VMM-268 Red Dragons MV-22 Model

VMM-268 Red Dragons MV-22 Model Fly with the Red Dragons of VMM-268 in this hand crafted model. Each piece is carved from wood and hand painted to provide a piece you'll love. Length – 14 inches Made from Mahogany US Veteran-Owned Business Early years Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 268 (HML-268) was activated on September 15, 1972 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. HML-268 was deactivated on September 30, 1977. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (HMM-268) was activated on March 1, 1979 at Marine Corps Air Station Tustin, California. The squadron was designated for medium lift and equipped with CH-46 helicopters. The squadron returned to MCAS Tustin on August 31, 1980. A high tempo of operations was maintained through the 10,000-accident free flight hour milestone, which the squadron attained on September 18, 1981. Additionally, during this period, the Red Dragons were the recipients of the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award for 1981. Upon returning to the United States, the squadron was officially designated as the 3rd MAW's "Night Assault Squadron". Within 90 days of designation, the "Night Raiders" of HMM-268 implemented an aggressive Night Vision Goggle (NVG) program. During February 1984 the squadron surpassed the 10,000-hour mishap-free flight hour mark. Between May 1989 and November 1990 the Red Dragons participated in numerous exercises including MAGTF 89-3 deployed aboard the USS Ogden, in support of the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup. During this period, HMM-268 passed the 20,000 mishap-free flight hour milestone. In April 2014 HMM-268 stood down and stood up again on the same day as VMM-268. All the squadron's CH-46E aircraft have been replaced with MV-22 "Ospreys." The Gulf War On December 1, 1990, while assigned as the Aviation Combat Element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (11th MEU), HMM-268 responded to the Persian Gulf Crisis. Embarked on the USS New Orleans and deployed with MAG-50, 5th MEB (SOC), the Red Dragons supported Operation Desert Shield. En route to the Persian Gulf, the Red Dragons completed, for the first time ever, the NVG shipboard carrier qualification syllabus. The Dragons also pioneered and flew the first Low Light Level NVG carrier qualifications. On February 14, 1991, the squadron celebrated its 5-year Class A mishap-free milestone. A CH-46E from HMM-268 on the tarmac at Al Taqaddum, Iraq on August 31, 2006. During Operation Desert Storm, HMM-268 moved ashore and provided combat assault support to 5th MEB, including the "G-Day" tactical insertion of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines along the Saudi Arabian/Kuwaiti border. The squadron flew over 450 hours in a seven-day period. After conclusion of the conflict, the squadron supported I MEF from Tanajib, Saudi Arabia. In April 1991, the squadron re-embarked aboard the USS New Orleans, as the ACE for the 11th MEU (SOC) and continued its Southwest Asia deployment. The MEU supported National Command Authority objectives in the Persian Gulf, until returning to the United States in August 1991. The 1990s In September 1993, the Red Dragons again deployed to the Western Pacific and were directed to Somalia to support Operation Restore Hope II, in Mogadishu. HMM-268 supported numerous VIP visits, MEU (SOC) and United Nations humanitarian missions. The Squadron returned to California in March 1994, and in July was designated the Marine Corps Aviation Association's Marine Helicopter Squadron of the year for 1994. In February 1998, as the ACE for the 11th MEU (SOC), HMM-268 (REIN) was tasked to deploy ahead of schedule in response to Iraq's disregard of United Nations decree. The squadron took part in Operation Southern Watch and Operation Safe Departure, in which over 170 American citizens were evacuated from war torn Eritrea. During this deployment, HMM-268 received its fourth consecutive Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. The squadron returned from this deployment on 6 August 1998. The Red Dragons moved from Marine C