A Tiltrotor Squadron in Afghanistan

Scenes of a Marine unit flying the incredible, versatile Osprey.

  • By Rebecca Maksel
  • AirSpaceMag.com, March 15, 2010
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Ed Darack


This was “one of the few times that I was able to photograph an air-to-air sequence,” says Darack. “This is in the desert over southern Afghanistan, while flying from Kandahar Province into Helmand Province.”

Do the members of VMM-261 long for a “sexier” aircraft? “We’re an assault support platform,” said Major Will Grant. “We don’t need aggressive nose-high altitudes, we don’t need aggressive turns, we don’t need to do aerobatics.”


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Comments (4)

Lovely picture. Could I purchase a copy? EDITORS' REPLY: We do not sell copies of photographs. You would need to buy one from the photographer directly. Most photographers have websites or agencies that can be found easily through a Web search.

I would like to see more pictures of VMM261 squadron--maybe we can see our marine.Thank you all for what you are doing. God bless and take care.

As a Naval Aviator w/ seaplane, carrier attack (A-1)&mucho combat time in helicopter gunships + command of a squadron & aircraft carrier, I fail to understand why NAVAIR size~ selected the V-22 to emulate an H-46 sized capacity vice the larger H-47 or H-53 heavy lift capabilities. Troop support capability suffers from the meager load capabilities of this aircraft. (Love the concept & flexibility but it begs for a weapons capability to also support the Troops.) ~ww~

I was an Air Force weather observer at Ft Huachuca AZ in 1982 when the Osprey was being flight tested. It was amazing to see it in operation.

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