Australian Super Hercules draws big crowd in Onerahi

A particularly large visitor from across the ditch drew hundreds of people to Onerahi Airport on Sunday keen to see an Australian Air Force Super Hercules during its visit to Whangārei.

After a two-hour delay, the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules that had been touring New Zealand for the past week "put on a bit of a show" for the onlookers, Onerahi Airport duty manager Gareth Worswick said.

He said the aircraft performed four touch-and-go landings so that everyone "had a good look at it" before heading back south to Whenuapai, where the Royal New Zealand Air Force Base is located.

From there, the Hercules will return to Australia.

Worswick said at least 300 people gathered around the airport to see the spectacle.

A C-130J Super Hercules has a wingspan of 40 metres and weighs 34 tonnes. The aircraft is designed to operate from short or unprepared airstrips.

In 2020 the New Zealand government signed a $1.5 billion deal for five new C-130J-30 Super Hercules planes.

The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules headed for Onerahi Airport. Photo / Jodi Bryant

Hercules aircraft used to land at Onerahi once a month to pick up banknotes printed at the nearby "money factory". Photo / Supplied

The Hercules has a wingspan of 40 metres. Photo / Supplied

The aircraft is used in disaster relief, search and rescue, and military transport operations, as well as supplying New Zealand's research base in Antarctica. Photo / Supplied