2017
SU2052 : C-130 over Salisbury Plain
taken 7 years ago, near to Everleigh, Wiltshire, England
C-130 over Salisbury Plain
I had watched as this aircraft approached from the north-west, at a height of a few hundred feet and at low speed. Engine noise from the four turboprops was no more than a low-pitched hum - far quieter than from any commercial aircraft of similar size (or even from much smaller turboprop types). In the photo, the trailing-edge flaps are down and the hold door/loading ramp is open.
A second or two after I'd taken the shot two cargo parachutes were discharged, opening almost immediately and disappearing behind trees. By the time the C-130 re-appeared on the same flight-path some minutes later I had moved further off. I was able to record the drop, but at a greater range:
SU2152 : Parachute drop over Salisbury Plain
Position is approximate, but based on the observation that the aircraft was only a couple of seconds short of the drop-zone on Snail Down.
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