On Saturday 3rd April 2010 M28 Skytruck SP-DGS passed through Prestwick airport on the west coast of Scotland on delivery to the USA. The aircraft was built at PZL Mielec and is painted white and blue with the under fuselage luggage carrier.
See photo link below for images of this aircraft at Prestwick
http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=21420
This Skytruck will eventually join the USAF AFSOC - Air Force Special Operations Command.
Update - SP-DGS c/n AJE003-21 was re-registered as N279DH on 28th April 2010 registered to Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada, USA.
Others delivered to the USA in 2008 / 2009 have been
SP-DGN c/n AJE 003-10 became N310MV
SP-DGO c/n AJE 003-19 became N319TW
SP-DGP c/n AJE 003-17 became N317JG
SP-DGR c/n AJE 003-20 became N824KD
All were initially registered to Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada, USA.
Note that N310MV is now shown as owned by
AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND HQ at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The M28 Skytruck will operate with the 27 SOW based at Cannon AFB New Mexico - their website shown below suggests they will operate with the 318 SOS alongside their PC-12 aircraft
""The 318th SOS, located at Cannon AFB, N.M., is one of three flying squadrons within the 27th Special Operations Group. The squadron flies the Pilatus PC-12, and will soon acquire light and medium twin engine aircraft variants. The unit utilizes these aircraft to accomplish global special operations taskings as an Air Force component member of United States Special Operations Command""
Link to Cannon AFB website below
http://www.cannon.af.mil/units/index.asp
Good photo of AFSOC Skytruck N310MV on Flickr - see link below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7903090@N06/4151865356/
External Link to Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada, USA
http://www.sncorp.com/index.shtml
Steve
