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The C-130 Hercules holds the record for the largest and heaviest airplane to land on an aircraft carrier. In October and November 1963, a Hercules, made 21 unarrested landings and take-offs on the USS Forrestal carrying an increasing amount of weight.
A nuclear-powered carrier can be at sea for extended periods of time, but it needs to be regularly resupplied. The C-130 had just entered service in the US Air Force, and it was considered for this duty. However, Navy planes are specially designed to operate from carriers. They land with the aid of arrestor gear in order not to fall off the other side and use steam catapults in order to take off.
The Hercules was not designed for either and these features could not be used. The first trial was a touch and go mission where the Hercules would not come to a complete stop. After that it landed and came to a complete stop and took off again. This was repeated with the Hercules carrying an increasing amount of weight.
