The beach landings were performed by C-130 Hercules transport aircraft belonging to 47 squadron, from Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton at Pembrey sands.
Taken in July by our friend Dafydd Phillips, the cool video in this post shows C-130 Hercules transport aircraft belonging to 47 squadron, from Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton performing beach landings at Pembrey sands.
“I’ve learnt that in aviation photography that you have to be patient, expect nothing and what comes is a bonus. That’s all I can say is that all the above paid off here. Some days are just meant to be,” explains Phillips.
According to Wales Online, pilots from RAF Brize Norton practised landings for two hours over three evenings, while a large section of the beach was closed off.
A spokesman for Pembrey Airport said: “From time to time the RAF have training exercises here to train their pilots to land on the beach.
“They were pilots from RAF Brize Norton and they were doing it for about two hours in the evenings over two or three days.
“They probably carry out training exercises down here about five times a year.
“Sometimes they use two aircraft but this time it was just the one.”
The Hercules is the RAF’s primary tactical transport aircraft and has been the backbone of UK operational tactical mobility tasks since it was brought into service in 1999.
It is highly flexible and has the ability to airdrop a variety of stores and paratroopers, and can operate from natural surface landing zones.
It is frequently used to operate into countries or regions where there is a threat to aircraft as its performance, tactics and defence systems make it the ideal platform for tasks like these.
Photo credit: Dafydd Phillips
