Aeroplane magazine was invited to a press event in 1967 to hear how the RAF was introducing the Lockheed Hercules into service.
For many years the RAF Hercules fleet was based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire. Photo: Key-Dino Carrara
It was announced this year in the UK’s latest defence review that the RAF is to retire its C-130J fleet. These airlifters were preceded by the earlier C-130K which was used to replace the Blackburn Beverley and Handley Page Hastings. Both variants of Hercules have given sterling service to the RAF. The ‘K’ model was retired by the RAF in 2013, however in the text below read about how it all started…
