RAAF Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail A30-002 Spotted at Rockhampton Airport Tuesday With New Nose Art

A spectacular sight in the skies above Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 22 September with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-002 performing a missed approach onto Runway 15.  It was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Wedgetail 02".

And if you look a little more closely, the Wedgetail has recently had a nice piece of artwork applied to it with a magpie bird painted on its nose.  The magpie is part of the crest of No. 2 Squadron of the RAAF, which operates all six Wedgetails from RAAF Base Williamtown, with a detachment also in Darwin.

A30-002 has been the 'public face' of No. 2 Squadron's operations in Iraq during Operation Okra - the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the international effort to combat the ISIL terrorist threat in Iraq.

Thanks to local plane spotter 'IAD' who captured these great photos!

All photos taken by 'IAD'  ©