On 8 June, the RAF held a ceremony presided over by the Princess Royal, Honorary Air Commodore RAF Brize Norton, and attended the retirement parade of No. 47 Squadron and the retirement of the C-130 Hercules.
The parade took place to the music of the Royal Air Force’s Central Band, with two static C-130 Hercules aircraft as a backdrop.
“The event, which was attended by former and current members of the squadron, witnessed one of the last great flights of Hercules,” detailed from the RAF.
Hercules will retire from the RAF service on 30 June at the same time 47 Squadron will retire and his pennant will be held for a while at the Officers’ Mess, College Hall, RAF Cranwell College, until it is renewed.
47 Squadron was raised from the Royal Flying Corps at Beverley, Yorkshire on 1 March 1916. The squadron was initially assigned to Home Defense, but was not assigned any aircraft until 13 April when four BE2Cs were transferred from the Royal Aircraft Factory from 15 Squadron Reserve .
During its 107-year history, the squadron has operated around the world and has been equipped with various aircraft; In 1968 it became a C-130 Hercules squadron, based at RAF Fairford, transferring to RAF Lynham shortly thereafter.
In 2011, No. 47 Squadron was transferred from RAF Lynham to RAF Brize Norton where it continued to provide highly trained aircrew and support staff to support the Ministry of Defense and therefore the UK’s needs in the global theater of operations. Over the years, the squadron has received many well-deserved battle decorations and a range of individual operational awards.
First of 66 RAF C.1 Hercules upon arrival at the Marshalls in Cambridge on 19 December 1966.
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