Epic RAF C-130J Hercules sad Farewell The Mach Loop Low Level Flying 4k

#c130 #machloop
What a sad emotional day, seeing these lovely majestic Hercules C-130s on their final flypast to mark their retirement that's 56 years of Service with the RAF... Feel free to share!!
Visiting all four nations of the UK, the Hercules C-130J is a tactical transport aircraft that has been in service since 1966.
Described by the RAF as the "backbone of UK operational tactical mobility tasks", Hercules's defensive system makes it ideal for operating in regions where there is a threat to aircraft.
Now after the Hercules took its last operational flight on June 4 with the 47 Squadron, takes a retirement flypast across the UK.
No.47 Squadron will be stood down and its Standard laid up for a period at College Hall Officers’ Mess, RAF College Cranwell, until reformed.

[@scuffmacgillicutty7509]

A majestic 2 minutes and 8 seconds. A tip of the wings to you sir. Thank you.

[@ElwynR]

I'm glad I could make it 👌

[@ChrisB257]

Hard to believe 56 years - looked super weather conditions and great to capture this flight with excellent footage. Goodbye to a faithful old friend. :)

[@benhayman9969]

Well done mate. Loved flying on these and such a mistake they have been taken away. Senior management errors

[@ElwynR]

Yes its an error after error!! cheers Ben 👌

[@ArtificialVik]

the plane was retired due to management errors? where can i learn more about this?

[@abikeanditsboy3449]

But you're gettin gthe Airbus A400M as a replacement.

[@warwickkinscher5986]

A400M - larger, faster, more payload and more range - but nowhere near as versatile, and still a long way from proving to be as rugged, particularly when operating in remote regions. A400M moves a lot of stuff from point A to point B, but the C130 moves it from point A directly to where it’s needed. Retiring the C130 means the RAF has severely curtailed its flexibility. Like any western military, the RAF is a servant of the government, so you gotta love those “far sighted” (I think not!) pollies.

[@diveguy4291]

​@@abikeanditsboy3449 it's too big to do the job the herc does, only a moronic government would get rid of the herc, want to drop troops on or evac people or Cargo from short dirt strip in the middle if nowhere? Your going to need a herc to do that.

[@SCD-BOY]

I'm on holiday, finally getting to check out the Mach loop & I was in the farm just below & just b4 u enter the valley, stood at the end of the drive & they flew directly over my head.Fantastic,just need a jet and I'll be smiling all the way home!

[@DafyddPhillips]

Stunning capture elwyn. Sad to see them go.

[@ElwynR]

Can't wait to see your video 😊

[@ArtificialVik]

that landscape is beyond beautiful

[@johanneabelsen1644]

Looks just like my home region of southern Greenland.

[@alixakablackcat3739]

Sad to see them go, knowing my uncle flew them for the USAF, he was lucky enough to do that for it was something he loved. Ty for the video, Elwyn. 😢❤✈️

[@charlielynes]

Good that they flew the Loop. ❤

[@tonyf9076]

My "joy" on one of these was in 1985 as a jolly from Ascension Island on the airbridge to the Falklands, watched out the back for air to air refuelling of another Herc of 1312 Sqn, These will be sorely missed as they have years of flying time left on the airframe. Cheers for sharing this with us Elwyn, doff my old beret to you.

[@ElwynR]

I nearly got to fly in one! They changed it to a Tristar 😔

[@tonyf9076]

@@ElwynR Even then still a classic LOL I was at Ascension on the Tristars first landing at Wideawake.

[@CobraEmergency]

A fitting final farewell flyby. Superb close flying.

[@ElwynR]

It was, great flying and I'm glad I could be there 👌

[@michellewhyatt4438]

It's a damned shame these beautiful awesome aircraft will never be seen in the skies anymore I loved these aircraft I saw them a lot on the airforce bases

[@deang5622]

You will still see American C-130's at airshows, possibly.

[@Wuhseer]

After seeing them deviate from the planned route to do Credenhill, I thought they may do the loop en route to Valley… Absolutely awesome!! 😁

[@ElwynR]

Cheers 👌

[@topfelya]

Indeed an emotional day ! Beautiful formation and stunning footage my friend 🙂👍 That turboprop sound is unforgettable !

[@ElwynR]

Cheers topfelya, it was another sad sight 😔

[@julianpratt9616]

Smashed it out of the park again Elwyn, absolutely stunning and thanks as always for taking the time to share - amazing quality and the C130 will be sadly missed.

[@ElwynR]

Glad you enjoyed it☺️ its my pleasure 👌

[@zakelwe]

Captured it well, including the crowd gathered to watch it, and the flag. For the 130, as they say in America, "thank you for your service"

[@christinebarnes3493]

This is great. We saw them flying over RAF Cranwell, same trip. 😎

[@ElwynR]

Nice 👍

[@wattster71]

Glorious weather for that fly past.

