NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
FEATURE
Ambassador visits USAFE, SPACE FOREUR-AF, AIRCOM, Page 2
Victory at Thunder Challenge 2025, Page 6
21 TSC Change of Command, Page 13
Air Force Week in photos, Pages 16 & 17
August 8, 2025 | Volume 49, Number 31
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C-130J Super Hercules gains second wind after repairs at Ramstein by Senior Airman Tabatha Chapman 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
The 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base had the unique privilege to give one of its own a second chance to fly. During a training sortie in April 2020, C-130J Super Hercules, tail number 5736, experienced a hard landing event that damaged the structural integrity of the wings, engines and landing gear assemblies, rendering it unable to fly. “The project really started when the program office took a look at the hard landing and the specifications and decided that it would be more cost effective to return the aircraft to the fleet rather than to retire it completely,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Lucas Buckley, 86th Maintenance Group commander. “Between the engineers, planners and technicians, taking the steps to put the aircraft back together was the best investment for the Air Force.” Over the course of four years,
A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules taxis at Ramstein Air Base, July 26. The aircraft underwent the first suc cessful wing replacement for the base, before it returned to Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. Photo by Airman 1st Class Rebecca Harima
See SECOND WIND on Page 3
Exploring Croatia:
Hidden gems, island life, the allure of the Adriatic
Nestled on the eastern edge of the Adriatic Sea, Croatia offers a mix of Mediterranean charm, See CROATIA, Page 30
“Sketch” is the featured movie of the week, Page 29 Franciscan monastery right on the beach on the island of Hvar, Croatia.
Photo by xbrchx/Shutterstock.com
by Bret Helenius contributing writer to MilitaryInGermany.com