The Royal Air Force (RAF) has confirmed the final route for the Hercules ahead of its retirement flypast. 

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, it's set to take a retirement flypast across the UK. 

RAF Hercules retirement flypast route

The flypast will be taking place on Wednesday, June 14 and will take over just over seven hours to complete. 

Seeing it visit areas including Beverly, Colchester, Royal Wootton Basset, High Wycombe and Brize Norton. 

So you don't miss out on your chance to see the Hercules, this is the full route and timings. 

  • 10:00-Depart RAF Brize Norton
  • 10:25-National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas
  • 10:34-RAF Cosford
  • 11:22- RAF Valley
  • 11:48- FS Aldergrove
  • 12:51-RAF Lossiemouth (with Typhoon escort)
  • 14:08 -RAF Leeming
  • 14:10 -RAF Topcliffe
  • 14:23- Beverley
  • 14:35 -RAF Waddington
  • 14:38 -RAF College Cranwell
  • 14:58 -Cambridge Airport
  • 15:04 -RAF Mildenhall
  • 15:15 -Colchester Garrison
  • 16:22 -MOD Boscombe Down
  • 16:25-Salisbury Plain (West Down Camp)
  • 16:32- MOD Lyneham
  • 16:36 -Royal Wootton Bassett
  • 16:39-Defence Academy of the UK, Shrivenham
  • 16:43 -Dalton Barracks, Abingdon
  • 16:51- RAF Halton
  • 16:55 - RAF High Wycombe
  • 17:05 -RAF Brize Norton

Although the retirement flypast is taking place on June 14, the 47 Squadron and the Hercules will continue to deliver on operations supporting UK defence objectives until June 30 23.