Retirement

J_J · Apr 4, 2011

Eyes of the fleet.

Phase out the old and bring in the new. This is for all the Navy P3 ORION flyers. I flew as an aircrew member for about 14 years, and P2V for the other 6 years. They started flying the P3 around OCT 1962.

The P-8A Poseidon will be the new antisubmarine aircraft for the next 20 or more years.

http://www.news4jax.com/slideshow/27426974/detail.html?taf=jax

BandRRanch · Apr 4, 2011

J J, I'll have to have my brother get on here. He is retired Navy and I'm pretty sure flew as a crew member in the Orion's. Based in Hawaii for about 7 years or so.

RoyJackson · Apr 4, 2011

Boy, that bird has been around for a long, long time! They had been flying for quite a while when I was in the Navy (69-78).

mjarrels · Apr 10, 2011

Chief, I was always a tail hook guy but did know some P-3 guys who traveled world wide while drawing full PERDIM.

mark, Chief, USN Ret.

CBW1999 · Apr 16, 2011

Have a friend who is on a crew- I think flying out of Bangor ME., although I could be wrong.

The p-3 is pretty cool to watch- we see them every so often flying into/around BTV.

J_J · Apr 24, 2011

Here in Jacksonville, Fl, they are flying around here, just about every day. I can recognize the P-3 just by the sound from the turboprop engines. I flew in the P2V until around 1968, and then, my squadron switched over to the P-3C, and I flew in them until 1981 when I retired. I was a crew member /instructor during my flying years, which amounted to most of my Navy career.

crash325 · Apr 24, 2011

Went in in 1957, after school went to VP-46 On North Island in San Diego. Spent a lot of hours in the P5M-1. Long story, at least two times we flew up and down the west coast carrying an "A Bomb". Had we actually dropped that sucker we'd have blown our selves out of the sky. Could not get high or fast enough to have gotten away.

Was in a RAG outfit the last 2 years, VP-52. Ground pounder with flight skins. Got most of my air time in P2V's. Got out in 1962 after 5 years, 3 months and 3 days.

VP-46 Got the P-3 shortly after I went to the RAG outfit. 1961 I think.

mjarrels · Apr 25, 2011

Spent many years at NAS Cubi Point, always had VP Dets there plus always had VQ-1 Det Cubi there flying A-3 (all 3 dead) when they crash plus EP-3's. More than one P-3's lost off the runway at Cubi Point. During my 18 month tour with VC-5 before moving next door to AIMD Cubi, we lost two A-4 aircraft, killed one and mangled two pilots. Lack of PCS funds left me at Cubi for about four years. Still go back every few years, not a single bar left in Olongapo City anymore.

mark