In pictures: RAF Hercules retirement flypast

Image source, RAF Lossiemouth
Image caption,
Three RAF Hercules have toured the UK on a farewell flight. At RAF Lossiemouth, they were flanked by two Typhoon fighter jets.
Image source, RAF Valley
Image caption,
The flypast on Wednesday marked the retirement of the aircraft from service. RAF Valley on Anglesey was also on the route.
Image source, Christopher Williams
Image caption,
Spectators watched from the dunes at the RAF station.
Image source, RAF NI
Image caption,
RAF personnel watched the Hercules fly over Aldergrove Flying Station, near Antrim.
Image source, Cenk Albayrak-Touye
Image caption,
In the afternoon the aircraft could be seen from Canford Cliffs as they passed Old Harry Rocks in Dorset.
Image source, Craig Richardson
Image caption,
The flypast schedule included Boscombe Down, the military aircraft testing site in Wiltshire.
Image source, RAF College Cranwell
Image caption,
The flypast took in key locations for the Royal Air Force. RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire is the military training academy for aircrew cadets.
Image source, Graham Wiffen
Image caption,
The trio of C-130s flew over The Needles before turning north.
Image source, RAF Valley
Image caption,
Hercules have been a regular sight at the Mach Loop, a series of valleys used for low-level flight training.
Image source, Ryan Savage
Image caption,
Ryan Savage captured the Hercules and Typhoons against the spectacular backdrop at Lossiemouth in Moray.
Image source, RAF Cosford
Image caption,
Air force personnel watched the flypast over RAF Cosford in Shropshire.
Image source, @AB4MuMu
Image caption,
They also flew over the Lake District.
Image source, @SBOReeves
Image caption,
Twitter user @SBOReeves, who lives near Cambridge Airport, said they would miss the Hercules' "distinctive rumble which has been ever-present in my life".

At a glance

Three RAF C-130 Hercules tour all four nations of the UK
The flypast marks the retirement of the aircraft from service at the end of June
The trio left RAF Brize Norton at 10:00 BST on Wednesday

15 June 2023

Stunning pictures have been captured of three RAF Hercules touring the UK in a flypast to mark the aircraft's retirement from service.

The trio of C-130s departed Brize Norton at 10:00 BST on Wednesday and passed locations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

During the flight the Hercules were flanked by two Typhoon fighter jets at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF personnel watched the aircraft fly over Aldergrove Flying Station, near Antrim.

Hercules and 47 Squadron will be stood down on 30 June.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Matty 🇺🇦

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

RAF photographer "Matty" was on board one of the Hercules.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

John Elliott filmed the flypast at RAF High Wycombe.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Skip twitter post 2 by Matty 🇺🇦

Allow Twitter content?

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

The Hercules performed a low pass though the Mach Loop, captured here by RAF photographer "Matty".

Follow BBC South on Facebook, external, Twitter, external, or Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, external.

In pictures: RAF Hercules retirement flypast

Related topics

Related internet links

More from the BBC