[@douglas_brighty_tan127]

Great footage and very emotional final flight of the C-130J Hercules retirement 😢

[@malcolmclenton1663]

And another chapter draws to a close. Well done sir !

[@oceanfroggie]

It all started with suez

[@glenbooth7903]

What an amazing place ta see those magnificent beasts . Its such an experience when your standing up there and the plans come around and are flying below you with you looking down.

[@ElwynR]

Couldn't agree more!

[@fredtedstedman]

thanks Elwyn , reminds me of working at Carno ! every week we would get 3 fly over - sometimes more .

[@jamespruitt3159]

At the start they seemed to just appear out of thin air. Great video!

[@ElwynR]

Yeh they nearly cought me out 😇

[@redriverraider]

Brilliant old birds! Thanks and glad they flew through the mach loop for a tribute pass!

[@stuartrollings602]

Gosh darn it! Would love to have seen that one! Thanks Big E! The workhorse of the air!

[@JemimaPuddleduck777]

Incredible plane, the Hercules will be sadly missed 🫡🫡

[@wearetheunknown8162]

❤, absolutely fantastic plane, I will miss these planes as I grew up with them. It makes me emotional

[@LEJapproach]

Certainly a rather sad occasion, but nevertheless one hell of a video! 👍

[@ElwynR]

cheers 👌

[@LEJapproach]

@@ElwynR I watched their take off from RAF Brize Norton (on a www.youtube.com/@TedConingsby livestream) and despite not even being British, I felt the sadness...

[@leighsaunderson9203]

Great capture, sad moment 😞

[@boris8787]

The beautiful landscape reminds me of the war movie town of Chillingbourne.

[@bunion8579]

Beautifully filmed images we'll have forever. Excellent work!

[@ElwynR]

Many thanks!

[@richardbool4232]

what an absolutely beautiful plane End of another ERA Elwyn but some great shots to remember them by THANK YOU.

[@ElwynR]

Many thanks! yes I have one or two 😊

[@michaelbailey8729]

Its great how they work with the photographers. Magic.

[@bobingram6912]

What a sad day, no more Herky Birds through the loop😢 I was hoping you'd get your hiking boots on, the best vid I've seen all day👍👍👍 Thanks Elwyn.

[@ElwynR]

Cheers Bob 😊

[@user-mj2lm3xt2j]

Going to miss flying in these. Awesome birds.

[@philchadwick8942]

That is magnificent footage. They went straight down too, didn't turn at Corris Corner.. Fabulous!

[@ElwynR]

👌

[@ideyboo]

Wow… a lump in my throat and goosebump’s tooth … thank you for posting such a moving movie..

[@jacknimble7950]

I got to meet a crewmember and see a low flyby of a RAF C130J at a Blythe (Calif) airport about 2 years ago. Twas a breath taking sight, sad to see that these beautiful birds are being retired. Thank You for your service!

[@clivem24]

Magnificent Aircraft! What a sight, go rest now you old Workhorses, your work, sadly, is now done.

[@Grahamshawx]

I flew on these and the C130K’s many times in the aeromed role. Beautiful aircraft and the best and friendliest aircrew. A damned sad day.

[@Firebrand55]

Elwyn R...absolutely fantastic. I first worked on the Herc. in 1967 at Thorney Island.: ( XV 179 was the first one of 66, sadly shot down in Iraq, Jan 30, 2005). I got to know the Herc over 11 years, flew many hours in them, around the world; saw many Air Displays featuring them...(.incidentally, it was never called Fat Albert then)...... ...but your film is the best image I've seen in 56 years of their life...very well done...and I award you the Herc Badge of Achievement, HBA!

[@ElwynR]

Many thanks 😊 the closest I got to fly in one when we were coming back from Germany after exercise brave Hart, but it changed to a jet last minute 🙄

[@Firebrand55]

@@ElwynR ..that vantage point you were at; I've seen that before.....where is it exactly and how do you get there?

[@ja37d-34]

Love that sound.. Jumped a couple dozen times from similar C-13+s.. Just love it.. Can´t believe you are retiring those wonderful planes..

[@JonSnow-YThandle]

Godspeed... You gave them a good send-off. I bow my head.

[@ThePaulaon1]

Thanks for that. Great video. Was sad i didnt get to see them today. To think my 1st ever jump in one of them was way back in 1991 as a 17 year old. Time stands still for no man. In 92 i flew from Brize Norton to Kenya via Cyprus in one and parachuted in. Also had the great honour to parachute into France for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Really sad to think they will no longer be in the sky.I can still smell the aviation fuel and hear the roar and rumble of those wonderful engines and propellers.

