C-130 Hercules Farewell Tour of Belgium
The C-130 Hercules Farewell Tour of Belgium took place on 17 December, as we reported earlier. On the ramp of 15th Wing Air Transport at Melsbroek, Hercules CH01 (in special colours) was open to invited guests to have a look around.
The intention was for three Belgische Luchtmacht (BAF, Belgian Air Force) C-130Hs to participate and three international guests, but due to poor weather conditions (fog), this was split up in two two-ship formations. One flight departed westbound, the other eastbound.
The international guests were:
USAFE 16-5840/RS "Herky61" arrival 16 December - flew with CH07/Herky01 - departure 17 December "Herky61"
Polish Air Force 1503 "PLF251" arrival 16 December - flew with CH05/Herky02 - departure 17 December "PLF251"
AMI (Aeronautica Militare, Italian Air Force) MM62177/46-50 "IAM4681" - arrived and departed on 17 December
On 17 December, CH05 "Herky02" went out at 13:19 hours local time, with Polish Herc 1503, to do a farewell flight covering Flanders, including Kleine Brogel - the 'tot de volgende Vlaanderen' flypast. CH07 "BAF675/Herky01" went out at 13:21 hours with 16-5840 of the USAFE, to do the Florennes and Liège flypast - 'adieu Wallone'. BAF A400M CT05 participated as a photoship with the Herky01 formation.
Herky01 and 02 flights lined up near Brussels at 15:30 hours and both came in for a full stop landing around 15:45 hours, ending almost fifty years of Belgian C-130 operations.
A video of this occasion was made by Marc's Best Airshow Videos by Marc Talloen.
Credits: Scramble Message Board, Daniel Brackx (close up), Aviation24.be