SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

On Saturday lunchtime around 1300 - 1345 I noticed a very large four engined prop aircraft, mainly plain black or a dark colour, approaching from the east at a height as if preparing to land at LBA. It passed twice in a very few minutes, unless of course there were two indentical planes. Did anyone else notice it The heavy engine note was most impressive and "Lancaster like" although obviously not quite the same.

Hi Blakey, my missus said it was dark green it went right over us

Hercules transport possibly

Thanks buffaloskinner and cnosni - yes that would definitely be it. I was in the Armley Museum Car park when I saw it, and the sun was really bright, but dark green I'm sure it was - the plane I mean, not the sun Also no doubt a Hercules, but I was so surprised and fascinated by it as a change from Jet 2 ,Ryanair and all the rest of the glitzy holiday machines that I hadn't given that a thought.

The first of the Hercules replacements, the Airbus A400 Atlas, has now been delivered to the RAF. Next time you see a "Herc" it might be an Atlas. Could be hard to spot the difference at a glance. Atlas paint scheme is grey.

I have made many a trip in a Hercules aircraft it`s been in service with the RAF since 1967 so at long last have they found a replacement.