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)

[oyez]

I saw one two days ago for the first time. As it flys away, the way the rotors turn it looks like a large bird flapping its wings.

[al baby]

Great pics how long does it take to configure them to go up or down the elevators ?

[BenLurkin]

Very cool pics.

Thanks for posting!

[ishabibble]

Great photos! Thanks for posting.

[Westlander]

Cool px. Let's pray the bugs have been resolved on the Osprey.

[tryon1ja]

Wow! Thanks for all the great pictures. I was on the USS Wasp in 1962. It was the USS Wasp (CVS-18) out of Boston, Mass. She was an antisubmarine warfare carrier with about 70 planes aboard. Most of them were choppers, some S2F and A4D fixed wing.

We were down by Bermuda when the Destroyer Noah, picked up John Glenn. We were scheduled to pick him up but he was 3 miles off target. Just the name brings back many memories.

[Theresawithanh]

Those pictures are awesome! Thanks for posting.

[Wings-n-Wind]

Great photos...

Thanks for the post

[usmcobra]

It can’t take any longer then a CH-53 does on a windy day.

[Travis McGee]

Cool pics, thanks!

[Squantos]

“E”........ yer babies are in the nest !

Now with my pavelows a M134 or Ma Duce was in each door with maybe one or the other augmented by a Mk-19 on the rear deck....... any provisions for self defense on these besides crew PDW’s and counter measure flares etc ?

Is speed it’s lone defense ?

[e_castillo]

Nice job posting great pics!

[e_castillo]

These are great pics. The deployment seems to be going well. Hard to beleive the drive by media isn’t finding something bad to say about the V-22 or the War in general.

Ramp mounted mini gun or Ma Duce are the only weapons so far. The operations are mostly at low level for other types of Helicopters in Iraq because of the Missile threat so any increase in speed and decrease in noise levels in airplane mode should be a benefit.

Thanks for the ping.

[Squantos]

Yer welcome !

Stay safe !

[e_castillo]

90 seconds

[Tribune7]

That thing looks like a Transformer.

[Severa]

*LOL* My husband is a V-22 mech for Dyncorp. You should watch a V-22 fold up for carrier storage (3rd and 4th pictures on this page) cause you wouldn't be too far off the mark. V-22 Compilation - Youtube. You can see it done in this video at 0:56.

[Travis McGee]

Osprey has some gun mount problems due to weight distribution and those big ass rotor/props. Guns aft can’t swing forward, and a chin gun was nixed due to weight. Now they are talking about chin guns again.

[Squantos]

Yeah that was first thing I looked at with those rotors coming down where there interfere with any waist door gunner’s field of fire when in forward flight. In Hover it may be a non issue.......

Ramp gun can make do fine w/ a M134 or Ma Deuce can get it done for hot LZ cover fire on extraction .......Waist guns can have a cutoff / block for when rotors transition to forward flight mode etc.......???

Wait and see....:o)

[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

[A.A. Cunningham]

080202-N-9643K-008 CENTRAL IRAQ (Feb. 2, 2008) An MV-22 Osprey vertical-lift aircraft is refueled before a night mission in central Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Joe Kane (Released)

[Yo-Yo]

The keyword "aerospace" has been added to this article. If anyone happens to come across an article that would interest the aerspace community, please tag it! If you want to read articles relating to aerospace then search for the keyword aerospace. Thanks!

[Yo-Yo]

Gotta love them Zeus Fasteners...

Marine aircraft makes emergency landing
Craft's engine cover fell off, landed in Bell Arthur field



By Michael Abramowitz
The Daily Reflector

Saturday, February 09, 2008

A U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey made an emergency landing at Pitt-Greenville Airport Friday night after an outer engine cover fell off and landed in a field in Bell Arthur, an airport official reported.

The aircraft, based at Marine Corps Air Station New River landed safely just after 6:20 p.m. with a four-man flight crew and 15 marine troops on board, said Jim Turcotte, the airport manager.

The aircraft was one of four Ospreys flying in the Greenville area after picking up squad members from Quantico, Va., when a piece of exterior skin of the right engine intake assembly came off, said Major Shawn Haney, a Marine Corps public affairs officer. The Ospreys are part of the VMMT204 training squadron with the Second Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock.

The Osprey takes off vertically like a helicopter and flies like a plane. It flies faster and farther than helicopters, according to The Associated Press.

When the part came off, a caution light signaled the problem and a precautionary landing was made, Haney said. The troops and crew were uninjured.

"From what I understand, there was no damage to the property (where the part landed)," Haney said.

An airport crew was servicing an aircraft when the Ospreys appeared with little warning, Turcotte said.

"The military is on a different radio frequency than we are," Turcotte said.

The presence of the Osprey presented two issues for Turcotte.

"First, the military has an aircraft that is inoperative at the present time. So they need to get that bird fixed and back in the air. The second issue is to keep airport operations working as they should," Turcotte said.

He said there is no reason the problem should not be worked out, but pointed out one complication.

"The plane is parked in a restricted area, and our regulations don't have a caveat that says the military has authorization to be in that area. Anybody in that area has to be under escort, and that is the issue right now," Turcotte said.

An airport crew watched over the plane and its crew as repairs got under way, Turcotte said.

"We're used to challenges and the unusual, so this is all in a day's work for us," Turcotte said.

Shortly after the aircraft landed, Sheriff Mac Manning and Pitt County Emergency Management Director Noel Lee arrived to confer with Turcotte and the Osprey's flight crew.

The aircraft part was picked up by Bell Arthur resident Marshal Prentice near Bell Arthur Road, not far from U.S. 13, Manning said.

"I heard the aircraft as I was leaving the courthouse," Manning said. "I was talking to my wife on my cell phone and I was getting messages about parts falling off in a yard while I was hearing the plane flying over Greenville. It didn't sound like a good situation to start with, but it's turned out pretty good," Manning said.

The Osprey program has a checkered background. The aircraft was grounded early in its development after two crashes that killed 23 service members, according to The Associated Press.

The Osprey is intended to replace the CH-46 helicopter. The first operational squadron in the military was created at New River and deployed in September.

The sheriff and Lee were there in case the situation had been disastrous.

"We would be providing management of any needed resources including search and rescue, fire-rescue, EMS and law enforcement," Lee said.

[HardStarboard]

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

Congratulations. Must be a great program to be involved with!

The look of those birds configured for vertical takeoff takes a bit of getting used to! Looks like they were assembled by a dyslexic.....[grin].

But then I'm old - and new things all look funny.

Keep 'em coming - would love to see one flying. I'm in Seattle - all we see in Boeing commercial stuff and some big transports out of McChord.

[TruthNtegrity]

great pics

[stain]

Hey, these are really awesome picture. Super job!
Can you tell me, I heard that they were having issues with the tiedowns with the V-22, what have they done to correct that problem? It looks like they are on upside down in the pictures. Is that hard to do?
Does the chain damage the fuselage?
Thanks and keep up the good work!

[angels94]

My brother just happened to be the pilot for this photo of the Osprey #11 on this day. The pilots never fly the same aircraft. The names on the aircraft are by rank.

[MEG33]

Wow..I did not know this thread was still getting views..Glad you found it..I am grateful for your brother’s service!