Dragon Models 1/400 C-17 Globemaster III, 62nd Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, McChord AFB
The C-17 Globemaster III is an enormous military aircraft built by Boeing. It is used for strategic airlift purposes, and it currently serves within the air force ranks of the USA, Australia, Canada, NATO, Qatar and the United Kingdom. A US Air Force (USAF) production contract was signed with McDonnell Douglas in 1985, but delays meant the first flight did not occur until 1991. The first C-17 squadron of the USAF was declared operational in 1995, and a total of 223 aircraft have been ordered through till 2013. Powered by four F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, the C-17 can carry up to 77.5 tonnes of cargo. This means even an M1 Abrams tank can be airlifted. Fully loaded, the transport aircraft has a maximum range of 5,200km whilst travelling at a cruise speed of 833km/h. Its engines allow it to taxi in reverse, plus it can land on unprepared runways. One USAF unit to operate the Globemaster III is the 62nd Airlift Wing (62 AW). This formation containing 7,200 personnel is based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the state of Washington. The active-duty unit is part of the Eighteenth Air Force of the Air Mobility Command. The newest Dragon Warbirds item depicts one C-17 from 62 AW. The model is accurately formed, and the unit’s markings are sharply printed on the fuselage and tail. This is an impressive miniature version of an important transport aircraft with expansive capabilities.