RAF Hercules retirement flypast: Watch video of trio of iconic aircraft flying over Northern Ireland
A trio of C130 Hercules aircraft - the backbone of the armed forces in NI during the Troubles - will fly over Northern Ireland today to mark their retirement from the RAF.
The flypast will mark 56 years of service to the RAF and will see the aircraft fly over Aldergrove Flying Station - beside Belfast International Airport - today, Wednesday 14 June at 11:48am.
The flight is part of a wider route across England, Scotland and Wales today.
Ray Burrows MBE, Chairman of the Ulster Aviation Society at Long Kesh, said he would be one of those looking out for them.
An RAF C130-J Hercules lands at Camp Bastion, Southern Afghanistan. On Wednesday 14 June they will fly over Aldergrove as part of a UK wide flight path to mark their retirement.
Most Popular
RAF Hercules retirement flypast: Where and when can you see trio of iconic aircraft flying over Northern Ireland?
Weather: The hottest day so far this year is recorded in Northern Ireland at 27.1 degrees
"The Hercules have been flying into Aldergrove for 50 years," he told the News Letter. "They are one of the mainstays of the RAF with a fantastic safety record. I don't know how many million miles they must have flown in service of the RAF.
"During the Troubles the Hercules were in and out of Northern Ireland virtually on a daily basis every day for 30 years.”
"This was a period whenever things would not have been moved by road transport – so the only option was to fly them in.
"They were used to bring in all sorts of equipment, troops and even helicopters. They would have been used basically in every operation to do with the military here."
The farewell route the Hercules will take across the UK.
The first Hercules arrived at Marshall’s of Cambridge in December 1966. Since entering RAF service at RAF Thorney Island in West Sussex, it has operated right across the globe in support of UK military and humanitarian relief operations.
The aircraft will continue operating in support of UK defence objectives until the end of June.
For anyone in other parts of NI hoping to catch a glimpse of them, the aircraft will fly into Aldergrove from the south east and return to GB via the north east.
They will depart RAF Valley in Wales at 11:22am, arrive at Aldergrove at 11:48am and then arrive at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland at 12:51.