

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COPYRIGHT BY TIM RATHBONE.

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