Three RAF Hercules are to tour the UK in a flypast to mark the aircraft’s retirement from service.
The trio of C-130s will depart Brize Norton at 10:00 BST, passing locations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, before returning at 17:05.
The transport plane, which has been used by the RAF since the 1960s, is being replaced by the Atlas A400 and other aircraft.
Hercules and 47 Squadron will be stood down on 30 June.
Flypast timings
10:00 Depart RAF Brize Norton
10:25 National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas
10:34 RAF Cosford
11:22 RAF Valley
11:48 FS Aldergrove
12:51 RAF Lossiemouth (with Typhoon escort)
14:08 RAF Leeming
14:10 RAF Topcliffe
14:23 Beverley
14:35 RAF Waddington
14:38 RAF College Cranwell
14:58 Cambridge Airport
15:04 RAF Mildenhall
15:15 Colchester Garrison
16:22 MOD Boscombe Down
16:25 Salisbury Plain (West Down Camp)
16:32 MOD Lyneham
16:36 Royal Wootton Bassett
16:39 Defence Academy of the UK, Shrivenham
16:43 Dalton Barracks, Abingdon
16:51 RAF Halton
16:55 RAF High Wycombe
17:05 RAF Brize Norton
And here…. We… GO!!! pic.twitter.com/W6nYJuOSuQ
— Matty 🇺🇦 (@Callsign_Kodak) June 14, 2023
The C-130 fleet has been an integral part of air power for the RAF for nearly six decades, contributing to nearly every British conflict since it was brought into service in the 1960’s, providing airlift/airdrop capabilities and having the flexibility to operate in austere areas around the world.
The aircraft has played an essential role as part of the air mobility fleet, supporting UK military and humanitarian relief operations, as demonstrated during Operation PITTING, the evacuation of entitled personnel from Afghanistan.
More recently in Sudan, having left nearly 82 years ago, 47 Squadron returned to Khartoum with three Hercules in April and May 2023, where apart from RAF Lyneham, 47 Squadron has called home the longest.
Unable to access Khartoum airport (established by 47 Squadron in 1927) Hercules evacuated over 2000 Embassy staff and British passport holders from a degrading concrete strip North of the city.
