"RUNNER 42" C-40A departs back to Ft Worth after a very brief stopover

Quite a unique moment, unexpectedly this formation appeared, old and new in formation near the Thomas-Jefferson memorial. Strikingly, the green colour of the Sea King is slight different compared of the colour of its successor, the Patriot. The VH-3D Sea King (BuNo 159359) is together with 159357 (which was seen earlier this day) is one of the last operational Sea Kings of HMX-1.

"GUNFIGHTER 63" AH-1Z hover taxis to the CALA

168280 from FY2011 is the first presidential Osprey (LRIP Lot 15). It flew first on 23 Jan'13 and was delivered to Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) ONE 'the Nighthawks' on 3 May'13. The Marine One Osprey's replaced a small number of CH-46 and CH-53s within HMX-1 and are used as support aircraft. They lack the white paint at the top of the fuselage (thus the nickname "white tops") that the VIP transport helicopters have. On 11 Aug'13 two MV-22Bs made their presidential debut ferrying Secret Service agents, White House staff, and members of the media from CGAS Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard (MA).

The construction number of this Osprey is unconfirmed. The tilt-rotor is coming from the Lor Rate Initial Production Lot 115 series and was part of the US Navy FY2011 budget. As they are support aircraft, the are named "Green Tops", the other assetts of HMX-1 are named "White Tops" and these transport the VIPs. HMX-1 operates a dozen MV-22Bs.

The construction number of this Osprey is not known. The Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) ONE MV-22Bs are identical to those used by the USMC in the fleet, they only differ from their paint job.

This is VH-92A System Demonstration Test Article 2, the fourth Patriot built. It is former Sikorsky test registration N313SX and was first noted in mid-2019. 169180 is one of 23 VH-92As that the US Navy budget procured, of which 21 will be operational aircraft and two will remain test aircraft. The 21 aircraft are operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) OBNE, based at Quantico (VA). The squadron runs a detachment at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (MD). The VH-92As replace the venerable VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N of HMX-1.

This FY2019 Patriot carries a plate with a six on the "clip", I don't know what that means. Normally such clips are used for plates with two, three or four star marks. This 169187 is former Sikorsky test registration N335SX.

Passing The Washington Monument, how classic can it be?

Possibly one of the last operational Sea Kings of Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) ONE. The type will see its sundown in 2025.

The red plate on the nose section reveals that this Patriot is carrying a four star general. The helicopter took-off from Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (DC), just on the other side of Ronald Reagan International Airport, both adjacent to the Potomac river, just south of the capital. This fiscal year 2021 VH-92A is former Sikorsky N344MW.

One of two VMFA-225 jets flown by VMFA-122 pilots dropped into NAF El Centro for fuel.

One of two VMFA-225 jets flown by VMFA-122 pilots dropped into NAF El Centro for fuel.

Taxiing out to runway 8 for an air show practice demo.

'Deadly Jesters' Prowler on short final for 21R

Photographer: Toshiyuki Toda.

VMA-513 Nightmares Bossbird