On Monday 26 April the C-130 'CH-13' performed its ultimate flight after nine years of “good and loyal services” with the Melsbroek 15th Wing. Accompanied by two F-16s and followed by an A400-M Atlas the airplane with the ever so characteristic silhouette landed for the very last time at Beauvechain airbase.

Defence bought twelve C-130H-Hercules in 1972 to replace the C-119 Fairchild Flying Boxcar. During their – very – long career they flew countless military and humanitarian missions. Since 2017 the planes are progressively being withdrawn, to be replaced by the Airbus A400-M Atlas. Defence asked the War Heritage Institute to conserve and highlight the CH-13, acquired in 2006 after a fire had destroyed the CH-02; Sabena Technics had spent thousands of working hours on a complete overhaul. The public will be able to admire it as of the summer of 2021.