Thursday, April 18, 2013

Combat Talons fly for last time

Final flight of Combat Talons. Air Force photo
DUKE FIELD, Fla. – The Air Force's last four MC-130E Combat Talon I's had their final mission from their home at Duke Field on April 15. The Talons will be officially retired in a ceremony at Duke Field on April 25 and the aircraft will then be flown to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. April 25 commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the Desert One mission to free the hostages from Iran. Several of the MC-130E's at Duke Field took part in that mission. In the final mission, the four Talons took off as two two-ships carrying more than 40 of the wing's airmen who had a long association with the Talons and wanted to be a part of the historic final flight. The retirement of the Talons are steps in the transition to the new Aviation Foreign Internal Defense mission for Air Force Special Operations Command. More than five of the wing's new aircraft, the C-145A, are already on the Duke flightline. (Source: 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs, 04/18/13)