Watch: Hercules makes final pass over Wellington before retirement

After 55 years of service a Hercules C-130 (H) aircraft made its final flight today.

NZ7004 passed over six towns and cities, including Wellington, using the final couple of hours of its service life before retirement.

It flew from Whenuapai to Woodbourne in Marlborough.

It entered service with the Royal New Zealand Airforce in 1968 and has flown around the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, the Solomon Islands and East Timor.

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New Zealand

November 3, 2022

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"NZ7004 has also conducted numerous humanitarian and disaster relief missions, search and rescue missions and flights to Antarctica in between flying to the four corners of the globe over her 55 years of service," the Air Force said on Facebook.

It's the second of five Hercules to be farewelled before they are replaced with Super Hercules aircraft from next year.