C-130 JATO

Cargo groundcrew girls clowning at left side paratrooper door (aft of the wing) of the C-130 … Saigon 1972. An interesting detail of the aircraft is revealed here with the four mounts at left side of photo that were for a JATO (Jet Assisted Takeoff) system. Four small jets (actually I think more like rockets) could be attached to these mounts on both sides of aircraft. The jets would be ignited for a short time during takeoff, propelling the C-130 into the air in a very short distance … supposedly in as little as a few hundred feet which is incredible. The JATO was rarely used and was the cause of a few accidents during tests. There was also another configuration where jets could be used in reverse to allow aircraft to land and stop in a very short distance. It was reported that in 1980 a plan was in place to use a JATO equipped C-130 for rescue of the Iranian hostages … takeoff and landing to be done on a soccer field … yikes!