Lockheed P3 Orion - A maritime patrol icon

[F3]

Seeing pics elsewhere on this site of the venerable P3 Orion, which has been around now for 55 years set me scouring my photo collection for images of the type which looked very smart in its original USN grey & white livery as did the Canadian Aurora variant with its neat red/white cheat line.Sadly both went low vis in the late '80s losing something of their appeal. The EP3 sigint variant had huge dorsal and ventral bulges which rather spoilt its clean lines but was a most interesting (and rather secret) spyplane which was rarely on display so it was gratifying to get a sequence of pics of one which attended the 2001 Waddington show. The type has guarded our oceans for over half a century but is now being replaced by the Boeing P8 Poseidon which maybe more modern but in my opinion does not have the same character.

P3 Orion 6938 LN - Ch. Fenton '80 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P-3 Orion 160769 LJ - Ch. Fenton '81 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P3 Orion 161122 JA - IAT '81 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P3 Orion 156527 LP VP49 - Ch. Fenton '84 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

CP140 Aurora CAF - Air Fete '84 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P-3 Orion Dutch Navy - Ch.Fenton '88 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P3 Orion 47 LL - Finningley '94 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P3 Orion 30 LL - RIAT '96 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

CP 140 Aurora CAF - Waddington 2000 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P3 Orion 3299 RNoAF - Waddington '01 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

EP3 Orion - Waddington (1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

EP3 Orion - Waddington (2) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

EP3 Orion 23 - Waddington by Michael Britton, on Flickr

P3 Orion RNZAF - Waddington '06 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[Punkrunner62]

One of my all time favourite aircraft.Saw plenty at Kinloss,Maccrihanish,Lossiemouth and a few on various trips to Airshows down south.
Thanks for posting.
Cheers.

[paddyboy]

Hi Buddy

You don't need ol' Paddy to tell you how great these are

Thanks for posting

Best regards

Paddyboy

[slogen51]

Great stuff

I remember the pax river machine 161122 at IAT like it was yesterday