RAF Brize Norton News

C-130 Commemorative Painting Unveiled at RAF Brize Norton

This week, a commemorative painting, named “Last Out”, was donated to recognise the service of the C-130 Hercules in the Royal Air Force.

This week, a commemorative painting, named 'Last Out', was donated to recognise the service of the C-130 Hercules in the Royal Air Force.

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The artwork will be showcased at Royal Air Force Brize Norton before making its journey to a permanent home at the Royal Air Force Club in London in February 2023.

Former member of Numbers XXIV and 47 Squadron, Henley Johnson, painted the artwork over a six-month period and gifted the piece to Flight Lieutenant Lauren Stewart, a No. 47 Squadron pilot. Henley first took up art as a young teen, then at university, he opted for science instead of art, and a career in the Royal Air Force. After he arrived at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, he was posted to No. 47 Squadron to fly the Hercules, an aircraft and a role that he loved. So much so, that he put aside any thought of artwork, and it would be many years before he returned to painting. Henley retired in 2013, having accumulated nearly 10,000 hours of flying and now lives in the Caribbean, where he happily devotes more time to art.

This week, a commemorative painting, named “Last Out”, was donated to recognise the service of the C-130 Hercules in the Royal Air Force.

Members of No. 47 Squadron attended the presentation in the Officers Mess, along with the Station Commander, Group Captain Claire O’Grady and Commander Air Wing, Group Captain Gareth Burdett. The painting depicts the last C-130 Hercules leaving Kabul with three demoiselle cranes in the foreground, which is the No. 47 Squadron badge symbol.

Flight Lieutenant Lauren Stewart said:

“This painting represents 56 years of C-130 service in the RAF and it is great today to be able to celebrate it with this painting. The painting is called ‘Last out’ and depicts the aircraft being the last out of Kabul during Op PITTING”

Flight Lieutenant Lauren Stewart
Pilot No. 47 Squadron

This week, a commemorative painting, named “Last Out”, was donated to recognise the service of the C-130 Hercules in the Royal Air Force.

Wing Commander James Sjoberg, Officer Commanding No. 47 Squadron, said:

“The unveiling of this beautiful painting entitled ‘Last Out’ by Hedley Johnson is a great privilege for everyone flying the Hercules today. We are very grateful to him and to Flight Lieutenant Lauren Stewart for this amazing painting. It will be displayed at Brize Norton until early next year. This fantastic event is the first in a series of events to commemorate the amazing service of the Hercules before it retires in June next year”

Wing Commander James Sjoberg
Officer Commanding No. 47 Squadron

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