3 0 ▁M k ▁I ) ▁in ▁October ▁/ ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁a ▁Her cules ▁achieved ▁and ▁still ▁holds ▁the ▁record ▁for ▁the ▁largest ▁and ▁heav iest ▁aircraft ▁to ▁land ▁on ▁an ▁aircraft ▁car rier . ▁During ▁October ▁and ▁November ▁that ▁year , ▁a ▁US MC ▁K C - 1 3 0 F ▁( Bu No ▁ 1 4 9 7 9 8 ), ▁loan ed ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Test ▁Center , ▁made ▁ 2 9 ▁touch - and - go ▁land ings , ▁ 2 1 ▁un arr ested ▁full - stop ▁land ings ▁and ▁ 2 1 ▁un ass isted ▁take - offs ▁on ▁ ▁at ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁different ▁weights . ▁The ▁pilot , ▁Lieutenant ▁( l ater ▁R ear ▁Admir al ) ▁James ▁H . ▁Fl at ley ▁III , ▁US N , ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross ▁for ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁this ▁test ▁series . ▁The ▁tests ▁were ▁highly ▁successful , ▁but ▁the ▁idea ▁was ▁considered ▁too ▁ris ky ▁for ▁routine ▁car rier ▁on board ▁delivery ▁( CO D ) ▁operations . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁Gr um man ▁C - 2 ▁Grey h ound ▁was ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁dedicated ▁CO D ▁aircraft . ▁The ▁Her cules ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁test , ▁most ▁recently ▁in ▁service ▁with ▁Marine ▁Aer ial ▁Ref uel er ▁Squadron ▁ 3 5 2 ▁( VM GR - 3 5 2 ) ▁until ▁