It’s the last week of active service for the Defence Force’s old C-130 Hercules fleet after 60 years of missions across the globe.
The C-130H Hercules arrived in New Zealand in 1965 and was almost immediately deployed to the Vietnam War – transporting army detachments to the country.
The five old aircraft have collectively spent more than 17 years in the air locally and internationally.
During their service, the aircraft have been used for search and rescue missions, delivering aid, and assisting disaster relief among other applications.
“It’s almost second to none of any aircraft type in our service history to date,” RNZAF Wing Commander Bradley Scott said.
“Certainly [the aircraft] changed the way in which the New Zealand Defence Force and the New Zealand Government agencies interacted with our partners, friends, and allies in shared missions, operations and activities around the globe.”
While the old planes served the defence force well, the upgrade to bigger, faster Super Hercules was welcomed by those who flew them.
“[The C-130H] became more maintenance heavy later on in the years, just older ageing aircraft and the supportability of that, a lot of obsolescence issues to be able to overcome,” Squadron Leader Rob McKenzie said.
“I’ll certainly miss the work and the camaraderie and the people that go along with it.”
Last month, one of the old aircraft was deployed to Vanuatu to help with earthquake recovery efforts, but an engine fire warning meant a Super Hercules needed to go in its place.
Scott said the fate of the five C-130s was still undergoing negotiations and said the outcome was “commercially sensitive”.
However, he said that the aircraft’s enduring legacy would live on.
“Whilst it is a large piece of machinery that has served well, the more intricate components of that are the human elements of the generations of individuals that have been associated with this aircraft,” he said.