07/11/2013: Lance Cpl. Robert Boettger, an airframe mechanic with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a Houston native, covers an engine exhaust panel of an MV-22B Osprey aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9.

Marines protect the panels and windows as preventive maintenance to keeps dust, debris and animals from entering into the engines.

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Credit: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing: 7/9/13

• In the second photo, Cpl. Mark Haycroft, an MV-22B Osprey mechanic with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a Highland, Ark., native, guides an aircraft to its parking spot aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9.This aircraft is just one of 12 to be shipped to Okinawa, Japan for a new squadron.
• In the third photo, Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, tape pressed paper over the windows of an MV-22B Osprey aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9.Maintainers spend 30 to 45 minutes preparing each individual aircraft for shipping to Okinawa, Japan.
• In the fourth photo, Lance Cpl. Jeremy Corder, an airframe mechanic with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a Middletown, Va., native, puts pressed paper over a window during shipping preparations aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9. Covering the windows keeps the glass from getting scratched, and allows for a clearer view of surroundings for crew chiefs once the aircraft is used again
• In the fifth photo, Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, inspect an MV-22B Osprey before beginning preparations to ship it overseas aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9. VMM-363 trained pilots, crews and maintainers to help build up VMM-262.
• In the sixth photo, the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, symbol decorates the tail of an MV-22B Osprey going through preparations to be shipped to Okinawa, Japan aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9.Once the aircraft arrive, they will make up the assets of VMM-262, the newest Osprey squadron in the Marine Corps to date.
• In the seventh photo, the blades of an MV-22B Osprey begin to spin as Marines perform pre-flight checks aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., July 9. This aircraft and eight more like it flew to Naval Air Station North Island to prepare for a sea journey to Okinawa, Japan.
• In the final photo, a Marine with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 Red Lions, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, tows an MV-22B Osprey to its spot aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., July 9.Once all 12 aircraft are fully prepared, they will be towed to the ship that will carry them to their final destination in Okinawa, Japan, July 15.

 Because of the way the wings fold, it is possible to use the same deck space, which earlier would have held 3 CH-46s, can now hold 5 MV-22s.