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Description
| Notes: Production version of YP-3C. | ||
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed | |
| Base model: | P-3 | |
| Designation: | P-3 | |
| Version: | C | |
| Nickname: | Orion | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Tri-Service | |
| Designation Period: | 1962-Present | |
| Basic role: | Patrol | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
| Length: | 116' 10" | 35.6 m | |
| Height: | 33' 8" | 10.2 m | |
| Wingspan: | 99' 8" | 30.3 m | |
| Wingarea: | 1,300.0 sq ft | 120.7 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 61,491 lb | 27,887 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 135,000 lb | 61,224 kg | |
| Max Weight: | 142,000 lb | 64,399 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | Allison T56-A-14 | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 4600 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 4,765 miles | 7,673 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 378 mph | 608 km/h | 328 kt |
| Max Speed: | 473 mph | 761 km/h | 411 kt |
| Climb: | 1,950 ft/min | 594 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 28,300 ft | 8,625 m | |
Operators (Past and Present)
| USN | VP-1 | Barbers Point | HI |
| USN | VP-4 | Barbers Point | HI |
| USN | VP-5 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-6 | Barbers Point | HI |
| USN | VP-8 | Brunswick | ME |
| USN | VP-9 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-10 | Brunswick | ME |
| USN | VP-11 | Brunswick | ME |
| USN | VP-16 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-17 | Barbers Point | HI |
| USN | VP-19 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-22 | Barbers Point | HI |
| USN | VP-23 | Brunswick | ME |
| USN | VP-24 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-26 | Brunswick | ME |
| USN | VP-30 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-31 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-40 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-43 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-44 | Brunswick | ME |
| USN | VP-45 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-46 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-47 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-49 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-50 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-56 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-62 | Jacksonville | FL |
| USN | VP-65 | Point Mugu | CA |
| USN | VP-68 | Washington | DC |
| USN | VP-91 | Moffett Field | CA |
| USN | VP-92 | South WeYmouth | MA |
| USN | VX-1 | Patuxent River | MD |
Known serial numbers
Recent comments by our visitors
| Jimmy Owens Jacksonville, FL | JIM CLAREMORE, OK
Sir I to was in VP-49 During the nine plane fly_by, I am trying to rember I think I was in the lead plane to the left. We were the Forth Plane to taxi in. I rember we had to wait out by the Hot spot until all planes have landed. Then all taxied to the ramp. I also have not been able to find any pics of that day. as a matter of fact I spent the remainder of my 20 years in Jacksonville and I can't even recall anybody talking about that, except for the ones that were involved with it. I was young back then AD2, Maybe some names will come to you BoB Foot, BoB Roberts, AD1 Cooper, AD1 Roberson, AD1 Montymayor. Vp-49 always had a trick up there sleve when returning. To this day I beleive that was the best squadro I was in, mt career was Vp-49, Vp-30 AIMD, Vp-16, AIMD, NAS SIG Catbird. ADC Jim Owens USN RET. 02/26/2008 @ 19:18 [ref: 19789] |
| Paul los angeles, CA | From 1965-68, I was a radio operator in a P3A/B flight crew with VP-6, stationed at NAS Barbers Point. We saw deployments in Adak/Shemya, Guam, Marianas, etc. with tactical flights all over: Yokohama, Atsuki, Moffett etc. Our PPC was Lt Davis -- nice guy with a sense of humor. I was not a pilot ... more like an electronics geek who signed up for naval air because I hated the thought of going to sea on a ship. (The only other alternative was the draft, and the jungles of Viet Nam.) The aircraft was a versatile, reliable workhorse. I also have great memories like: the Goony birds on Midway and betting which could land without falling on their beak; trying to convince people we were buzzed regularly by MIG 17s in the Bering Sea; getting photographs of a Russian H class etc. I was proud to serve. 10/06/2007 @ 12:48 [ref: 18123] |
| Arthur Strafuss Wayland, MA | Flying the P3-C as a flight crew member was the best thing I did in the Navy. I miss the Air Craft and the Crews. The Air Craft always got us back to base, no matter what happened. 09/06/2007 @ 12:23 [ref: 17855] |
