C-130 Hercules retirement flight tomorrow.

Article says 3, if you find the route map that would be appreciated but it looks like it'll miss us entirely in both directions.

Timings and Route Map

Always wanted to do a jump from the back of one of them. Never happened though in my skydiving years.  Obvs ain't gonna happen now !

And on google maps - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1u74qVHTBzoO57BST8K5745kBbvqIjzc&ll=54.568116367246326%2C-2.651017350000018&z=7

Sad times. Many flights in those buses along with great memories.

Ah cheers! Depending how they plot the route to Lossiemouth we may yet see them.

Will keep an eye on ADSB Exchange

https://globe.adsbexchange.com (hit the U button for military flights)

Not sure how many are taking part

I'm sure I read somewhere that there'll be three taking part.

Fingers crossed we'll get to see them twice as they pass over the Chilterns.

Sadly doesn't seem to be coming over the Peak District, I thought they might do Derwent.

Sadly going nowhere near here either 🙁

When I was in the Air Training Corps, many moons ago, our squadron was 79 Squadron so we spent a lot of time at RAF Lynham flying in these big buggers.

The maddest experience was being in the back when they were practicing (extremely!) short take offs and landings.

They'd maintain height then go into a really steep drop, pull it up just before it (literally) hit the runway, anchors on, slow it to walking pace, then wind the engines up to full power and get it in the air again as it ran out of runway in what seemed like an absurdly short distance.

When the engines were on full chat, with the noise and the whole thing rattling, shaking and vibrating, you just thought that there was no ****ing way they were going to get this enormous thing off the ground. Absolutely bonkers! Happy days! 🙂

Currently taxiing at Brize.

RAF Luton are celebrating the occasion in their own inimitable fashion...

https://twitter.com/RAF_Luton/status/1668899618875211776?t=18oN-jpu06r04pLRkBa-WQ&s=19

Thanks for this, my FIL used to work on the Hercules

I've sent him this pic, as he said they spent a lot of time in foreign hot parts of the world !

<p style="text-align: right;">Ones shown up on the runway at brize norton</p>

I imagine that in-service date of 1926 in the twitter link is a typo!

@tthew are you new here?

I’m at work near Cosford, shall be keeping my eyes and ears peeled

There's a fair chance they'll pass overhead here on their way to/from Lossiemouth. I don't expect the Typhoons will come this far south to meet them though.

I imagine that in-service date of 1926 in the twitter link is a typo!

@tthew are you new here?

Not only do they reel them in on twitter, but random forums too...

Dammit, they were too low, heard them though

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=43c04c

SAS barracks just got buzzed

Interesting ways to get to to Anglesey through mid-Wales. Hmmm 🤔

When the engines were on full chat, with the noise and the whole thing rattling, shaking and vibrating

The RAF story goes: Part of the recruitment process for Hercules loadies is switch on a Henry and place it inside a cupboard under the stairs, get the recruit to then erect a hammock in same and they have to fall asleep for at least 10 hours, If they can do that, they're in!

Saw them parked up at brize the other week, sad to see them go, they've been the workhorse over the last period, but reality is we don't have many left, and the Atlas that's replacing them is a much better aircraft for the main role.

Not sure why they didn't just reduce the herc fleet to accommodate it's other, specialist role, seems odd to just stop them and sell them off, as we tend to spend more on selling them than we actually get for them every time we do an end of life sale like this.

Interesting ways to get to to Anglesey through mid-Wales. Hmmm 🤔

One final cheeky run through Mach loop perhaps?

i have a soft spot for the hercules as it was the first ever plane i flew in when i was 11 years old back in 1986.

my next door neighbour worked at raf lynham and he invited us to an open day there. we were able to go on a flight in the hercules and once airborne we could even walk up to the cockpit and watch them fly the plane. it was a fantastic experience (also they had the cargo bay door opened whilst airborne so we could look out the back and see the ground (it had a safety net to stop anyone from getting to the edge/falling out).

an amazing day it was 😀

Why Beverley @14:23? Is it just a way point for a turn? Or is there something historical for the C130 there?

My dad spent many years loading and unloading these

Predecessor? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Beverley

You can track the flight here:
> https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=43c04c

Currently skimming the Isle of Arran.

