Rockhampton planespotters were treated to a special guest on Friday, April 21, when Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-209 touched down at the beef capital from RAAF Base Amberley as 'Stallion 51'.
Although we personally sighted no removal of equipment during our time of photographing the massive cargo plane, it did however remain stationary on the tarmac for a couple of hours before departing back to Amberley.
Of interest, the C-17A was originally developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980's to the early 1990's, however, production of the Globemaster III was transferred to Boeing when the aircraft manufacture merged with McDonnell Douglas.
Maintained by No.36 Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, the Royal Australian Air Force operates eight Boeing C-17A Globemaster III strategic heavy lift aircraft. Sadly, the RAAF will not be able to acquire additional 'new' airframes as C-17A production ceased in mid-2015.
Earlier this year while attending the Australian International Air Show, we took an up-close look at sistership A41-212 while the aircraft was on public display :
