VMM-263(MV-22B Osprey) photos from aboard the USS Wasp LHD-1

United States Navy ^ | 29 September - 4 October 2007

[A.A. Cunningham]

070929-N-1189B-196 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Sept. 29, 2007) - An MV-22 "Osprey" attached to Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron (VMM) 263 takes to the air from the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on a surge deployment bringing the Osprey on its first combat deployment to the Middle East. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

070929-N-1189B-126 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Sept. 29, 2007) - An MV-22 "Osprey" attached to Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron (VMM) 263 takes to the air from the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on a surge deployment bringing the Osprey on its first combat deployment to the Middle East. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071003-N-1189B-070 STRAITS ON TIRAN (Oct. 3, 2007) - Lights on the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) illuminate a MV-22 Ospreys attached to Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron (VMM) 263 as it transits the Straits of Tiran. Wasp is on a surge deployment bringing the Osprey on its first combat deployment to the Middle East. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071003-N-1189B-072 STRAITS ON TIRAN (Oct. 3, 2007) - Lights on the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) illuminate a MV-22 Ospreys attached to Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron (VMM) 263 as it transits the Straits of Tiran. Wasp is on a surge deployment bringing the Osprey on its first combat deployment to the Middle East. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-2439G-017 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepares for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class AnTuan D. Guerry (RELEASED)

071004-N-2568S-125 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepares for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Craig Strawser (RELEASED)

071004-N-2568S-066 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A Marine aircrewman peers from an U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 Marine Aircraft Group 29, as it prepares for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Craig Strawser (RELEASED)

071004-N-2568S-073 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Craig Strawser (RELEASED)

071004-N-2568S-119 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, takes off from the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Craig Strawser (RELEASED)

071004-N-2439G-040 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class AnTuan D. Guerry (RELEASED)

071004-N-2568S-015 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Craig Strawser (RELEASED)

071004-N-1238B-064 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - Marines attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, board an U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, on the flight deck of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) as they prepare to transit to their final operational destination in Iraq. This marks the first combat deployment of the Osprey. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Toni Burton (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-099 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-127 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, takes off from the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-190 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-022 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-048 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-080 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-002 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepares for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-005 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

071004-N-1189B-012 GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)

[Travis McGee]

I actually heard (prolly BS) that the USMC didn’t want a chin gun, because they don’t want pilots going Rambo and getting into slugfests above hot LZs. The Osprey is too expensive, and we can’t use them like VN Hueys (5,000 lost!!!!!!). They should drop their troops off a brisk hike to the fighting. No chin gun will help convince pilots to stay back.....or so that theory went.

[Squantos]

USAF tried that same theory with the F4........didn’t work.

Got to have the gun .......those guys ain’t gonna go gunner in something built by the lowest bidder. Usually the waist ginners covered the area a chin gun would in this rig today.

Hopefully we see one IMO.

Stay safe !

[Travis McGee]

I mainly just hope the things stay in the air!

I still thing they should be T&E’d on supergrades, SES and generals for a year or two before approving them for Joe Snuffy.

[Wings-n-Wind]

...some S2F and A4D fixed wing.

Stoofs and Spads.... "DGA's" .....maaa-an...

Aviation history reflected in puddles of oil under round motors....

A FAMOUS QUOTE ATTRIBUTED TO A WHITING FIELD T-28C INSTRUCTOR:
If there's not any on the outside... there's not any on the inside!

[tryon1ja]

I don’t think we had any around long enough to pool oil. The pilots love to crash them together on the flight deck or lose them in the drink on take off. Seems like we were frequently having to put out fires on deck. We went on a north Atlantic cruise with 4 mail planes and came back with one that was what was left of parts of the other ones. Oh well, I guess that is why we train and train.

[Wings-n-Wind]

I was once crewed with one of the USN Spad pilots that... along with his wingie -- bagged a couple of MiG-15's one fine afternoon...

It was quite a war story for a snowball in hades...

God bless you for serving in the days of wooden ships and iron men...

[GRRRRR]

So true...many years ago, I was on a DELTA flight, by the window and during the flight observed a steady stream of oil running from the jet engine cover.

On the way out, we did land safely, I mentioned this to the Pilot...he said, “Thanks for the info, we don’t worry about it until it STOPS leaking...”

TRUE STORY!!

[Wings-n-Wind]

musta been a DC9.... that’s correct

[tryon1ja]

God bless you for serving in the days of wooden ships and iron men...

Thank you, and may God bless you too.

[Spirit Cat]

Stay Safe. Take Numbers, God will keep track of the names!
With LZ saturation by support entities, their shouldn’t be a lot of need for personal armorment there. Since we’re still flying the old souped up Cobra as well as the harrier air escort ought not be a problem. I am excited that the Osprey finally got deployed and will give a serious case of mush mouth to it’s nay sayers!
With the push into both Iraq and Afghanistan over seven hundred miles from the beach, the extension of the Navies fire power into the literals required some serious updating to extend the Marines ‘rapidly’!
I’ve humped for three days covering twenty miles to go three.
I’m gonna keep close watch on you young pups because you are gonna put a new chapter in “conventional warfare” as well as the shock troop ability of the Corps! We’re not going to slug fest as we have in the past, but shock and awe them with technology. But like my First Shirt always told us; “You still have to put grunts on the ground to double tap the survivors and feed the kids chocolate bars!”
The quote from the Germans in War One that “the Marines could travel further, faster on foot than he could move his troops by truck” is still in vogue!
Make sure that while you are writing this new chapter in the History of the Corps as well as warfare tactics you make it interesting for the Muj’s!
Semper Fi
Mike

[usmcobra]

I don't know how to resize this but.....Ya gotta see it

[MEG33]

I cut down the bytes using

I had to use HTML to cut the size. Snagged, of course.;o).
Thanks, casino.

[MEG33]

GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, takes off from the flight deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment.

Thank You For Serving Our Country

[e_castillo]

I’m not there. I’m in the Texas Panhandle working on the program...

My thoughts are with those folks every day.

[skidkid6119]

Happy 232nd B Day Marines, think I was born a little to early to enjoy the MV22. Flew as CC in the UH-1N and UH-1N. RVN 70-71 Semper Fi. Best of Luck and be careful VMM-263

[joe reed]

Wonder what the rate of climb is for the V-22?? Look at how high that bird got and hasn’t cleared the bow of the ship yet!! WOW!! Lots better than my old CH-46A did!!

[mj5pohl8]

Click here:http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1350528144057175838FxeZcM This is a Spad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-4_Skyhawk These are A4D’s.
Lessons learned on the old USS Bennington.
Hang in there, Matt

[Wings-n-Wind]

NO excuse, sir...
(I knew that -- musta been late)

Stoofs and Spads were BOTH ( a little) before my time...

I thought the S-3 was "hi-tech"...
But...
These new "hoovers" weren't even on the drawing board when I got OUT!

Merry Christmas!

[Grump Lead]

Question: Where does the Pilot-in-Command sit; right seat like helicopter or left seat like fixed wing?

[A.A. Cunningham]

Right seat