A distinctive rotor sound could be heard above the skies of Helston over the weekend, leading to questions of 'What kind of helicopter is that?'
The answer was, it wasn't one, as such.
The arrival of US Marine Corps' MV-22 Osprey caused great excitement when it landed in Helston late on Friday.
Operating from USS Iwo Jima, the tilt-rotor military aircraft made a diversion into RNAS Culdrose, where it was joined by a second aircraft of its kind, before that later departed.
The Osprey with the Culdrose control tower in the background. Picture: Bob Sharples/Jet Photos
As word got round keen photographers and aircraft lovers rushed to get a look on Saturday, with Culdrose Viewing Enclosure seeing a surge in visitors.
It led military aircraft photographer Bob Sharples to observe: "A cracking visitor; not seen the viewing area so busy for a long time."
The Osprey is unusual in that it has both helicopter and aeroplane capabilities, in the sense that it can perform vertical take off and landings, but also short take offs and landings.
The Osprey is seen in by Culdrose firefighters on Friday evening. Picture: Bob Sharples/Jet Photos
With its distinctive double rotor blades, the Osprey could be seen – and heard – back out again on Saturday, flying above the town.
It is the result of a partnership between Bell Helicopter and Boeing Helicopters, which were awarded a development contract in 1983 to create such an aircraft for the US military, with the first flying in 1989.
A night time shot of the Osprey that arrived in Helston late on Friday. Picture: Bob Sharples/Jet Photos
However, due to complexity and difficulties of being the first of its kind for the military, it was followed by years of development and flight testing.
The United States Marine Corps began training crew for the revised MV-22 in 2000 and it was first put into the field in 2007.
The US Air Force (USAF) fielded their version of the tilt-rotor, the CV-22B, in 2009.
It is the kind of aircraft most people could usually only hope to see in demonstration at air shows – unless you are lucky to live close to a military naval base that sometimes receives 'visitors'.
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