The Short Belfast surely?

Short Belfast - Wikipedia

Reference to ‘Beverley’ question up there 👆

Disappointed I am not on today's flightpath as we often are – I've seen Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancasters, Hercules etc in the past but not to be today 🙁

Just saw them heading north. Pity they were at 13,000 ft instead of the 1,300 ft we're used to 😁

On FR24 also

https://www.flightradar24.com/OMEN1/30b604a6

They’re heading down towards Stirling at the moment. I’ll be heading out shortly to Morgan’s Hill nature reserve, although there’s another place not far away, Oliver’s Castle, a bit closer to Devizes, with equally good views. Hopefully they’ll be fairly close.

edit> @papamountain thank you, it was the Google maps route that I’d seen, and it confirms Morgan’s Hill as the perfect spot, I’ll be right underneath them!

Just across from the golf course, looking down on Calstone Wellington. 😁

They just passed Stirling - I could hear, but even running around the car park like a madman I could not see them. I suspect low between the Wallace Monument and the Castle....

If I had more notice I would have popped up the Wally Molly, just like we did with the Sea Kings.

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Just flown over us (Cumnock, East Ayrshire)

They are coming through Cumbria a good bit further south than the google maps suggested. It would make sense for them to fly low down Bass Lake

i have a soft spot for the hercules as it was the first ever plane i flew in when i was 11 years old back in 1986.

my next door neighbour worked at raf lynham and he invited us to an open day there. we were able to go on a flight in the hercules and once airborne we could even walk up to the cockpit and watch them fly the plane. it was a fantastic experience (also they had the cargo bay door opened whilst airborne so we could look out the back and see the ground (it had a safety net to stop anyone from getting to the edge/falling out)

They probably did this a lot but, if not, I may well have been on the same flight!  Out from Lyneham, remember coming back via Bristol, Bath then over our house in Chippenham, back door open all the way. Was just recounting it all to my daughter in fine detail. Yes, it was quite a day

 

Mach Loop:

Looks like they did a low pass over Lake Windermere. That should be worth watching 🙂

Got a bit confused here - was watching the flight path for the Brize Norton flight far away from me (Loch Venachar on DofE duty) when I heard C130 engine noise coming overhead. Turns out it’s a USN flight on its way to Rekyavik - just as well, as I didn’t bother bringing the long lens for my camera.

Gutted to be missing the Hercs, as one of my favourite pictures is a shot I got if the Seaking goodbye flight heading over Conic Hill with the LMRT guys popping smoke for them one last time.

i have a soft spot for the hercules as it was the first ever plane i flew in when i was 11 years old back in 1986.

my next door neighbour worked at raf lynham and he invited us to an open day there. we were able to go on a flight in the hercules and once airborne we could even walk up to the cockpit and watch them fly the plane. it was a fantastic experience (also they had the cargo bay door opened whilst airborne so we could look out the back and see the ground (it had a safety net to stop anyone from getting to the edge/falling out)

They probably did this a lot but, if not, I may well have been on the same flight! Out from Lyneham, remember coming back via Bristol, Bath then over our house in Chippenham, back door open all the way. Was just recounting it all to my daughter in fine detail. Yes, it was quite a day

I did something similar myself. We flew in a Hercules from BAE at Warton to RAF Woodvale near Southport, back door down all the way. I distinctly remember flying really low over the Mersey estuary looking out over the sea

They're flying almost right over my sister's house!
Damn, if I'd have know that I'd have gone over and "worked from home" over there for the day...

A bit gutted. I was hoping that they'd fly over the airfield half a mile from my house. It's often a route used by big military transporter type planes and just about on the advertised route, so was hopeful that it would happen. Instead they went about 20 miles North East.

For the Beverley question, it's not really Beverley, but the whole Defence transport hub at Leconfield, just north of town, just like they did Catterick and Leeming along the way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_School_of_Transport

Just been right over work near Beverley - looked as they were following A154 south towards the bridge

I too was at a Lynham open day, may have been 1986. My uncle was based there, think he was a load master(?). He put our names down for the flight, we just stepped into the back and my uncle had put in a special word for us and they sat us right next to the loading door. All became clear when they opened the door mid flight. Amazing how many crisp packets were sucked in through the cargo net. We got to see Concorde I think, at Bristol airport? My other uncle was in air sea rescue and offered to take me up in a Wessex, I was terrified as I was only 5 or 6. Always regretted it.

