Marinators
Along with 'Air Force One' and the two VC-32A's, US Marine Corps HMX-1 assets supporting President Barack Obama's recent visit to attend the NATO Summit meeting at the Celtic Manor in Newport were airlifted in to RAF Fairford aboard no less than five C-17 Globemaster III transports and two attendant USMC KC-130 Hercules.
Here left to right parked outside Fairford's B-2 Hangars are:
Sikorsky VH-60N 'Whitehawks' 163263 and 163261 along with Boeing MV-22B Osprey 'Tilt-rotors':
168289/3-03, 168327/8-09 and 168335/4-11.
Remaining hangared for all but about 15 minutes of the day was a fourth MV-22, seen in the gloom behind and reported as 168302.
Intriguingly the larger side code numbers on the MV-22's were applied since they arrived. Any ideas why?
All were unfolded and had their engines run and rotors tested prior to departing later to Newport to collect 'The Man' and his entourage.
More to come.
DSCN3094_EN
Marinators
Along with 'Air Force One' and the two VC-32A's, US Marine Corps HMX-1 assets supporting President Barack Obama's recent visit to attend the NATO Summit meeting at the Celtic Manor in Newport were airlifted in to RAF Fairford aboard no less than five C-17 Globemaster III transports and two attendant USMC KC-130 Hercules.
Here left to right parked outside Fairford's B-2 Hangars are:
Sikorsky VH-60N 'Whitehawks' 163263 and 163261 along with Boeing MV-22B Osprey 'Tilt-rotors':
168289/3-03, 168327/8-09 and 168335/4-11.
Remaining hangared for all but about 15 minutes of the day was a fourth MV-22, seen in the gloom behind and reported as 168302.
Intriguingly the larger side code numbers on the MV-22's were applied since they arrived. Any ideas why?
All were unfolded and had their engines run and rotors tested prior to departing later to Newport to collect 'The Man' and his entourage.
More to come.
DSCN3094_EN