United States Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed KC-130J Hercules 169227 (QD-9227) "Sumo 89" Calls into Rockhampton Airport

On Thursday 19 June, United States Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed KC-130J Hercules 169227 (Tail Code QD-9227) was spotted arriving into Rockhampton Airport.

It was flying as "Sumo 89" and arrived from RAAF Base Amberley.

The Herc later departed to an Exercise area off South East Queensland for air-to-air refuelling ops before then returning to Amberley.

Of interest, 169227 (QD-9227) is flown by the Marine Aerial Refueller Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152) the "Sumos".

 

UPDATE!  On Friday 20 June, USMC KC-130J Hercules 169227 again as "Sumo 89" flew up from Amberley to offshore East of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) and operated there for a while before returning to Amberley. 

Of interest, also on Friday 20 June, a pair of USMC Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft as 'ODIN21 FLT' were operating from the US Navy amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) into the Shoalwater Bay Training Area and back.

There were also a pair of Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters flying in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area also from the USS America.  Online flight tracking websites suggest they were 165244 and 161540 and were flying as "THOR34 FLT".

Photo taken by Scott Harris  ©