“I felt that it should be sent off right, knowing full well that we’re capturing its heritage. “I’ve spent a majority of my career being around this amazing airplane, its maintainers and operational support staff,” said Bauernfeind. A former commander of the 15th SOS and MC-130H pilot, Bauernfeind made it a priority to take part in the final flight. Tony Bauernfeind, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command. On board the aircraft to help deliver it to its final destination was Lt. Sunday’s flight saw the MC-130H depart Hurlburt Field for the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, also known as the “Boneyard,” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The aircraft, which first arrived at Hurlburt Field in June 1992, supported combat and humanitarian operations including Operation Allied Force, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, to name a few. Missions performed with the MC-130H involved infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special operations forces and equipment, in addition to air refueling operations, among others. “Probably a part of that pride was knowing that at a moment’s notice, we had to be ready.” “There was just so much pride behind the Talons,” Rutkowski noted. During that time, he deployed three times and supported a variety of missions for the 15th SOS.
Rutkowski, now a quality assurance evaluator assigned to the 1st Special Operations Maintenance Group, worked on the MC-130H for six years. I did that every single time.”Ī former crew chief with the 15th Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Hurlburt Field, Rutkowski said he will never forget the camaraderie of being part of the Talon community. “With the MC-130H, I used to give it a big hug on the nose and tell it goodbye and to keep my friends safe. “There’s special things you do whenever a plane leaves,” Rutkowski said.
On Sunday, April 2, members of the Talon community gathered at Hurlburt Field, to see MC-130H, Tail Number 89-0280, take off for the last time.Īs members of the 15th Special Operations Squadron prepared for takeoff, families, friends and former MC-130H crew joined them to say goodbye to the aircraft.īefore it taxied away, ground crews also made sure to take part in what has become a preflight ritual for the Combat Talon II – rubbing the aircraft’s large, rounded nose. “But, it can also be a really bad day where everything goes wrong and others might give up, but you still get the mission done - that’s the Talon Standard.” “When you would finish that perfect mission, you say, ‘of course we did, that’s the Talon Standard,’” Fisher added. Andrew Fisher, an MC-130H pilot assigned to the 5th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. “The ‘Talon Standard’ means holding yourself and your crew to the highest standard,” said Lt. “There’s a specific hum to it.”įor many others, it’s the “Talon Standard.”Īn unofficial motto, the “Talon Standard” is a phrase that’s been used by MC-130H Combat Talon II crews in good times, and in bad. “You could always tell when one was about to land,” said U.S. Air Force Combat Talon community will never forget.įor one – the low, humming sound of an MC-130H’s engines. There are certain details that members of the U.S.
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