# For VP eyes only (Just kidding)



## oldcrowcv63 (Mar 21, 2012)

check out this web site: for anyone who is interested in _*modern *_Maritime patrol aviation... as it was practiced a decade ago    

ORIONS forever!

P-3 Orion Research Group

My former VP-93 Skipper sent me the link....

For folks in the UK or Neherlands

check out an interesting story at:

P-3 Orion Research Group


----------



## A4K (Mar 23, 2012)

Love the Orion...we use P-3Ks in NZ. Thanks for posting mate!


----------



## nuuumannn (Mar 31, 2012)

Terrific big bird; I did a couple of Group Servicings on P-3s at Woodbourne. Great machine, massively overpowered. Faster than a Spitfire in level flight.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks for sharing the link sir.


----------



## A4K (Apr 1, 2012)

The kiwi birds as they looked in their sexiest scheme, the old high-vis job (plus yours truly 21 years younger....)
Photos taken by my mate Dean Crafts, rank AC at the time (1991)


----------



## oldcrowcv63 (Apr 1, 2012)

cool photos! Loved those big fans. That was the paint scheme in which I was introduced to the bird. Later, late 80s, transitioned to the haze gray scheme. with the squadron artistry muted or gone. I can't remember which. 

Photos: original paint scheme, interor of Selfridge ANGB museum P-3B: "_the tube_," low vis paint scheme and museum flight line. Squadron mates act as docents on weekends. Mt. Clemons MI, North of Detroit, is the location of Sekfridge ANGB.


----------



## Gnomey (Apr 1, 2012)

Cool site and shots. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## nuuumannn (Apr 3, 2012)

Excellent! A P-3 photo thread! Great shots of NZ4202 A4K, Woody, I suspect. Here's one of '02 a couple of years ago. Great pics Old Crow, that looks like a great display, or do US P-3s always have their crew's photos above their work stations?! 






NZ4201 getting a shower before the first P-3K2 upgrade.






Interior of '03 I think.


----------



## A4K (Apr 4, 2012)

Great shots guys! Get some more of my own up here shortly.


----------



## oldcrowcv63 (Apr 4, 2012)

nuuumannn said:


> Excellent! A P-3 photo thread! Great shots of NZ4202 A4K, Woody, I suspect. Here's one of '02 a couple of years ago. Great pics Old Crow, that looks like a great display, or do US P-3s always have their crew's photos above their work stations?!



Oh yea, and their names scrawled on the side of the fusalage! NO! Those are the unit (VP-93, Executioners) CO's. the squadron was disestablished in 1994. 

The RNZAF P-3's appear to be modified (upgraded) Bravos. I just assumed they'd be Charlies. Good photos nuuumannn. Lookin forward to seein more of yours A4K.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Apr 4, 2012)

Way cool!


----------



## pbfoot (Apr 4, 2012)

The reasons for the pictures is they need to know where to sit and the written name was confusing . What is not visible is the mirror so they can look and figure where to sit. They are navy afterall


----------



## oldcrowcv63 (Apr 4, 2012)

OK Lead Foot, At least I'm not wondering what happened to my Airforce, Navy and Army. Oh wait! They are all there you just can't tell them apart anymore!. 


From a former crew mate with VP-93

Here are some images I took during the Maritime Patrol Association Symposium at NAS JAX. They rolled the first P-8A that VP-30 received. These are just some of the many images I took but it was really great to walk around an active P-3 ramp. The building, P-3C and P-8A tours and dinners were well done.

Bob Pxxx and I took a quick trip to the Pensacola Naval Air Museum where I saw the father of all P-3's (dressed in NASA colors) and this very rare Vought P6U-1 'Pirate' which just came out of the restoration shop. I never saw a Pirate before.


----------



## nuuumannn (Apr 5, 2012)

Awesome photos Old Crow! That Pirate's a neat looking little bird.


----------



## A4K (Apr 5, 2012)

Great photos Mal!

You're right too - ours were purchased in 1966 as P-3Bs, redesignated P-3K. Not sure of the exact modifications, but the MAD booms were empty in '91 if I remember right.

Are yas intersted in pics during servicing aswell or just upon completion?


----------



## oldcrowcv63 (Apr 5, 2012)

A4K said:


> Great photos Mal!
> 
> You're right too - ours were purchased in 1966 as P-3Bs, redesignated P-3K. Not sure of the exact modifications, but the MAD booms were empty in '91 if I remember right.
> 
> Are yas intersted in pics during servicing aswell or just upon completion?



I think anything ya got would be interesting evidently to a bunch of folks.  I didn't realize P-3s were that poplular.


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Apr 5, 2012)

Just catchin up - great stuff!

I've mentioned previously I spent 6 years with VP-65 and actually worked on the P-3 production line. I also spent 5 years in Canada as a QA Rep as almost half of the later model P-3C airframe components were built in Canada.


----------



## nuuumannn (Apr 5, 2012)

Great pics there Flyboy, when I did my apprenticeship I worked on overhauling those ESUs, C-130's as well, they were full of corrosion! Old Crow, I really like that WW2 blue colour scheme.

Here's a couple of an Armada de Chile P-3 that we overhauled, before and after.











A couple of pic scans of NZ4201 in 5 Sqn anniversary colours. The six seagulls represent the number of aircraft in the fleet!











NZ4201 the morning after her repaint after a group servicing a year later. I've posted this pic before, but I like it, so I'm posting it again.


----------



## oldcrowcv63 (Apr 5, 2012)

awesome photos! FJ and nuuumannn. I wish I knew what that blue paint scheme was about. It startled me.


----------

