It's not every day you see a military style aircraft flying over Cronulla's beaches.
Leader photographer Chris Lane snapped this RAAF C-130J Hercules flying over Bate Bay towards Kurnell about 2.30pm on Tuesday.
It was an impressive sight for those walking along the beach and foreshore.
Plane afficionados will get the chance to see similar aerial displays on the weekend when the nation's biggest airshow takes off in the Illawarra.
Over two action packed days, up to 40,000 visitors are expected to visit Wings Over Illawarra this Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm at Illawarra Regional Airport.
The event's flying display program will features a number of ADF aircraft, including the C-130 Hercules seen flying over Bate Bay.
- 10.10am - Each day starts with an opening ceremony before four new RAAF Pilatus PC-21 aircraft do formation and aerobatic displays at 10.30 followed by Douglas C-47, DHC-4 Caribou and C-27 Spartan handling displays.
- 11.25am - RAAF Hercules and Globemaster handling displays are followed by aerobatic displays by the Royal Australian Navy, Chris Clark, Paul Bennett and Jethro Nelson.
- 12.35pm - the Russian Roolettes take to the sky before Tim Dugan does a handling display followed by a simulated airfield attack and solo displays from Matt Hall and Paul Bennet and aerobatic displays by Tim Dugan and Ben Lappin.
- 1.42pm - Air Affairs Australia's Learjets do a formation display followed by aerobatics from Mark Pracy, Phillip Frawley and James Crocket. Matt Hall then performs in his Red Bull Air Racer ahead of more action from a RAAF Poseidon.
- 2.35pm - Ben Lappin and Tim Dugan do aerobatics before Stephen Death, Matt Hall, Paul Bennett and Scott Taberner feature in WWII fighters.
- 3.36pm - there are aerobatic displays by Stephen Gale, Jethro Nelson, Jeff Trappett, Paul Bennet, Glenn Graham and Ben Lappin before a RAAF handling display and Wall of Fire.
- On the ground during each day there is an aircraft static display, carnival, McDonald's kids zone, freestyle motocross, BMW cars, Australian Defence Force and Land Rover displays and a D-Max team take on the world's steepest 4WD ramp. There are also aviation industry stalls and display aircraft, classic cars and bikes, helicopter joy flights and plenty of food and beverages.