There are many open source photos of MRAPs being loaded onto 747s, but helos are strangely absent.

I rather doubt it was "tens of thousands". If you could load 20 per 744, it'd be 500 flights to move 10,000. And 20 per plane might be high.

GF

There may be open source photos, but don't even think of being a crewmember taking them or distributing them.

Unless broken down, getting a helo into a 747 is a very tight squeeze. The issue is not the noseloading, but the reduced ceiling height in the front caused by the upper deck. Using the side door requires breaking them down so you can turn them.

A 747 will haul five MRAPs.


True dat. Tail boom and or mast removal.

I think SA/K4/U2/5Y are smart enough not to abuse there own aircraft like these guys

An-124 offroad - YouTube

I once got a 'Space A' ride on a C-5. The crew was nice enough to call and get a waiver to take me as they were carrying 5 fully assembled and fueled Huey H-1's ...

Atlas moved 500+ MRAPS out of CHS. Southern/Kalitta and World also moved some. With a little work on the helicopter it would fit inside a 747. I have loaded 6 helicopters inside a 747F before.

We hauled a lot in, as well as helicopters, hangars, UAV's, weapons, and a host of other things. If it's available in-theater, it has usually been flown in.

About twenty five thousand went to Iraq and Afghanistan. In the Afghan theater, most of what came in arrived by air. This was especially true when the Pakistanis closed the borders.

We had full authority to take take photos of the MRAPS when we loaded them in CHS. The Air Force had no issue with it whatsoever. The photos helped us develop training for our loadies on how to get them on the aircraft.

and now we are hauling them out.....hauled 10 out in the past week... hundreds more in the pipeline.... they are about 38k pounds each....and JB is right... 5 per 747...... 2 on an IL-76.......

more to the point.... there are probably 15 AN-124s/IL-76s total here in Dubai flying contracted flights into afghanistan....