Black tilt rotor over the uk?

Driving back from Scotland last night at about 9pm and just coming over the shap on the M6 I noticed a black Tiltrotor aircraft doing large circuits over the m6 and surrounding hills.

I have seen in the press that the UK was considering buying a couple of CV 22's for special ops use but did not think they had bought any yet?

Riat might be why marine 22's are here but thought they where in grey camo...not black!!!

Anybody have any ideas of what else it could have been I.e drone or Augusta Westland prototype's..?!?

And before anybody asks could not get photo as was driving on motorway and nowhere to pull over!!!

a reply to: Silentvulcan
How dark is it at 9pm?

In any case, those things just look weird when transitioning. Ain't natural, I say.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Silentvulcan
How dark is it at 9pm?

In any case, those things just look weird when transitioning. Ain't natural, I say.

still light at that time.

Still quite bright this time of year...sun was out and viewed the aircraft from various angles as it circled over the road at about 2000ft...through various car windows as it went around.

I know my A/c as am a bit of a spotter but this the first time have seen a 22 ( if that's what it was ) in the flesh so to speak!

a reply to: Phage

a reply to: Silentvulcan

They are very cool aircraft. The grunts in my area are going to be phasing out helos in favor of them to a certain extent. Good news for me, they seem to be quieter.

Can't address the livery.

Don't forget Farnborough airshow is on next week and it could be part or the flying or static display?

a reply to: Silentvulcan

Tilt rotor aircraft are distinct. In 'airplane mode' the props are huge.

Fairford could be the best bet..maybe a CV 22B from Mildenhall...just the colour scheme throwing me..I know the SAS use "Black Choppers" so that's why I was asking if they have any 22's yet..! a reply to: Imagewerx

That's how I knew it was a Tiltrotor..caught a brief glimpse of it initially as was driving and it did not look right I.e normal..did 26 years as a aircraft techie in the RAF so know what I am looking at!!

As I have said its just who it belongs to which is confusing me..a reply to: intrptr

I saw the 22 when I was out in Yuma Arizona last year. They are a strange bird indeed. The ones I saw were a medium gray in color.

a reply to: Silentvulcan

As I have said its just who it belongs to which is confusing me...

From April,

Link

a reply to: Silentvulcan

Two USAF MV-22s, Call signs Knife 72 and Knife 73, were on a training mission on the night of the 7th July. They are based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, England. They were monitored by aviation enthusiasts on an ADS-B exchange and also visually as they flew over Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire.

They were serials 08-0050 and 08-0051

It will just be a trick of the light that you saw the grey colour scheme as black.

Link to image of serial 08-0050

www.planespotters.net...

a reply to: tommyjo

DANG how do you guys vet out unknowns?

That will be it then...looking at the colour scheme and where the sun was it would have looked darker than the usual light grey cammo I have seen pics of...and I could not get a real good look as was doing 70 mph at the time...honest...!!!!

Thanks for clearing that up...a reply to: tommyjo

a reply to: Silentvulcan

I get them flying past my house about a mile away along the cliff edge down here in the south east, never seen a black one tho, only white or grey, you sure it wasn't a grey one? they are quite dark grey and in the evening would be even darker shade of grey.
I'm sure the ones I see fly out of Folkestone with the Gurkha regiment, iv seen them every other day this past few weeks as they are moving out to afghan or Iraq (some place hot and dusty anyways lol)

There are a few air shows this time of year, its been like WW2 outside mine with spitfires practicing and the odd biplane flying over the white cliffs. Any air shows up your way?

I remember reading the SAS have been using them in London for anti terror drills (can't vouch for the color though).

Don't the SAS have a base in Stirling? - if so maybe they were training.

Perhaps confirming these two statements together might give you your answer.



Scratch that about Stirling - i think thats incorrect.

I was going to say it's probably one of the Mildenhall based ones but was beaten to it by tommyjo.

I see them a lot while visiting my sister in Norfolk. I have also managed to get some great shots of them when they turn up and buzz around. They usually arrive at dusk, along with the Hercs and Blackhawks and are sometimes still active until after midnight, using the far end of the old Sculthorpe airbase for training.

Here's a shot from last year, taken from my Sisters back garden.

a reply to: Silentvulcan

I have seen in the press that the UK was considering buying a couple of CV 22's for special ops use but did not think they had bought any yet?

Maybe they were taking one for a test drive...

a reply to: Silentvulcan

Right now there are no plans for the UK to get any. They've discussed it but the budget doesn't have any money allocated for them in the near future. They'll do joint operations with the US though.

a reply to: Silentvulcan

No problem. Thanks for the reply.

The info was from the UK Military Aviation enthusiast forum Fighter Control. You will have to register to get access to the "heads-up" and other interesting threads.

Fighter Control forum link