A Pair of United States Marine Corps (USMC) Bell Boeing MV-22B Ospreys Complete Missed Approaches at Mackay Airport

Late on Tuesday 13 May, a pair of United States Marine Corps (USMC) Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft were noted completing missed approaches at Mackay Airport.  The pre-planned airwork was completed by the pair while flying down from Townsville and back - where these Ospreys are currently based.

The Ospreys were identified as 168687 (YZ-13) as "Lucky 12" and 168670 (YZ-21) as "Lucky 11" and are part of a deployment that flew across from Darwin to Townsville around a week earlier.  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).

UPDATE!  On Thursday 15 May, 168670 (YZ-21) as "Lucky 21" was noted completing airwork at Bowen Aerodrome while on a flight out of and back to Townsville.

Photo taken by Ian Hitchcock  ©