THE retirement of the iconic Hercules aircraft is being marked today with a flypast across all four nations of the UK.

Three of the aircraft will be flying over locations of significance to the Hercules' service and 47 Squadron on June 14, a Royal Air Force spokesperson said.

The first Hercules entered service in the 1960s, and they had since operated across the globe to support military and humanitarian relief operations.

They are being retired after the introduction of the Atlas A400 fleet, and will leave service on June 30.

Flypast timings:

10.00    Depart RAF Brize Norton

10.25    National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas

10.34    RAF Cosford

11.22    RAF Valley

11.48    FS Aldergrove

12.51    RAF Lossiemouth (with Typhoon escort)

14.08    RAF Leeming

14.10    RAF Topcliffe

14.23    Beverley

14.35    RAF Waddington

14.38    RAF College Cranwell

14.58    Cambridge Airport

15.04    RAF Mildenhall

15.15    Colchester Garrison

16.22    MOD Boscombe Down

16.25    Salisbury Plain (West Down Camp)

16.32    MOD Lyneham

16.36    Royal Wootton Bassett

16.39    Defence Academy of the UK, Shrivenham

16.43    Dalton Barracks, Abingdon

16.51    RAF Halton

16.55    RAF High Wycombe

17.05    RAF Brize Norton