[@ElwynR]

Great memory 👌

[@peterbrockwell2009]

I was across the valley on CAD West at that moment. What a view. And the left-seater was waving at the viewers. Beautiful.

[@UKAviationMovies]

Excellent capture Elwyn. Thank god people like you were up there to capture this historic moment. Some handsome looking camera guy in front of you there too 😂

[@ElwynR]

Yes there was 😁 I didn't get a chance to say hello

[@Darkstar263]

What an amazing vantage point to watch them from.

[@ElwynR]

The best 👌

[@SanjayGupta2808]

Well captured Elwyn, an unforgettable and emotional part of aviation history !

[@SandeepDamor...]

पुिय~र

[@malcolmcossar6447]

Nice Video! Like so many others I think the UK is making a Mistake by retiring the Hercs early. If it's any consolation here in the US our Expert Miitary brass are also retiring certain aircraft and ships too early and far to quickly🤯!

[@ElwynR]

I totally agree!

[@Dixy3]

Excellent fly pass by the C-130 Hercules aircrafts. I personally will miss these life savings aircraft. Flown on many of these aircraft during my 24-year career in the military. Even casualty Evacuated me several times, and once flew me back to the UK at low level because the RAF hospital consultants suspected that i had a serious brain tumour, turned out to be 3 inch spine compression from a high velocity impact with the ground, and wreaked both legs completely at the same time. I will miss the old boys called Fat Albert, especially seeing them fly through the Welsh valleys below us on top of the mountains. I hope many will continue to fly and be saved as working museum aircraft,. Enjoy you retirement, may the new replacement aircraft be at least as good has these RAF work horses were. 😢😊.

[@planestrainswildlife]

Cracking footage again Elwyn 👌👍 it sure was a busy day in the Loop, I was up on Bwlch. An excellent send off to a cracking trio of fantastic bird's 👌🇬🇧✈️

[@ElwynR]

It was, something we didn't get with the gr4

[@planestrainswildlife]

@@ElwynR iirc the gr4 left RAF Marham in a diamond 9 formation and flew over certain locations, I was lucky two fold as I got to see them fly over RAF Cranwell and it was on my birthday 🎂😁👍

[@markerickson4273]

Thank you

[@ElwynR]

You're welcome

[@wendyjones3953]

Sad day this. Brings back so many memories of Air Displays at Cosford, amongst others. Dad and Mom met while both in the R.A.F., so planes were a feature of our family life and what wonderful, safe, happy, yob-free days out they were and still are, thank goodness. So lovely going along to events and seeing families being relaxed and taking in the history of great aircraft such as these.

[@chiefjudgedredd]

Marvellous brought tears to my eyes. I loved flying the Hercules 3 years on 47 Sqn SF and 3 years 24 Sqn. Great machine and great people to work with. Happy memories 😢😂😂😂!

[@ElwynR]

Cool 👌

[@mcfrisko834]

😢 Dear UK, please DON'T SCRAP THEM (Like you did everything else) Please preserve these beautiful planes and keep them in a museum!

[@AlexP-hl4wn]

I got to fly on an AC-130U just before they retired and it was an awe inspiring experience - a great aircraft.

[@the_spanner_ch7mp]

Great catch 👍 Still can't believe they are retiring thrm and leavung the RAF with a capability gap until 2025 for the UK Special Forces 😞

[@ElwynR]

I know, totally shambles

[@deang5622]

And the A-400M is a pile of crap apparently, each costs 3 times as much as a Herc and doesn't carry 3 times the number of troops. No to mention the A-400M is unreliable as F.

[@peterkall4532]

Big THX for showing !

[@ElwynR]

Our pleasure!

[@chriswood6520]

Great video work as ever, well done! Thanks for sharing.👏

[@ElwynR]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@yvoheaton6402]

I had goosebumps watching this....thank you for posting.

[@ElwynR]

Your welcome 👍

[@copperfield3629]

Goodbye, Hercy-bird. And thank you. Glad you were there to record this, Elwyn - thank you 👍

[@jez5182]

Nicely done !

[@andrewkapplin1138]

Brings a tear to my eyes. Farewell beautiful ladies. You served with dignity.

[@tgs2251]

Terrific video!

[@David-th2ug]

I live in Dorset and have many fond memories of watching them in Studland Bay dropping Marines and others, into the sea by parachute. Even sat on Hambledon Hill and looked down on one as it flew round! Great plane.

[@billb7876]

I saw them earlier heading towards Waddington, fantastic aircraft shameful to get rid when there is plenty of life left in them.

