The ‘Herc Rats’ get together to tell tall aviation tales
Historic aircraft hauled everything from nuclear reactor parts to livestock
They are members of one of Canada’s most exclusive aviation fraternities and there will never be a new member.
They are the crews of the Pacific Western Airlines Lockheed Hercules air freighters, who between 1966 and 1984 flew everything as cargo from submarines, killer whales, oil rigs, bulk fuel, dynamite and relief supplies into more than 108 countries around the world.
The Herc Rats, as they call themselves, held their eighth reunion since 1991 recently at the Edmonton Inn.
Pilots, engineers, loadmasters, navigators, crew planners and project managers told of so many flying dramas from across the globe there was enough material to fill a TV adventure series for decades.
“In the cold, dark, winter months, Hercules crews flew entire oil exploration rigs into drilling sites in the High Arctic, along with fuel, drilling pipe, heavy equipment and even entire trailer camps complete with kitchens, washrooms and sleeping accommodation.”
Loadmaster Erik Strand, a 10-year PWA Hercules veteran, recalls his flying days ended when he was helping transport a herd of Brahma bulls from Darwin, Australia, to Kota Kinabalu, Borneo.
“The bulls got out of control while we were unloading and I was right in front of the herd when it charged,” he said. “I was trampled and gored. I had seven knee surgeries before finding myself in an office job.”
Stu Russell, a longtime Hercules team member, and one of the reunion organizers, said Russ Baker, a pilot with interests in mining and lumber operations, launched Pacific Western in 1946 in Fort St. James, B.C. The company was to become a world-renowned cargo carrier.
“Our Hercules adventures actually began in 1966, with the first oil rig move by air between Peace River and Rainbow Lake,” said Russell.
“We used a leased Alaska Airlines Hercules that proved the concept to the Pacific Western board and led in 1967 to the purchase of the first civilian Hercules in Canada.
“When oil and gas exploration in Northern Canada really took off in 1968/1969, PWA provided the airlift capability that enabled the seismic and drilling operations to move 23,000-kilo loads of equipment into remote Arctic regions.”
The Hercules, with large cargo holds and rear-loading ramps, were ideal for expediting delivery of any type of machinery or equipment to the north, where there were no roads and sites were only accessible by barges or ships during the very limited ice-free summer season.
After spring breakup, the aircraft and crews were based overseas, flying cargo charters virtually anywhere in the world, hauling everything from silver ingots, livestock, 747 engines, helicopters, nuclear reactor parts and anything else that would fit into the cargo compartment.
In many cases, oil and gas drilling rigs were designed and built in Alberta’s industrial areas specifically to fit into the mammoth holds. Patents were taken out on many innovative designs that evolved as the aircraft continued to be utilized in ever-changing roles. The expertise and skills of the project planners and aircrews saw the Hercules landing on fresh water runways and sea ice runways in the Arctic and on gravel, sand and unprepared surfaces in underdeveloped countries.
“Missions might involve operations into strife-torn parts of the world such as Angola, Bangladesh, (the former) Biafra or Ethiopia, and then crews being able to enjoy luxury accommodation and meals while operating out of London, Paris or Singapore on the next tour of duty,” said Russell.
In 1967, when PWA began operating the civilian version of the Hercules C-130, these versatile aircraft and some 500-plus crew accumulated more than 90,000 air hours and delivered about 800,000 tonnes of cargo everywhere from the High Arctic to the Sahara Desert.
The Edmonton Industrial Airport, which later became the Edmonton Municipal Airport, was PWA’s northern hub and the home base for its Hercules aircraft. The ninth floor of the Edmonton Inn housed the sales and management team that supported operations.
On April 21, 1984, a remarkable era of adventures ended when
PWA Hercules crew loaded an aircraft for the last time. It was the final commercial flight from the Panarctic Oils base camp at Rea Point on Melville Island, Nunavut, to Edmonton.
“With so many different and sometimes difficult missions shared, it’s perhaps not surprising our PWA Herc crews became an extremely close-knit family, which continues to return to the Edmonton Inn every few years to relive the excitement,” said Russell.
“Sadly, as time marches on, our Herc Rats numbers dwindle, but tremendous camaraderie still brings us together.
“To those who have gone before, we take a moment at reunions to say, ‘Rest easy old friends, we wish you clear blue skies and long white contrails. You may have left us, but you will never be forgotten.’”
Nick Lees