Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 - A Pair of United States Marine Corps (USMC) MV-22B Osprey Tiltrotor Aircraft Pop into Mackay Airport - Plus More from the Whitsundays!

On Monday 24 July, the unmistakable sight and sound of two United States Marine Corps (USMC) Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft filled the skies of Mackay and Whitsundays as they flew down from RAAF Base Scherger to call into Mackay Airport.

The two Ospreys that called into Mackay Airport sadly remain unidentified, but they were heard to be using the radio callsign "Dumptruck 11".  They later returned North to Scherger but flying via the Bloomsbury area near Proserpine, possibly landing at the Lakeside Airpark.

It is believed that the two Ospreys are part of six that flew across from Darwin to Scherger over the weekend to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 (TS23).  They are flown by the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (VMM-363) ‘Lucky Red Lions’ (‘YZ’) and form part of the latest Marine Rotational Force Darwin (MRF-D).

Meanwhile, at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport, also on Monday 24 July, two more of United States Air Force (USAF) Lockheed MC-130J Commando II Hercules transport aircraft were again noted calling in on flights up from and back to RAAF Base Richmond.  It seems that Hercs 11-5731 as "Rogue 73" and 20-5946 as "Rogue 75" were the ones to call in this time.

Thanks to the many local plane spotters for sharing these great photos with us!