On assignment today in Florida brought me to the St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport which is also home to the US Coast Guard Station Clearwater. Although my mission was to photograph a new ARFF unit, I couldn’t help myself from frequently turning my attention and camera to the incredibly cool C-130 Hercules aircraft and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters.
There are (I believe) three of the C-130s assigned to this station and seven helicopters.
![USCG C-130 Hercules taking off from the St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport. Larry Shapiro photo](https://i0.wp.com/larryshapiroblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USCG_0085.jpg?resize=600%2C326&ssl=1)
There was a home game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today and the Coast Guard was doing a flyby prior to the game which included one C-130 and two MH-60s.
![Two USCG MH-60 Jayhawk helicopoters](https://i0.wp.com/larryshapiroblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USCG_0094.jpg?resize=600%2C318&ssl=1)
![A USCG MH-60 hovers over the runway prior to leaving the field. Larry Shapiro photo](https://i0.wp.com/larryshapiroblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USCG_0107.jpg?resize=600%2C289&ssl=1)