SALINAS — The Blue Angels were the stars of the recent Salinas air show, but they're not the stars of this story.
Instead, it's the Fat Albert, a beloved C-130 that's provided logistical support to the daredevil team for more than 50 years.
Without the Fat Albert, it would be tough to do the show, the aircraft's commander Capt. Beau Mabery said.
"We would have to depend on other entities to get us from place to place," he said to KCBS Radio. "The main function of Fat Albert is actually the logistical aircraft for the Blue Angels. So, to get from show site to show site, we actually carry the team members and support equipment."
While Fat Albert's main mission is to support the Blue Angels, the craft does get some time in the spotlight performing high precision aerobatics at shows.
There were times during a 30-minute demonstration flight that the plane performed several zero-gravity dives. Anything that wasn't strapped down would have briefly floated.
Thanks to its versatile frame, the C-130 is the longest continuously produced military aircraft in history.