[@jameswray9734]

i was on a resedential trip at the lakes i was kyaking down on the lake and they were so low down they tipped my kyak such a majical moment im going to remember that for ages

[@carolfortin1457]

How beautiful! Thank you Elwyn, Salut!

[@debsday5445]

Wow just wow 👌

[@SRSpoony]

THANKYOU i mean it thank you, as an ex forces member and now living overseas i dont get to witness this sort of thing anymore. i couldnt get home to show this my son to watch them live in action. he will watch this tomorrow and likke me as i am now be very emotional, he is only 8 but he loves aircraft. we didnt make it back as we spent time with a Swiss air DC3 over the weekend, it was 1 or the other so i showed him the plane his gradfather flew after the war.

[@ElwynR]

Cool 🤟 and it's my pleasure 😊

[@terrydpierce2191]

Great video !!!

[@EssexCountyPhoto]

Mate, THANK YOU for being there today, we waited all day around Chelmsford, Essex... but they flew straight to the south coast from Colchester!!!... ☹️ Keep up the great work . 👍🏻

[@ElwynR]

That's a shame, I'm glad I witnessed it 👌

[@jaysonpida5379]

Beautiful day for them.

[@stevegordon2032]

What a truly beautiful sight.

[@matthewwalker5243]

Incredible video, what a plane!

[@ElwynR]

Thanks a lot!

[@mickyday2008]

Fantastic video. I watched them take off. Very moving

[@aprilsmith3683]

The acknowledgement by the pilots... How touching... 🇿🇦

[@lascm5237]

We’ve followed these fellas going low over our house here in Wiltshire for years - end of an era 🫡

[@viniciusoliveira5600]

Beautiful valley. Greetings from Brazil!

[@ElwynR]

Thank you very much! and welcome ☺️

[@freebirdh604]

Fab video ❤

[@johanneabelsen1644]

Wow. Fantastic.

[@steveyorkshire1797]

Awesome, simply awesome! I remember seeing the Vulcan when it flew over my house on its last flight!...but this is quality footage!! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@ElwynR]

Thanks a lot! I also chased the Vulcal ☺️

[@steveyorkshire1797]

@@ElwynR No problem!...praise is well earned! I was so lucky in 2014 whilst in Kent, watching the only 2 airworthy Lancasters fly over!, plus 2 spitfires I believe. Still makes the hairs on my neck stand on end, hearing those merlins!!

[@brianmackenzie5692]

My Dad was in Beaufighters and Mosquitoes with 47 Squadron during WWII and my older brother spent most of his 23 years in the RAAF in Hercules - small world.

[@tonymckeage1028]

Greay Video, thanks for sharing

[@ElwynR]

Thanks for watching!

[@martiniv8924]

Great shots as Usual 👌🏻😎

[@ElwynR]

Thank you 🙌

[@tsr207]

I suspect that we will lease some of these in the future as its replacement appears to not be as mission capable............

[@robertirving5293]

Seen them come over us last week nr Lampeter west wales anyway what lovely video as always. Thank You .

[@ElwynR]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jacobgreenspan697]

Used to love watching these as a kid flying over the Severn from Lyneham, amazing aircraft gonna miss em.😢 Brilliant camera work as always keep em coming!😊

[@ElwynR]

Couldn't agree more 😊

[@venicechief9487]

Wow ! Great Job!

[@ElwynR]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@steve660917]

Fantastic video mate. Thank you. Gutted because my mother in law lives right under the flight path in Alrewas and I missed it. I once seen a Lancaster fly right over over her home about 10 years ago and what a majestic sight it was!

[@dilltdog1158]

I cannot believe that the RAF have retired the Herc. This footage is a fitting farewell to an iconic RAF workhorse.

[@christaylor6640]

Great footage!

[@ElwynR]

Thank you very much!

[@trsfc1595]

Nice Work

[@ianhay8938]

Glad u guys got to see them flypast, we here north of Stirling never, they turned left and went up the west coast of Scotland, lots of people turned out to see them on the Lawhill in Dundee 😓😓😓

[@ianprice2298]

Majestic Indeed! A truly venerable airframe.

[@pontyexpat]

Diolch yn fawr iawn i di, Elwyn 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@ElwynR]

Croeso 👌

[@0001dong1]

What great shame spent many hours flying in the Hercules in the Middle East in Oman 1972

[@DavidMBanes]

Awesome, well done.

[@ElwynR]

Thank you very much!

[@kraut4676]

Fantastic!!!

[@ElwynR]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@mrp3930]

awesome aircraft.....sad to see them go

[@ElwynR]

Hear hear 👌

[@bobarty]

Fantastic Thanks for sharing with us I,m ex RAF