RNZAF Lockheed C 130H Hercules NZ7001 - First to Last

Many photos have been posted on social media of the RNZAF C-130H Hercules NZ7001 touching down on what remains of RNZAF Base Wigram grass yesterday, 19 February 2025.  It drew a huge crowd and it was a fitting end to a 60 year unblemished flying career.  So I thought I would go back to the beginning and post this screenshot of NZ7001's first touch down at Wellington:

This is on 24 March 1965, and I think you can see crowds lining the airport fence on Calabar Road.

Fast forward to 10 February 2025 and NZ7001 comes in low over the fence at Wigram on its final flight. 

 It will make a great exhibit for the RNZAF Museum when they can get a large enough space to display it (alongside their Lockheed P 3K2 Orion NZ4203 which was trucked down from Woodbourne to Wigram last year).