Boneyard Safari

Taking a look at the ships of #RIMPAC22 here is USS Essex LHD-2 off the coast of Hawaii. We can see her armament forward of the bridge includes the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile Launcher, RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Launcher, and Phalanx CIWS Block 1B. #lhd2 #ussessex #marineaviation #navalaviation #ciws #seasparrow #rim116 #hawaii #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari

Caption? #rimpac2022 #marineaviation #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari

As #navycarriercentennial continues we look at the rest of the flat tops that have served . Here is USS New Orleans LPH-11 departing San Diego harbor, she served from 1968 to 1997. She and her class (Iwo Jima) were designed and built as dedicated helicopter carriers. You can see she has AH-1’s, CH-46’s, and CH-53’s aboard. #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari #ah1w #ch46 #ch53 #marineaviation #gatorboat

Flash back to USS Saipan in 1986, she still had her 5”/54 Mod 2 guns. Quiet a variety of aircraft aboard, which can you identify? #marineaviation #usssiapan #lha2 #navalaviation #navycarriercentennial #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari

It’s #frogfriday here is a Sea Knight coming aboard USS Nassau LHA-4 during vertrep with a flock of Harriers on deck #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsfari #av8b #marineaviation #navalaviation #ch46 #seaknight #ussnassau #lha4 #usmc #usnavy #gatorboat #vertrep

Did you know aboard the Austin-class amphibious transport dock ships that they had fanged friends along? Check out the UH-1N and AH-1W on board USS Nashville LPD-13 back in 1991. #marineaviation #uh1n #ah1w #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari #usnavy #lpd13

Here are some images of how Marine Aviators flying AV-8B’s would train for flight deck operations in the Arizona desert. #av8b #marineaviation #ussneversail #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari

#phrogfriday, one way to get out of a Phrog, fast rope. These Marines showed how to get it done! #marineaviation #usmc  #ch46e #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari

#navycarriercentennial here is USS Tarawa (1986) returning to San Diego (32nd Street), she still has her 5”/54 guns as well as Sea Sparrow launchers. Note the top of her main mast is being raised as she had just passed under the Coronado Bridge. #lha1 #usnavy #navalaviation #marineaviation #usstarawa #sandiego #aviationsafari #aviationpreservation #boneyardsafari

Checking out OV-10D 155499, at Pima Air and Space #ov10 #ov10bronco #marineaviation #aviationpreservation #aviationsafari #boneyardsafari #pimaairandspacemuseum