"The most successful aircraft in the history of military aviation isn't a supersonic fighter or a stealthy bomber. It is a propeller-driven cargo plane called the C-130 Hercules that has evolved into more variants than any other fixed-wing plane ever built. The Hercules is so successful that in 2006 it became only the second aircraft of American origin to reach the half-century milestone of continuous operation by its home service, the Air Force. The only other plane that has achieved such longevity is the B-52 bomber. But whereas the B-52 ceased production 40 years ago, the Hercules looks likely to continue rolling off production lines for decades to come."
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