The Artist Depicts A Wc-130 Of The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Flying Through The Eye Of A Hurricane. Note: The WC-130H is capable of staying aloft nearly 15 hours during missions. It is equipped with two external 1,400 gallon (5,320-liter) fuel tanks, an internal 1,800 gallon (6,480 liter) fuel tank, and has uprated engines. An average weather reconnaissance mission might last 11 hours and cover almost 3,500 miles while the crew collects and reports weather data every minute.