ANYONE who thinks the RAF's transport fleet lacks glamour should stay tuned to a new television series about RAF Lyneham called Airbase.

The documentary began on HTV last Thursday and featured a J-type Hercules flying a night-time mission to supply US Marines with essential supplies at an airstrip 60km from Baghdad, during the Iraq war.

The camera relived the tension in the cockpit as the pilot, wearing night vision goggles and with one finger on the aircraft's defence systems, prepared to land. The six-part mini-series, which charts life with the airbase's four Hercules squadrons, gives a unique insight into RAF Lyneham as the station switched from its peacetime work to prepare for war in the Gulf.

Series producer Shaun Gilmartin, who moved onto the base in November, said: "The temptation is to film the glamorous side of the RAF with lots of fast pointy things, but I like looking elsewhere and finding out what life is like in unusual places.

"It's a look at things from a different angle. It's the surprise element of 'Oh I didn't know that,' that's what it's all about."

The show about RAF Lyneham is the second Airbase series and was filmed between November and April this year. The first series, which was released last year, was based on the role of AWACS operating out of RAF Waddington.

The show features a host of the base's staff, including its commanding officer Group Captain Ray Lock and the RAF wives from the Hive the base's community centre.

The film crew's five members were given unprecedented access to the base and permission from the base commander to fly on missions.

Mr Gilmartin said the missions he flew on were varied and often dangerous, but concentrating on filming the show kept him calm.

Squadron Leader Mark Pearce, 36, said air crews got used to them filming.

"I think it's a positive thing for Lyneham because a lot of people don't know the different things we do here," said the squadron leader.

"The RAF doesn't just drop bombs on people we do a lot of humanitarian work as well."

Mr Gilmartin said he thought it was unlikely the show would have any bearing on the decision about the airbase's future, but he said he believed it would highlight the dedication of the men and women who work at the station.

He said: "Politicians will authorise whatever happens here, but whatever the rights or wrongs, whether it closes or not, these people will carry on doing what they have been trained to do."