---
title: "Watch This C-130J Make An Incredible Flare-Popping Musical Flyover Of Sydney For Australia Day (Updated)"
description: "The Aussies have a real knack for executing super dramatic flyovers, but the musical timing of this one makes it extra special."
date: "2019-01-27"
modified: "2019-01-28"
authors:
  - name: "Tyler Rogoway"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway"
url: "https://www.twz.com/26184/watch-this-c-130j-make-an-incredible-flare-popping-musical-flyover-of-sydney-for-australia-day"
categories:
  - "Air"
  - "Air Forces"
  - "Around The Globe"
  - "Australia"
  - "C-130"
  - "Indo-Pacific"
  - "News & Features"
  - "Royal Australian Air Force"
  - "Transports"
tags:
  - "Australia Day"
  - "C-130J"
  - "flares"
  - "flyby"
  - "Flyover"
  - "Hercules"
  - "In The Hall Of The Mountain King"
  - "Orchestra"
  - "RAAF"
  - "Super Hercules"
  - "Sydney"
  - "Sydney Harbor"
  - "Sydney Opera House"
---

# Watch This C-130J Make An Incredible Flare-Popping Musical Flyover Of Sydney For Australia Day (Updated)

![](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-twz/content/2019/01/adaddaadadsda.jpg>)
*www.twz.com*

Historically, when it comes to flyovers, the Royal Australian Air Force [is tough to beat](<https://www.twz.com/25408/raaf-hornet-escorts-pull-off-jaw-dropping-overhead-break-to-welcome-home-first-aussie-f-35as>). [Their F-111s](<https://www.twz.com/4595/flying-the-iconic-swing-wing-f-111-aardvark-at-the-height-of-the-cold-war>) were famous for their [amazing 'dump and burn' maneuvers](<https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-ten-best-f-111-pig-dump-and-burn-moments-of-all-t-1601915237>) and since their retirement, the other aircraft in the RAAF's stable [have increasingly pushed the envelope](<https://www.twz.com/15360/watch-this-crazy-cockpit-video-of-an-aussie-hawk-weaving-between-high-rises>) to fill the void, [often times with spectacular results](<https://www.twz.com/24041/cinema-aero-these-are-the-aviation-videos-you-absolutely-must-watch-from-the-last-week>). Case in point, this gorgeous and incredibly well-timed flyover of Sydney Harbor for [Australia Day](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day>), in which a RAAF C-130J dumps a huge string of flares in an arching pattern right at the crescendo of the [Edvard Grieg](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edvard_Grieg>)'s booming "In the Hall of the Mountain King" with the iconic Sydney Opera House sitting in the foreground.

There couldn't have been a better soundtrack or setting for this dramatic and memorable moment:

https://youtube.com/embed/fmkGp5fjloY

In recent years, RAAF C-130s have really used their flare popping abilities in creative ways to wow crowds for different events across the land down under. With just a dozen Super Hercules tactical airlifters in their inventory, the aircraft are always a welcome surprise at big public gatherings.

![message-editor%2F1548631725487-20170831raaf8558864\_087.jpg](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1548631725487-20170831raaf8558864_087.jpg>)
*Royal Australian Air Force C-130J during a low-level training sortie. , *RAAF**

Although fighters like RAAF Hornets, Super Hornets, and Growlers often steal the limelight, the 'Super Herc' can [put on one hell of a display](<https://www.twz.com/22753/we-talk-looping-the-hercules-test-flying-and-all-things-c-130-with-lockheeds-wayne-robertson>) all by itself. This twin C-130J flare drop from Australia's big Avalon Air Show in 2017 is a downright spectacular example of this:

https://youtube.com/embed/LQkehCeBBOY

Well done RAAF, well done.

***Update: 10:00pm PST—***

The RAAF [just posted](<https://www.facebook.com/AusAirForce/videos/318206678800895/>) another view of its awesome Australia Day flyover:

*Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com*

## Author
Tyler’s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, as well as foreign policy, and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense and national security space. Tyler was the creator of the hugely popular defense site *Foxtrot Alpha* before developing *TWZ*, which he continues to lead as the Editor-In-Chief to this day.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel>)