Aerial Firefighting Tanker Photos
at IWA (2004 Fire Season)
Added 7/11/04

With some of the commerical Air Tankers grounded amongst another busy Arizona summer forest fire season in 2004,
heavy air support was provided by several USAF C-130 aircraft (MAFFS) as seen in the photos below.  All of the
aircraft had orange numbers added to the fuselage to allow lead planes to keep visual contact with the aircraft
when they are flying in to drop their load of retardant near the fires.  Through the use of MAFFS, the C-130
can be converted fairly quickly to provide air support to firefighters.  The third row of photos below shows
one of the first MAFFS units installed inside a C-130.
Click here to learn more about:  MAFFS (Modular Airborne FireFighting System)

'21531' (Tanker 1)

'37313' (Tanker 2)

'37314' (Tanker 5)

(Tanker 7)

Tanker 5 Taxiing In

C-130 Tanker Row

Lead Aircraft

Air Attack

MAFFS

MAFFS Controls

MAFFS Tanks Inside

C-130 Cockpit