Hercules Transport plane flying over Leeds, Saturday, 22nd March 2014

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 2:25 am

Did anyone see the dark green Hercules Transport plane that flew over Leeds Saturday morning about 11:30 am? I saw it fly quite low from the airport direction towards the city centre before returning to the airport and nearly touching down before ascending to a high altitude and making off in a north westerly direction. Why would they fly such a plane over the city?

Fairysplash · Post by **Fairysplash** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 2:43 am

I saw an unusual plane this morning. I have no idea what a Hercules looks like but the one I saw looked different to the other planes. It was vey dark and had no discernable logo on it.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 9:26 am

Also seen flying very low over Outwood/Wrenthorpe/Kirkhamgate about 11.00am with a flighpath just inside the normal loop approach of commercial flights into LBA

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 2:18 pm

Seen again today doing a couple of low loops again pretty much on the LBA approach at Stanley/Newmarket. I am far from convinced its a Hercules though. A 4 prop heavy bomber more likely than a Transport plane

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 2:42 pm

I've just been looking at photos of military planes on google and I'm pretty certain that the plane I saw was a Hercules C-130, it had that classic shape with the drop down rear door and there was a large rod projecting from above the cockpit (something to do with radar?). Its not the first time such planes have been over Leeds. A couple of weeks ago there was a very low flying - and noisy Tornado came screeching over, then last week there was a SeaKing helicopter that looked like it had just dropped off a casualty at the LGI.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 4:09 pm

I'm not sure it was a drop-off from the sea king. My desk at work overlooks the landing pad and several colleagues remarked it must be a practice day as the number of whirlybirds that visited on that day was pushing double figures if it didn't reach them

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 4:29 pm

jonleeds wrote: I've just been looking at photos of military planes on google and I'm pretty certain that the plane I saw was a Hercules C-130, it had that classic shape with the drop down rear door and there was a large rod projecting from above the cockpit (something to do with radar?). Its not the first time such planes have been over Leeds. A couple of weeks ago there was a very low flying - and noisy Tornado came screeching over, then last week there was a SeaKing helicopter that looked like it had just dropped off a casualty at the LGI. The 'large rod' on the C130 is for inflight refueling.Its been mentioned on another thread that military pilots will often 'drop in' at the LGI if they can when they're in the area for practice / familiarization purposes. Sea Kings and Merlin's aren't too uncommon and there is a rumour (probably an urban myth) that Prince Harry once dropped in whilst doing his Apache training....

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 5:16 pm

raveydavey wrote: jonleeds wrote: I've just been looking at photos of military planes on google and I'm pretty certain that the plane I saw was a Hercules C-130, it had that classic shape with the drop down rear door and there was a large rod projecting from above the cockpit (something to do with radar?). Its not the first time such planes have been over Leeds. A couple of weeks ago there was a very low flying - and noisy Tornado came screeching over, then last week there was a SeaKing helicopter that looked like it had just dropped off a casualty at the LGI. The 'large rod' on the C130 is for inflight refueling.Its been mentioned on another thread that military pilots will often 'drop in' at the LGI if they can when they're in the area for practice / familiarization purposes. Sea Kings and Merlin's aren't too uncommon and there is a rumour (probably an urban myth) that Prince Harry once dropped in whilst doing his Apache training.... And together with a colleague we tried to photograph one as it left the LGI from the roof of our building, I think we were noticed as the helicopter changed course slightly and gave us a close up view - any lower I think we could have hitched a lift!!

TABBYCAT · Post by **TABBYCAT** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 5:31 pm

Saw said Hercules style aircraft, green, four prop with high angle tail end similar to that type of transport aircraft, flying over south Leeds towards city centre earlier today.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 23 Mar, 2014 5:58 pm

chameleon wrote: raveydavey wrote: jonleeds wrote: I've just been looking at photos of military planes on google and I'm pretty certain that the plane I saw was a Hercules C-130, it had that classic shape with the drop down rear door and there was a large rod projecting from above the cockpit (something to do with radar?). Its not the first time such planes have been over Leeds. A couple of weeks ago there was a very low flying - and noisy Tornado came screeching over, then last week there was a SeaKing helicopter that looked like it had just dropped off a casualty at the LGI. The 'large rod' on the C130 is for inflight refueling.Its been mentioned on another thread that military pilots will often 'drop in' at the LGI if they can when they're in the area for practice / familiarization purposes. Sea Kings and Merlin's aren't too uncommon and there is a rumour (probably an urban myth) that Prince Harry once dropped in whilst doing his Apache training.... And together with a colleague we tried to photograph one as it left the LGI from the roof of our building, I think we were noticed as the helicopter changed course slightly and gave us a close up view - any lower I think we could have hitched a lift!! It's noticeable that the military helicopters have a very different approach to landings and take off compared to the air ambulance - they tend to come in lower and faster and don't seem to climb as high as quickly on take off. I've got a couple of shots of the YAA arriving / leaving over Millennium Square, but haven't yet managed to be in the right place to get any pics when anything military has been visiting... http://snipurl.com/28q71rg