Lockheed Hercules C3

Type of aircraft used in air transport operations

Transport aircraft operations were critical to the success of operations in the Falklands. While bulk supplies were carried by ships, aircraft like the Hercules maintained a regular and ceaseless resupply of men and equipment from the UK to Ascension Island.

Some Hercules were modified to enable them to be refuelled in-flight thereby extending their range so that they could drop supplies to the Task Force at sea. These long-range resupply missions from Ascension Island covered 8,000 miles non-stop and could last 25 hours.