| Gary R. Bennett Grass Valley, CA | I flew Radar & Jezebel from 1964-1968 in VP-19 crew six for 2000 hours with fond memories of detachments to Iwakuni & Sangley Pt, with short stints in Guam. Adak, & Cameron Bay. I will never forget the crewmen we lost during this time: Crew 4 dipped a wing and spun in off San Diego on a sub hop & Crew 5 went in over Minnesota on a cross country. God Bless them, we will never forget. We relieved the Coast Guard on Guam for two weeks and flew the Mariani Island chain patrol. I will never forget the sight of those WWII ships and landing craft underwater, some with their masts protruding above the surface. I will never forget rigging ships, strapped into our seats bouncing around at 300 feet over the water taking on sea spray during typhoon type weather, or watching the ice form quickly on the wings and nose cones flying through freezing rain, or the gooney bird we sucked in taking off from Guam, or the time we ground looped with a load of injured marines from Vietnam as we landed at Iwakuni, or the time we got shot at coming into Tansunuit (SP), or the time we rigged a Russian Destroyer and they locked on with radar control and we saw the covers coming off their guns as they tracked us. Our PPC decided foolishly that we would not back down. We made a second pass, over the water at about 300-400 feet and 400 knots and when we passed the ship the PPC rolled her over and the ordnanceman fired a flare from the Pyrotechnic pistol. I happened to be at the observer window and saw the flare hit the forward deck and bounce off into the sea, Russian sailers running everywhere! We did not make a third pass.... Gawd how stupid, but what fun!! The P3, a great airplane. Keep the memories alive. 10/27/2005 @ 10:53 [ref: 11583] |
| E. Farrell , PA | Did a tour with VP 49 1986 - 1990. Deployed to Bermuda and Sig. As the squadron HM, it was a thrill to be able to sit in the co-pilot's seat when we flew over the Italian Alps going into Germany. Hated to see the squadron decommed. Best time in the Navy for me. Also retired out of VP 16 in 1996. The Navy's best kept secret, ya know? 07/27/2005 @ 17:12 [ref: 10859] |
| Greg Perrine Middleburg, FL | I had the privlege of flying in P3A, B's and C's and logged over 5000 hours in the 15 years I flew in them. They are an unmatched aircraft. I trusted those aircraft with my life during numerous close calls and bad weather. They always came through. I was attached to VP-10 and VP-11 in Brunswick, Maine, NADC Warminster, P.A. and VP-5 in Jacksonville, Florida. Those were in fact...the best days of my life. The friends and memories we made will go to my grave with me. Fly P3 and get closer to God! 01/17/2005 @ 16:04 [ref: 9163] |
| JIM CLAREMORE, OK | Back in the early 80's I was assigned to VP-49. We performed a 9 plane formation fly by of hangaer 1000 to finalize our return from Sig. With all the pictures I have seen of P-3's on the net, I cannot find one of this. We used to have a blow up of it over maintenance control. Can anybody post one or contact me please. Those were best years I spent flying, and I made a career at it. 07/04/2004 @ 15:37 [ref: 7751] |
| Lee Rucker Snellville, GA | Great bird. I had the honor of flying it once with "Mr. P-3", Jay Beasely, in his latter years(he had many of them). Logged about 1500 hours in the bird. 06/19/2004 @ 22:15 [ref: 7647] |
| R. A. Fiol , FL | Add to Past and Present Users:
VQ1 Whidby Island WA VQ2 Rota, Spain Though not used for a "real" mission (as if they ever had one), EP-3E Pilots and FE's use them as proficiency "trainers" and occasional "trash haulers" so that they don't tear up the real mission birds in the bounce pattern. 10/25/2002 @ 22:03 [ref: 5953] |
| Ed Patuxent River, MD | I've been flying the P-3 since 1981 and have flown most variants of the aircraft. I'm pleased to see the mighty Orion featured on your web site. Keep up the good work and ignore ignorant comments like Jon's, below. As George informed us in his post, NAS Barbers Point on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was closed a few years ago and the patrol squadrons based there were moved to Kaneohe Bay MCAS on the other side of the island. A few years prior to that, the P-3 squadrons at Moffett Field, CA were moved to Whidbey Island, WA. Those relocations represent only the most recent of such changes that have been made through the history of Naval Aviation in response to economic, political and international conditions of the times. Only about half of the listed squadrons exist today, a result of the reduction in our military forces deemed appropriate following the downfall of the Soviet Union. Some other past and present P-3 squadrons include VXN-8, the Naval Research Laboratory Flight Detachment, and VX-20 (formerly the Naval Force Aircraft Test Squadron), all located at Patuxent River, MD. The Navy is currently evaluating concepts for an airframe to eventually replace the P-3. These concepts include, 1) a modified Boeing 737, 2) the British Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, and 3) a new Lockheed airframe based on the P-3 design. Meanwhile, the P-3 will continue to play an important role in the Navy's mission for several years to come. 07/29/2002 @ 19:48 [ref: 5393] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
