RAF Lyneham's new fleet of Hercules aircraft has achieved a landmark 50,000 hours in the air.

The fleet of C-130J Hercules transport planes achieved the milestone in February and celebrated on Tuesday with a special low flypast over the base.

Since the first aircraft entered service in 1999 the 25-strong fleet has been involved in operations from locations as diverse as Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Station Commander, Group Captain Paul Oborn who took over at the base in January, said: "The aircraft has performed very well.

"We are surprised how quickly this landmark has been achieved but I have no doubt the Iraq war contributed heavily to the number of hours."

The 'J' Hercules is the ultimate incarnation of the venerable transport plane. It has new engines allowing the aircraft to fly higher and faster and carry a larger payload including up to 128 infantry or 92 paratroopers or even light vehicles and small tanks and can fly about 3,000 nautical miles.

The aircraft also makes more use of computers, meaning it needs a crew of only two.

Chris Pye, a senior director at Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the aircraft, said: "The fleet at Lyneham has flown a great deal more hours than all the other countries operating the new Hercules put together, even more than the United States Air Force and that is amazing when you consider this is an American-built aeroplane."

Later this year the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford will mark another historic Hercules highlight celebrating the plane's 50th anniversary.

The first Hercules took to the skies in August 1954 although the RAF example did not enter service at Lyneham until 1967.