Watch as huge RAF cargo plane lands at Leuchars

This was the moment a huge RAF cargo plane landed at Leuchars after circling in the skies above Fife.

Locals watched in amazement as a C-17 Globemaster transporter flew low over north-east Fife on Thursday afternoon.

The plane took off from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at 11.25am and headed north.

Once at Leuchars, the plane completed several circuits in the area and performed several touch-and-go landings, before heading south.

The aircraft can transport more than 100,000lb of freight.

According to the RAF, it is capable of rapid, strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases anywhere in the world.

Two Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth were also spotted in the area on Thursday afternoon.

Data from the tracking website Flightradar24 showed the jets completing several loops above the River Tay before returning north.

Meanwhile, American Hercules, Globemaster and Osprey aircraft have taken to the skies over Fife in recent days.

Several units have been using Leuchars recently, most of which have been independent training exercises.

• US Army MH-47s – Carrying out mountain flying training.
• USAF C-17 – Visit Leuchars usually twice a year to carry out joint training.
• USAF CV-22 Ospreys –The USAF 7th Special Operations Squadron brought three CV-22s up to Leuchars for training.
• RAF CH-47s – 18 Sqn deployed to Leuchars with 2x CH-47s as part of a joint training exercise with HMS Prince of Wales.

• Romanian C-130/C27 – There are Romanian Navy personnel currently working with RN at Rosyth, Leuchars assisted with the change over of personnel.
• Typhoons from Lossiemouth and Coningsby have also been using the airfield for training and refuelling.

It comes weeks after an RAF Atlas was spotted flying low over Tayside and Fife during a routine training sortie from RAF Brize Norton.