This Portuguese Hercules still carries its markings to celebrate 80.000 flying hours on the tail and 42 years Bisons squadron markings on the fuselage. These markings were applied in 2019. I first saw this same aircraft back in 1983, then still as the short C-130H version and in a brown/green camouflage scheme. Amazing, more than 40 years ago! Old aircraft, old spotter...

This C-130H, operated by 501Esq, arrived on this Sunday in 1983 at Gilze-Rijen to pick up a military marching band that had been brought in two weeks earlier by 6803. In 2005, this aircraft was extended and became a C-130H-30, then serialled 16801. On the day I uploaded this photo in 2024, more than fourty years after I took it, I again saw 16801, this time at Eindhoven. Still going strong!

Presentation ceremony of the painting commemorating 80,000 flying hours of Esq 801

ex 6801