Hercules Tanker
 

I've been asked whether the RAF ever had any Hercules adapted to act as tankers, presumably for other Hercules. Does anyone have any gen on this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_KC-130

Sure that somebody will be along shortly to give chapter and verse, but googling "RAF Hercules Tanker" gives this, which looks like a good place to start:

The story of RAF Hercules air-to-air refuelling in the Falklands

There's also this earlier thread

https://www.pprune.org/military-avia...s-tankers.html

Thanks Guys. I should have been more specific, since I knew about the Falklands. There is a picture showing a Hercules with "mission tallies" on the side, which look like tanker missions. However, the picture is dated early '73. I was on the Hercules fleet from '73 to '76. and know nothing of this. I suspect the tallies are for something else, but the picture isn't clear enough to tell.

Possibly Operation Khana Cascade, air drops of relief supplies following an earthquake in Nepal, in 1973.

Herod,
the now quiet Hercules thread has a gr
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c5dd16d6c7.jpg A reat deal of info and pics of the Conversion and use of the Hercules as a tanker It was used to tank other Hercules nut also many FJ a/c as well. Especially supporting the RAF FJ element in the Falklands and of course the Airbridge..

Herod,
I was associated with the Hercules tanker virtually from the beginning to the end when they were converted back to standard. I have a collection of pics of the tanker inside and out. If you are interested PM me with your e-mail address and I will send you a selection.

Thanks wub. That looks like it may be it. The tallies could be meal sacks, indicating number of drops. The picture was taken at Luqa in Jan 63. The date doesn't quite tally, but then the photographer may have that wrong by a couple of months. After all, it was a LONG TIME AGO.

Herod,
the RAF did not operate the Hercules in 1963, so you must mean 1973 I think.

Herod,
I got your PM but not sure if my reply went ! If you send me your e-mail address I will send pics etc. Better I think than boring the rest of the readership.

email address sent

Boring?! I think you would find most of us here would love to see some early herky-bird tanker interior pictures. Bring' em on!

sandie,
the reason I said 'boring' was that it was all covered in the Hercules thread.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....dedfa67239.jpg

A gazillion gallons of Avtur. One 5kg BCF.

"Its H&S gone mad, I tell you".

Grab the Lockup (about 4000lb IIRC), then 5 mins of fun over Stanley in the world's fastest steam engine, the magnificent FGR2....

Superb photo.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ad6c33427.jpeg
The view from the opposite end.

Thank you.

Are those the ex Andover tanks that were also used in the Chinook?

They were certainly ex-Andover tanks. Initially the fitment was 2, latterly 4.