Historic Herk To Robins

A US Air Force C-130E Hercules that was flown during Operation Red Dragon, the rescue of civilian hostages in Stanleyville, Republic of Congo, in 1964 was retired to the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB, Georgia, on 6 September 2011. On 23 November 1964, seven months after this aircraft (Air Force serial number 63-7868) was delivered, it and several other C-130s were used to drop more than 300 UN paratroopers who then overpowered Simba rebels at the Victoria Hotel in Stanleyville and freed the hostages. In later flights, more than 2,000 civilians were flown to safe haven in Leopoldville. The aircraft, which took small arms fire during its first rescue flight out of Stanleyville, will go on display in October.