Watch: Rare military visit by Royal Saudi Air Force causes stir at Birmingham Airport

A recent arrival of a KC-130J Hercules from the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) at BHX stirred excitement among plane spotters, eager to capture photos and videos of the rare military aircraft.

Luke Stevens, 32, from Coventry, was among the lucky few to witness its landing on Sunday. He captured this footage and photos using his iPhone.

The RSAF operates one of the largest C-130 Hercules fleets outside the United States, which includes 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H, and 2 KC-130J models.

Luke said: “I’m a HGV driver and all I use is an iPhone 15 pro max. The experience is literally waiting for that perfect shot as they say. I just go up the runway for some chill time and check Flight radar 24 to see what planes are coming.

“The other good military plane I got was the wedge tail what was built at BHX and they building 2 more I believe I had some good shots of that too.”

The C-130 Hercules is renowned for its versatility, capable of performing roles such as troop and cargo transport, medevac, aerial refuelling, search and rescue, weather reconnaissance, maritime patrol, and even aerial firefighting.

Since production began in 1955, it remains the longest continuously produced military aircraft, with the latest model, the C-130J Super Hercules, still in active production.

Birmingham Airport offers a dedicated viewing area in Car Park 5, perfect for observing aircraft take offs and landings.

Others enjoy watching the planes from the nearby Sheldon Country Park.