Hercules to Retire

The RAF published a map of the route of the flypast which showed it flying over Dartford. I was dismayed to see it left the Essex coast at Frinton and skirted around Ramsgate before going around Dover on the landward side. I later found a more detailed plan which described the actual route with waypoints. Should have checked that first as we could have easily travelled to Ramsgate, or Folkestone to see them.

I wasn't too upset as I had a good helping of Hercules (Herculii?) at Greenham Common in 1979 and a couple of large formations during the Silver Jubilee at Finningley in 1977.

I thought of going up to Lossiemouth difficult to decide where to go to watch.

Heavy Whalley posted this earlier.

In praise of a great Aircraft – “The Herc “ Hercules aircraft. Thank you !

He posted recently about how they were sent to the Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre, an advance party of five of them were flown down by Hercules whilst the rest followed by road.

He wrote how they are now very aware of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and limit the number of people who go to the actual crash site .
 

Getting as bad as Frank Sinatra!  The final Hercules flight will now be in the King's Birthday Flypast on Saturday which will be another try at what was planned for the Coronation Flypast.