From 298sq, detached to the HeliDetHol MINUSMA.

Performing a MEDEVAC mission for seven UN-troops injured in a convoy attack.

In the middle of nowhere of the province of Uruzgan, Afghanistan, a Dutch foward operating base, Camp Hadrian in Deh Rawod was established. The base, very often under attack of Taliban had a life-line with Dutch Chinooks and armed protection of Apaches which were based at Tarin Kowt (some 35 miles from Camp Hadrian, as the crow flies). Here D-661 landed at the Camp, to pick up a rotation of Task Force Uruzgan military. They were going home!

This Chinook was delivered to the USArmy as CH-47A with serial 66-00101 and accepted on 9 Sep'66. It was converted to CH-47D with serial 85-24348 and redelivered on 27 May'86. The helicopter then served A/2-159th AVN from Apr'94 to Oct'97 and was transferred to C/159th AVN on 16 Oct'97 up to Jun'03. From 2006, the CH-47D appeared in Afghanistan where it was sadly lost in an accident on 1 Jul'10. It was reported that the accident was not related to enemy fire, no further details known. Strikingly, I pictured 348 some two years earlier at near exact the same spot! See my other photo here

Most probably assigned to 7-101st AVN

Delivered to the US Army as CH-47A 64-13126 on 21 Apr'65. Converted to CH-47D with serial 84-24165 and redelivered on 13 Aug'85. The Chinook was Class A damaged in Afghanistan on 14 Feb'02 in unknown circumstances. It was flown to Frankfurt (Germany) in mid-Mar'02, and left for probably Coleman Barracks (Germany) for damage assessment. Apparently it was repairable, so it returned to Frankfurt in Apr'02 and flown as air freight to the USA. It was converted to CH-47F and received serial 08-08053 (c/n M8053). Boeing redelivered the Foxtrot on 30 Jul'09. Here seen at the wash place of Kandahar.

Former Boeing test registration N2138T. Delivered the Australian Army Aviation, 5th Aviation Regiment/C-Squadron on 19 February 2001. Named Courage and deployed to Kandahar during Operation Enduring Freedom. The Aussie Chinook was withdrawn from use on 26 May 2016 and moved to Oakley (QLD) as a Maintenance Systems training aid.

In the dusty Afghan environment, this Dutch Chinook is leaving its deployment base Kandahar for a mission to Uruzgan. D-106 was sold to Billings Flying Services in Billings (MT) as N616BV in 2024.

Nice early morning visitor. US FMS s/n 91-00243

FMS serial 93-00668 and Boeing test registration N206F, delivered to the KLu on 29 May 1998. The heavy lift helicopters was named after problems with cable-connectors during test flights near Boeing factory at Philadelphia. Was withdrawn from use on 24 December 2021. Sold to Billings Flying Services USA as N337MT in August 2023.

Former Boeing construction number B-729, received FMS serial 74-22063 and was former RCAF 147006. This Chinook was delivered to the KLu on29 December 1995. After a long career, it was withdrawn from use on 23 April 2021. The Chinook became an instructional airframe at homebase Gilze Rijen. It is seen here in better times, at the Bergen Hohne range, awaiting permission to take off for a life firing sortie.

D-666 and this D-662 arrived from Soesterberg air base at Gilze Rijen air base from on 6 Oct'08. The arrival marked the the home base swap from the squadron to Gilze Rijen. D-662 is former 74-2206 and RCAF 147004. The Chinook was delivered to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) on 5 Apr'96. It served the KLu in combat in Ethiopia and Eritrea, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Mali. The heavy lift helicopter was withdrawn from use and stored at Woensdrecht air base on 23 August 2021. It was sold to Billings Flight Service USA as N406KT, and moved to the USA in August 2023.

A nice camo Chinook pictured nearby its homebase Icheon/G-510. The heavy-lift helicopters belongs to the 2nd Aviation Brigade/301 or 302 Aviation Battalion. Boeing flew this helicopter with test registration N74255 before it was delivered as 900840 on 30 March 1990.

Precautionary landing after a red warning light.

After many years of faithful service in the Royal Netherlands Air Force, D-663 has become part of the collection of the Dutch Military Museum in Soesterberg.