Managed to see them through the binoculars over Easingwold direction from the Chevin. Too much UV to see them clearly, but cool all the same

Now I know what was in the sky!  Didn't see it but it drowned out the dulcet tones of the local red kite.

Aiming to see them twice today.  I've got a spot that overlooks Abingdon airfield then while they loop over Halton Camp I'll scamper back over the hill on the bike and hopefully see them fly over Oxford as they head back to Brize.

Well! I was in the West of Scotland this morning then rushed back to Edinburgh to sit on the sunny banks of the Forth where I clicked on the FR24 link above to find they’d just flown over the exact spot I was in about 90 minutes earlier. To say I’m a tad narked would be an understatement! I now know why people use the face palm emoji 🤦‍♂️

Sad that they're not having a fly past over The Peak District.
I was brought up living under the Manc airport flight path. We would sometimes (hear first) see them come into land, also at the local Woodford aerodrome airshows.

We got to see Concorde I think, at Bristol airport

Would in all likelihood have been pre-production Concorde 202, at Filton Airfield (north Bristol) where it was built. It was moved outside in the early 80s and lived there until '88 if memory serves. Currently in Brooklands Museum.
Filton was used extensively in the 70s & 80s for Hercules touch & go training; it was almost a daily occurrence.

Just by chance we saw them fly over Grasmere whilst we were contemplating a paddle.

Thought it was a bit odd, not the normal jet training flights.

SAS barracks just got buzzed

Great humble brag there

BITD I had a Saturday job at Currys, some chap walks in and buys up all our stock of freezers to be delivered to RAF Lyneham that day. We load up the van and get there where we are directed to a Hercules. Unload the freezers direct into the Herc and they flew off to the Ascension Islands in preparation for the Falklands conflict, talk about prompt procurement............

I'm ex 7 Para RHA, so will miss the big green taxis, always more pleasant to be in than Chinooks, fallen out of quite a few of them in the past, was always a thrill watching gear and arti being pushed out the back at low level.

Been years since i left, but i know there are issues with the new A400, despite bigger capacity, the prop wash seems to stop you being able to deploy sticks of jumpers from both sides, so you can actually drop less troops than you could from a Herc? At the moment the RAF doesn't even really have the aircraft left to support the airbourne forces, most troops are jumping from civvy planes or having to do exercises in the States to take part in larger scale jumps

The map showed they were supposed to pass very close to our work, but the ended up going much further West before looping round towards Lake heath/Mildenhall.

Would have been nice to have seen them.
Did see an Apache on the way home though.

Saw them as I cycled home tonight, following the Ridgeway just outside Swindon. Will miss them locally as I love the sound as they fly over

Also saw them (x2) heading south over Grasmere around lunchtime, loads of fast jets heading north all day, great sight.

I saw them flying over towards Mickle Fell at about 1:45 this afternoon, as I was heading towards Ravenstonedale - quite a sight. There’s a chance I’ve caught them on my camera - I’ll have a look later when the boys are in bed.

Saw them this afternoon, I popped in to the kitchen for a brew and they were heading round Carleton Knott towards Kirkby Lonsdale. I'm going to miss seeing them. Although we're on the night time Ho Chi Minh Trail for the MC130s from Mildenhall, usually at about 2200 and 1000ft, in winter.

Well, despite all my careful research and planning, they went and changed the last part of the route, turning west between Westbury and Trowbridge, then back past Chippenham, Lyneham and on towards Brize. I did see them, but only really thanks to my binoculars. I did keep an eye on ADS-B, which showed they’d turned back west again from over the Chilterns, swung back around the other side of Bath, and back past Chippenham again. Which let me watch them all the way around, until they landed at Brize. Shame they didn’t follow the original plan, they’d have flown right over my head, but I saw them flying around my neck of the woods, where I’ve seen them ever since they were introduced. Living in Chippenham, right on Lyneham’s approach path meant I saw Hastings, Beverley, Belfast and Hercules, back from when I was first able to understand what those things flying over my house were. Even with Lyneham shut, there’s still always things flying around.

