Retirement of RAF Hercules

Wasn't really sure where to put this as those actually being retired and only about 30 years old, but the aircraft has a much longer history with the RAF.

Growing up near Brize Norton its really sad as Hercules, VC10's and Tristars were an ever present in my childhood, now all retired, I'm obviously getting bloody old!

 

I shall miss then dropping the SBS guys into Studland Bay.

 

And thereby lies the problem (apparently), in looking for the footage I shared above there was also a piece of a sticky exchange in the defence committee where it was noted that once they are retired for a while we will have nothing to drop special forces in places.

 

I think I mentioned elsewhere that my brother-in-law left Bosnia in one of these, lying on the cargo... sadly it flew too far west of chez 55 008 so no photos

What about the, A400 is it? I've seen those a few times heading from Wittering.

https://www.forces.net/technology/a...t-means-loss-capability-warns-chief-air-staff

 

Bonkers decision to retire the C-130. Can still do jobs the A400 can’t and the A400 has reliability problems anyway.

 

Passing just north of Bassingbourn Barracks this afternoon.

 

If the Ukraine war has taught us anything it is surely that we need a larger, better equipped and more versatile set of armed forces. It's the bloody accountants at work again, demonstrating once more their knowledge of the price of everything and the value of nothing.

I remember a comic novel by John Winton where Admiralty "time and motion experts" had determined that the most efficient navy was one composed of a single ship that was constantly being refitted and never put to sea! I think that was written in the 1950s or early 60s, but it seems like that theory prevails in all branches of the services and they are steadily working towards implementing it!

 

Current and past defence chiefs have spoken out against the retirement. Until the A400 gets mods that will render it suitable for Special Services ops in particular, the MoD has created yet another capability gap.

 

Photted on flying over the airfield of RAF Halton. 200 mm lens on a Leica M9, shutter speed of 1/200 (approx with shutter speed set on 'Automatic') at f.16.

 

Omen Flight coming in nice and low over RAF Mildenhall yesterday.

 

My time there was with VC10s, Belfasts and Britannias. I guess that makes me prehistoric

 

Britannia and VC10 were classics and gave sterling service. The Belslow never really got the chance to prove itself though.

 

Ah Belslows, Supposed to be a 'big brother' to the Hec it was a typical example of an aircraft really messed up by MOD cost cutting. Was supposed to have jet propulsion but turbo props were considered cheaper (hence Belslow) and the fuselage structure was cheaply designed to use the rear door as an integral part of the fuselage structure so it couldn't even be open when taxiing let alone in flight. They did have a couple of plus points though, the wide high wing made a good rain shelter in the middle of the night if you got lumbered for 'guarding the airfield' and when it was really cold and you had to be on the flight line, standing under one of the running engines downward facing exhausts was lovely and warm (so long as you didn't mind stinking of burnt fuel for the rest of the day)

Was one of the first aircraft with full Cat IIIc (Completely zero vis) Autoland autopilots though. (the HS Trident was the first, Belslows used the same autopilot)

 

Ah, the MoD/Air Ministry - screwing up aircraft design since the Wright Brothers.

 

I'm a bit young for that, my time was VC10's, Hercules and later Tristars flying over 10's of times a day on the circuits and bumps loop, plus the occasional Andover.

 

Growing up I had the pleasure of living near RAF Colerne, Lynham and Hullavington.
I recall the arrivals / departures with the Cyprus evacuation in particular.

I was very familiar with the sound, so when I was in a windowless lecture theatre near Aberystwyth and heard a flight go up the Rheidol valley some of my fellow students were slightly rude about it. Until, about 1/2 hour later when they came back. Again, I said I could hear them and fortunately, they then flew into view ... proving my point as someone who hadn't been in the lecture had seen the earlier pass had seen them the first time ...

These days, I live not far from a certain RAF station on the Cumbria / Northumberland border area, and flypasts were not uncommon.
I'm convinced they are scared of heights !
I managed to get a few images over the years ... some are here ...
ipernity: C-130 : RAF Hercules by StoneRoad2013


I still think retiring them is a mistake - their ability to land in relatively tiny areas and on poorly surfaced airstrips as well as air-drop deliveries is un-matched.
Bigger is not always better !

 

Had a few flights in Herc's when in the RE's
Out to Cyprus in one, Lyneham - Akrotiri with a return flight a few weeks later in a VC10 back in 1981
Followed a year later in 1982 with a 12 hour flight Lyneham to Gander and a further 6 hours the next day to Toronto with a return 5 months later in another VC10
In flight entertainment on both trips was provided by a 2 hourly inspection by the flight engineer crawling round tapping panels and linkages with a hammer.

Other delights provided by anyone using the portapotti with a flappy short curtain.

Away from my service life, I often saw them negotiating the high Yorkshire Dales, Sedbergh and The North Yorkshire Moors often at low level.
The most memorable sighting though being while sat in the Beer Garden of the Britannia Inn on Elterwater. When 3 came over the hillside and dropped to minimum over the lake and departed directly overhead of the pub.

 

With the Hercs (and Concorde) at Fairford in 1969 then Brize in 1974 with the Shiny Fleet - I must be pre-prehistoric.

Still think it's an unwise move to get rid of the Herc, but it will be the bean-counters who had the final say.

 

Again why am I thinking this current shower know the cost of everything and the value of nothing?

 

because you are not wrong !