Saudi Air Force Hercules

[longarm]

Purely out of interest can anybody tell me why I keep seeing Saudi air force Hercs at Manchester. Seems to be at least one on the ramp almost every week.

[Charlie_Fox]

Think you'll find they're collecting spares for the RSAF Hawks.

[Rockwell]

Saudi Herks have been using Manchester for many years on freight runs in
connection with the British Aerospace support contract for BAe supplied
aircraft and weapons, which dates back to the first Saudi Air Force
Lightnings and Strikemasters, and also engines from Rolls Royce.

The BAe loads were picked up at Manchester, having been roaded down from
Preston/Samlesbury. In more recent years, the C130s now fly directly
to the BAE airfield at Warton.

What you are now seeing are mainly Trans Atlantic crossers. Manchester has
long been used as a convenient stop over prior to an oceanic crossing on
their way to and from collecting similar equipment from America.

Interesting to see a Saudi Herk at one end of the apron and an Israeli
Air Force 707 at the other. Both stacked out with US arms!

[G.Khan]

The Saudi ones also used to carry a fair load of Black Label too!!!

[777AV8R]

Don't be naive...there is enough booze in SA for a carrier floatilla. There are rules for the locals...and rules for the 'others'.

[kumul1]

Bodstrup, I think I know that bar.

[Nopax,thanx]

Used to get them dropping into Cambridge en route out of MAN too......usually for attention to some small defect, and quite often on a Friday, thereby forcing a weekend stop sixty miles from the fleshpots of London........