I did get one photo, at the optical limit of my phone’s zoom, so I can say I saw them! 😁

Pretty damning write up in the Telegraph

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/14/c-130-hercules-raf-change-to-a400m/

Looks like they did a low pass over Lake Windermere. That should be worth watching 🙂

talking to a bloke in the pub tonight who works on the steamers and he saw them go over while they where out on the lake. i never saw/heard them working in ambleside but the jets have been busy the last few days.

If I remember correctly the bloke who wrote the Telegraph article is a serial critic of MOD procurement who used to write a lot for The Register (which should need little introduction on here). Not saying he’s wrong, just that’s what he does.

I'm feeling a little sad today.

I was on the first Course of pilots trained on the C130J, flying them brand new, with only delivery mileage. Then the  first C130J Co-pilot upgraded to Captain, and when I left the RAF, had the most C130J hours in the world!!!

I was also the first RAF pilot to fly all 5 Mks of C130 - not many of us flew the W2 version (Snoopy, the meteorological research version)

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I was on a volunteer day with work yesterday on the dorset coast, thinking I would miss them as not at home (near boscombe down) They suddenly appeared and flew right over our heads, I have never scrambled so fast to take a photo! You can just see Old harry rocks bottom right. The other photo is blue sky, and my video is one second of the sand and my foot 😀

Sad to see Fat Albert taken out of service. My first experience of the Hercules was an air experience flight with the ATC. I watched a night parachute jump from the back ramp as two sticks of Paras jumped out of the side doors. I was also stationed at Lyneham once I joined the RAF. Goodbye Albert, you’ve done well.

Heard them go over while at work. Told kids that the aircraft noise was probably hercs. Looked out window and an Apache longbow is playing silly buggers. Pretty unusual to see in these parts.

Disappointed I didn't see this thread in time, living between Hereford and Brecon they're a regular sight, I'll be sad not to see them again. I only read it this morning, and thought they might call by Credenhill on the way from Cosford to Valley, which sure enough they did, balls. Mid-post update; they also called by Shobdon which is even closer! I believe they have landed there on occasion, with an extended runway.

Shobdon info, for anyone interested:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shobdon_Airfield

Don't forget Charlie's flypast this weekend will still include them.

Presumably they're dragging along all the F35s we have, without borrowing any from the yanks.

"

dantsw13Free Member
I’m feeling a little sad today.

I was on the first Course of pilots trained on the C130J, flying them brand new, with only delivery mileage. Then the  first C130J Co-pilot upgraded to Captain, and when I left the RAF, had the most C130J hours in the world!!!

I was also the first RAF pilot to fly all 5 Mks of C130 – not many of us flew the W2 version (Snoopy, the meteorological research version)"

You probably know my dad Colin Barter (RIP) he captained Snoopy in his final tour and was a highly distinguished C130 pilot. I will check his log books to see if he managed all 5 Mks.

Sadly they were no where near me.  One did fly down the River Dee past my house in Kirkcudbright a few weeks ago just at dusk. My house is on a hill and it was almost at the same height as me. Amazing sight and sound!

David - the C130J only entered service in the late 90s so he probably didn't manage the Mk4/5. AFAIK there were only 2 other pilots in the early cadre of C130J pilots who had flown Snoopy and they were a few months behind me.

I know the name, but sadly don't believe I ever met him.

Pretty damning write up in the Telegraph

I don't know of any military procurement in the last few decades that hasn't had bad press of some sort or another. There's always always some-one ready to say "you shouldn't have bought that, you should've bought this instead"

It's not so much the procurement aspect, more the disposal of the old stuff. Soon there'll be nothing left to dispose of apart from some blokes with fluffy hats and red jackets. But that's ok, the tourists love 'em.

Yeah you're not wrong, like most public services the military has been hollowed out by Tory austerity. I've heard an opinion recently which pretty much said; below a certain strength you start to loose the corporate memory of how to do stuff, and this is the smallest the military has been in a number of decades.