The last C-130H Hercules from the 440th Airlift Wing at Pope Field in North Carolina took off Wednesday morning, continuing the process of deactivating the wing.
The final Hercules departed for the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
The Air Force first said in 2014 that it planned to close the Air Force Reserve unit, to help save about $116 million. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., objected, but he was unable to stop its closure.
The 440th at one time had about 1,200 reservists and 12 C-130 aircraft. But since the Air Force marked it for inactivation, the 440th has shrunk considerably, and now has about 400 reservists.
The wing had 11 C-130Hs left when the official inactivation order came down on May 6. Less than two weeks later, on May 18, it flew out its first three aircraft — one to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia and two to the 189th Airlift Wing, an Air National Guard unit based at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. Most planes went to the 189th, 440th spokeswoman Maj. Lisa Ray said.
The Air Force Reserve's 440th Airlift Wing's final C-130H Hercules aircraft prepares to take off from Pope Field, June 29, 2016. The 440th is in the process of being shut down, and will inactivate by the end of September.
Photo Credit: TSgt Lewis Beeman / Air Force
Most planes flew out to their new homes in May, but a handful weren't in flying shape due to a lack of maintainers, Ray said. The 440th brought in airmen from other bases to get them airworthy again.
The 440th will have a formal inactivation ceremony Sept. 18, and will be fully inactivated by the end of September.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
