When my father, and later I, was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, C-130s sang me to sleep at night from the runway across from our house (and, later, my dorm).

A new report says it’s “The Best Military Aircraft Ever.” (Warning: PDF)

Which is probably true: It’s a highly versatile aircraft — performing duties as a cargo plane, a weather reconnaissance plane (these are the “Hurricane Hunters” that fly into hurricanes), gunships and others.

[Hotel Tango: Air Force Association Daily Report.]