New Zealand's aging C-130H Hercules from No. 40 Squadron will make a final flypast of southern towns and cities on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th February.

The five Royal New Zealand Air Force planes have been in service for 60 years and between them clocked up over 155,000 flying hours and 100,000 landings.

Missions have included Antartic rescues, disaster response missions, evacuations and operations into combat zones.

The planes will leave Whenuapai (near Auckland) around 12.50pm on Tuesday and travel down New Zealand's west coast before overnighting in Invercargill.

Their return flight will take the planes up the east coast, with their final landing at RNZAF's base at Woodbourne (near Blenheim) around 1.44pm on Wednesday.

Four of the planes will remain at Woodbourne, while the fifth will have a new home at the Air Force's Wigram Museum.

The C-130H Hercules flight plan* will see them over the following southern towns:

Monday 3rd February

• Twizel 4.17pm
• Omarama 4.21pm
• Hawea 4.31pm
• Wanaka 4.32pm
• Alexandra 4.45pm
• Cromwell 4.49pm
• Queenstown 4.55pm
• Te Anau 5.11pm
• Tuatapere 5.24pm
• Riverton 5.31pm
• Invercargill (land) 5.35pm

Tuesday 4th February

• Invercargill (takeoff) 10.45am
• Gore 10.54am
• Nugget Point 11.08am
• Balclutha 11.12am
• Dunedin Airport 11.20am
• Dunedin City 11.23am
• Oamaru 11.38am

*Timings may be subject to change, based on weather, local traffic or ATC requirements.

CLICK HERE to see a full flight plan.