this is a remarkable airplane, it was a C-130 modified in 1980 for a rescue mission of the hostages held at the U.S. Embassy in Iran (Thanks William!)

But the mission was canceled before the aircraft could complete its testing program after the hostages were released.

What happened between then and now doesn't show up in any news report

“It’s a piece of history that’s not well known because these rescue missions were closely held information.

“It's technically really remarkable what they were trying to do. They had modified it with rockets, while trying to get a plane to fly in and out of a soccer field no bigger than a football field - to land in 600 feet and take off in 600 feet, with a full load.. From the looks of it, they were close to that.” Hackert said. It was already able to land on an aircraft carrier, and take off.

It was just moved from Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, to the Empire State Aerosciences Museum, this summer

“I was asked from the Air Force to find it a new home,” said Charlie White, a government contractor who oversaw the aircraft which was donated by the Air Force. The pieces of the plane were brought in four trips. The body of the aircraft took two and half weeks to arrive at the museum because of hold ups in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York.

According to White, a complete assembly of the aircraft won’t begin until September and will take six weeks to assemble and restore. White will bring a team of six people to help ESAM assemble the aircraft.

The plane will be reassembled this September by a team from Robins Air Force Base, he said, adding that the museum hopes to obtain assistance in its subsequent renovation from the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at the Stratton base in Schenectady.

ESAM anticipates it won’t be available to the public for almost another year.

“This is the most historic aircraft we ever got, and we’re honored to get it,” Wilson said.



https://dailygazette.com/article/2018/07/06/historic-aircraft-slowly-makes-its-way-to-museum
https://www.esam.org/
https://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Fuselage-of-historic-rocket-plane-en-route-to-13054313.php
https://www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2018/07/plane_built_to_rescue_iran_hostages_headed_to_upstate_ny_museum.html