Here are some shots of CV-22 “0032” on the runway at St. John’s. Apparently the US Air Force Ospreys didn’t leave a couple of days ago as these came through this afternoon.
Note the heat plumes on the bottom shot coming from the engine.
Meanwhile, you can find one of Gary Hebbard’s shots at Avweb, in the slide show of reader-submitted shots.
The CV-22s from 8 Special Operations Squadron and their escort Hercules aircraft left St. John’s at around 1430 hours local time on Wednesday afternoon.
That doesn’t mean the end of the great shots, however.
This one shows “0028” on approach, transitioning the engine pods to the vertical position in preparation for landing. They are at about 45 degrees in this shot.
Incidentally, the pointy bit on the nose is the end of the refuelling probe.
A flurry of photographers arrived in ye olde e-mail inbox this morning from local aircraft enthusiasts.
These people can also use a camera.
To quote the factsheet:
“The primary mission of the 8th SOS is insertion, extraction, and re-supply of unconventional warfare forces and equipment into hostile or enemy-controlled territory using airland or airdrop procedures. Numerous secondary missions include psychological operations, aerial reconnaissance and helicopter air refuelling. To accomplish these varied missions, the 8th SOS utilizes the CV-22 Osprey, a highly specialized Bell-Boeing tilt-rotor aircraft.”
They fly out of Hurlburt Field in Florida.
Unlike the Marine and Navy aircraft, these come with a variety of specialised attachment including countermeasures, radio and different radar.
You can see some of the additional bumps on the nose to accommodate some of the specialised add-ons.
Look at the tail ramp and you can make out the loadmaster next to what appears to be a weapons mount covered in a yellow tarpaulin.
Turns out to that these aircraft have been through St. John’s before. In October 2008, they transited through St. John’s, presumably on the way to an international exercise in Mali.
The photos below are from the October visit. They clearly show “0028” and “0031” both of which went through St. John’s in the past 24 hours, destination across the Atlantic presumably.
“0031” with blades folded.
Another aircraft being readied for flight.
“0031” ready to launch.
Pictures to follow but three Osprey tilt-rotors arrived at St. John’s airport within the last hour, apparently accompanied by a KC-130.
The Osprey is an unconventional aircraft that is entering service with the United States Marine Corps, Navy and Special Operations Command. Launching and recovering vertically like a helicopter, the engine pods rotate in the air allowing the aircraft to fly like propeller driven airplane.
-srbp-
St. John’s airport has a ramp where aircraft are parked in cases when the owners don’t want them seen.
That’s where the three Ospreys and a bevy of Hercs are parked, with the Hercs positioned in such a way that only the tips of the blades of two of the Ospreys could even been seen from the airport fence.
In the twilight, the third could be seen, behind a service truck, with its rotor blades folded. if you squint and look at the shape inside the red outline above, there she is. That glint slightly right of centre is the reflection of the airport trucks yellow roof light on the aircraft windscreen. The starboard engine is just above the truck.
Hopefully some other local aircraft enthusiasts had better luck and are better photographers.
