BRU 12/07/2022 and 21/03/2024

[FIFA]

Hi Folks,

On the above dates I have photographs of Hercules in the hangar I am not able to identify.

On 12/07/22 there was two including one that had its tail removed.

On 21/03/24 only one in the same hangar so is probably the same one as seen in 2022

Any information appreciated.

Regards

Martin Behan
Boeing Editor
Aerodata Quantum

[Tim Verheyden]

Hello Martin,

Am I right in assuming the hangar you mean is Hangar 8 from Sabena Engineering? If so:

I did go inside of that hangar around March 2023, so I cannot say with absolute certainty that they're the same C-130s you saw, but these are the ones I saw then:

CH-01 of the Belgian Air Force (with her tail and many other surfaces removed). Painted in a special "50 Years in Belgian Service" scheme. Should have become 4455 for the Pakistan Air Force, however I'm not sure if this ended up happening. As far as I know (I could be wrong though), this aircraft still resides in Hangar 8 to this day.

The other one was 4467 of the Pakistan Air Force, formerly CH-04 with the Belgian Air Force. This one is most likely not the one you saw.

After a little research, around summer 2022, there were at least 3 ex-BAF C-130s spotted after receiving PAF markings (in July and August). These were 4483 (ex-CH-12), 4479 (ex-CH-09) and 4482 (ex-CH-11).

There was also a Nigerian Air Force C-130 being tested during that summer (and some months after, but it was in Brussels for a while before then). This one was registered 65-0985 at that time (the former USAF registration). This one did have a distinctly different camo/livery.

---

Like I said, I can't say for certain if any of these are the ones you saw (aside from maybe CH-01), but this should give you an idea of which ones they could have been. I hope this at least helped you a little bit!

- Tim

[FIFA]

Hi Tim,

Thank you very much for the information.

Regards

martin