Transistor hFE Current Gain calculation. What am I doing wrong?

[made2hack]

Ok,
let's look at the following two transistors, the Fairchild KSP42/43 and the Fairchild KSP13/14. First, the datasheets:
KSP42/43
KSP/13/14

The first is a "high" voltage NPN, and the second is a Darlington. The first has a collector current of 500mA and the second also 500mA.

The 42/43 has an hFE of 25 @ Vce=10V & Ic=1mA=10V ----- an Hfe of 40 @ Vce=10V & Ic=10mA ------ and finally an Hfe of 40 @ Vce=10V & Ic = 30mA.
I thought that hFE Gain was the amount of times that the current you put through the Base is "amplified", or if I put 1mA on the Base, I get 40mA say on the Collector current.
But, if the gain is 40 @ 30mA, isn't that a total of 1.2Amp? or 1200mA? Doesn't that exceed the 500mA of the collector? 

The KSP 13/14 has hFE from 5K - 20K, due to it being a Darlington?

So what am I missing or not understanding? And also, what voltage do I have to put to the Base to get the transistor to "turn on"? Or does it not matter as long as I have a minimum current? Where do I look @ the datasheet for that info?

If it says Emitter-Base voltage is 10V, does that mean that maximum base voltage I can input is 10V? Irrespective of current?

Thanks in advance

[matkar]

You are not reading the datasheet correctly. It means when collector current is 30mA the gain is 40. So the base current is 0,75mA. Have you tried pushing 30mA through the base? Note the gain changes with current. Look at the charts instead. For other limiting values check Absolute maximum ratings table.