P-3 Air Tankers one step closer to fighting fires again

[Larry Kraus]

These airplanes were very valuable as fire fighting air tankers in the past. Hopefully, they will once again prove their worth. A state Call When Needed contract isn’t ideal, but it’s a start.

http://fireaviation.com/2018/08/24/colo ... r-tankers/

[exhaustgases]

Naaaaa need the good old Piston fire planes back. Wasn't it the turbo prop that had the wings break off that Hawkins and powers flew, that started all the grounding of the good old planes? I can't stand turbines.

[Lon Moer]

These airplanes were very valuable as fire fighting air tankers in the past. Hopefully, they will once again prove their worth. A state Call When Needed contract isn’t ideal, but it’s a start.

http://fireaviation.com/2018/08/24/colo ... r-tankers/

Glad to see you posting!!
Presume you have been very busy these last couple months.

[JohnB]

exhaustgasses...
The two well publicized "old airplane" crashes from the early 2000s that doomed the old stuff were the PB4Y and a C-130.
So one piston, one turbo-prop.

Yes, it's sad to see some of the old stuff go away, but I doubt if many of the fire pilots (or their spouses) feel like you do.
This summer we've had several fires around here and it's hard to argue against the efficiency of safety of a DC-10, Avro RJ, or Fireboss (a AG plane in amphibs that scoops water...they replaced the long time local PBY).

Besides, if you look at history, firefighting cost a B-17 every few years.
If they were still in use, the population would be quite a bit lower.

Last edited by JohnB on Tue Aug 28, 2018 7:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Larry Kraus]

For what it’s worth, here’s a follow up to the previous posting on Fire Aviation with new pictures of the P-3s.

https://fireaviation.com/2018/08/27/pho ... mcclellan/

[Speedy]

Naaaaa need the good old Piston fire planes back. Wasn't it the turbo prop that had the wings break off that Hawkins and powers flew, that started all the grounding of the good old planes? I can't stand turbines.

Wow. I didn't know you could stuff so much 'wrong' into less than 40 words.

[JohnB]

Wow. I didn't know you could stuff so much 'wrong' into less than 40 words.

[Cubs2jets]

Nevermind...

C2j

[Dan Jones]

Back in the old days of TBM's, B-17's, C-54's, and F7F's etc, firebombing certainly had more color and definitely sounded better, but I imagine the P-3 is just about the perfect firebomber. I flew an Electra tanker on contract this year for the first time and just loved it. I expect the P-3 would be just about the ultimate "normal sized" tanker.

[Neal Nurmi]

I've been meaning to mention that up here in Canuckia L-188 Electras are pretty widely used. There's one sitting down at the local airport as we speak ( I've been on evacuation alert for almost two weeks now because we have one of the 500 fires burning in the province right up the road about 12 miles from my house).. I've talked a bit with the pilot -- he loves the airplane and is quite grateful ro be working fires in a "real airplane" rather than those turbine thrush things...