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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.
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
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
