RAF Hercules to fly near Edinburgh for retirement flypast - where to see

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The RAF Hercules will mark it’s forthcoming retirement with a special UK flypast this week - here’s where to see it near Edinburgh

RAF Hercules will take to the skies in a special UK flypast this week to mark its upcoming retirement at the end of June and it will be coming past Edinburgh. Three of the iconic aircraft will take to the skies with flypasts happening all over the country, in significant locations to the Hercules service and its 47 Squadron.

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The first Hercules arrived in Cambridge in December 1966 and will officially retire from service with the RAF on June 30, 2023. The aircraft was used intensively during Operation Telic in Iraq and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan and was used as a military transport aircraft.

The C-130K Hercules was retired ten years ago, with the C-130J being retired this month. The RAF will now transition to using the 22 RAF A400M Atlas, which reportedly has a better range and payload than its predecessor.

The flypast will take place on Wednesday (June 14) and will see the iconic military aircraft fly all over the UK. Here is the official route and timings for the Hercules flypast:

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When will the RAF Hercules be flying near Edinburgh?

The Hercules retirement flypast will travel around Edinburgh at around 1pm - 1.20pm. The aircraft will be leaving RAF Lossiemouth at 12.51pm with a Typhoon escort as it flies down towards Crail and then across towards Dumfries.

Where to see the Hercules flypast in the UK

The RAF C-130J Hercules will fly across the UK on Wednesday (June 14). Timings and route may change due to weather or other requirements.

Here is the official route and where to see the Hercules, with the full route available on theMilitary Airshows website:

The RAF Hercules will fly over the UK as part of a retirement fly pastThe RAF Hercules will fly over the UK as part of a retirement fly past
The RAF Hercules will fly over the UK as part of a retirement fly past | Getty Images
  • 10am - Depart RAF Brize Norton
  • 10.25am - National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas
  • 10.34am - RAF Cosford
  • 11.22am - RAF Valley
  • 11.48am - FS Aldergrove
  • 12.51pm - RAF Lossiemouth (with Typhoon escort)
  • 2.08pm - RAF Leeming 
  • 2.10pm - RAF Topcliffe
  • 2.23pm - Beverley 
  • 2.35pm - RAF Waddington
  • 2.38pm - RAF College Cranwell
  • 2.58pm Cambridge Airport
  • 3.04pm - RAF Mildenhall
  • 3.15pm - Colchester Garrison 
  • 4.22pm - MOD Boscombe Down
  • 4.25pm - Salisbury Plain (West Down Camp)
  • 4.32pm - MOD Lyneham
  • 4.36pm - Royal Wootton Bassett
  • 4.39pm - Defence Academy of the UK, Shrivenham
  • 4.43pm - Dalton Barracks, Abingdon
  • 4.51pm - RAF Halton
  • 4.55pm - RAF High Wycombe
  • 5.05pm - RAF Brize Norton
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