ALENIA Spartan (C-27J) (08-7014)

Here is another photo from my picture files from years ago .... and this is another one that I definitely want in my FA folder ... because it is quite rare. It is a photo of an Alenia (Alenia Aeronautica/Alenia Aermacchi) C-27J "Spartan" (c/n 4051, USAF 08-27014). But the factor that makes this pic "rare" is not that it is a picture of a Spartan -- there are lots of photos of Spartans. This snap is rare because of the markings on it: 179th Airlift Wing, Ohio Air Guard (Mansfield tail flash). This pic was taken in 2012 when 08-7014 was being flown by the 179th AW's 164th Airlift Squadron. This aircraft was less than four years old; yet just 14 months later (in Aug, 2013), this one was sent to the AMARG boneyard at Davis Monthan (along with all other brand new C-27Js, including several that were delivered STRAIGHT FROM THE ASSEMBLY LINE DIRECTLY TO THE BONEYARD!). Millions of US $$$$ in brand new military aircraft went straight from Alenia's plant to the graveyard. So this photo is rare because there are almost no pics of it wearing these Ohio Air Guard markings. However, the US Coast Guard came to the rescue and saved all those discarded Spartans at AMARG from extinction. Today, this same C-27J now flies with United States Coast Guard paint and is assigned USCG reg #2705.