When and where you can see RAF Hercules flypast in Oxfordshire this week

Plane enthusiasts will have a chance to say farewell to an RAF workhorse this week.

Three Hercules aircraft will conduct a flypast at locations across the country on Wednesday (June 14) ahead of the plane’s retirement from service.

The planes will make at least three passes over Oxfordshire; taking off from and landing at RAF Brize Norton, and also passing the skies above Dalton Barracks in Abingdon and the Defence College in Shrivenham.

A stalwart of the Royal Air Force for more than five decades, Hercules aircraft have seen action around the globe in support of both military and humanitarian operations.

The Hercules – and the Brize Norton-based 47 Squadron that operates them – will be stood down on June 30.

Last week, Princess Anne visited members of the squadron at RAF Brize Norton, inspecting airmen and officers then watching a Hercules flypast.

The Princess Royal at RAF Brize Norton Picture: RAF (Image: MOD Crown Copyright)

In May, a C-130 Hercules was the star of the weekend at Abingdon Airshow on the former RAF airfield that was once home to the 47 Squadron.

Fl Lt Russell Curto, of the Hercules squadron, said after the airshow: “The day was filled with many stories from the public with such fond memories of the C-130 and some great tales of the Hercules on operations from some of our former members.”

When and where to see the Hercules on Wednesday, June 14 (Oxfordshire locations highlighted)

10am   Depart RAF Brize Norton

10.25am    National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas

10.34am    RAF Cosford

11.22am    RAF Valley

11.48am    FS Aldergrove

12.51pm    RAF Lossiemouth (with Typhoon escort)

2.08pm    RAF Leeming

2.10pm     RAF Topcliffe

2.23pm    Beverley

2.35pm    RAF Waddington

2.38pm    RAF College Cranwell

2.58pm    Cambridge Airport

3.04pm    RAF Mildenhall

Story continues

3.15pm    Colchester Garrison

4.22pm    MOD Boscombe Down

4.25pm    Salisbury Plain (West Down Camp)

4.32pm    MOD Lyneham

4.36pm    Royal Wootton Bassett

4.39pm    Defence Academy of the UK, Shrivenham

4.43pm    Dalton Barracks, Abingdon

4.51pm    RAF Halton

4.55pm    RAF High Wycombe

5.05pm    RAF Brize Norton