Farewell to the RNZAF P3K2
55 or so years of service. A good run. Imagine we will see P-3's with other forces for some years to come. Some of the airframes have been extensively refurbished, some not so much, but by operators that tend to run MPA for years after primary operators that have since moved on.
And Canada with a huge 3 Ocean coastline doesn’t even have a plan to replace the RCAF P3’s 
And how long did Canada run the Argus?
They had to beg refineries to do special batches of 115/145.
They had to beg refineries to do special batches of 115/145.
Flew once with 5 Squadron on a sunny morning a lifetime ago.
Vivid memories of standing on the flight-deck and holding onto the frame of the co-pilot's seat, looking over his shoulder as we pulled hard Gs in turns low over the Waitemata - much more so than I ever would have thought possible in a P-3; what an aircraft.
And how they slammed the aircraft down on that bumpy Whenuapai runway - then full beta pitch to stop (?).
It was a hell of a ride.
Farewell P-3K.
Vivid memories of standing on the flight-deck and holding onto the frame of the co-pilot's seat, looking over his shoulder as we pulled hard Gs in turns low over the Waitemata - much more so than I ever would have thought possible in a P-3; what an aircraft.
And how they slammed the aircraft down on that bumpy Whenuapai runway - then full beta pitch to stop (?).
It was a hell of a ride.
Farewell P-3K.
What will happen to them?
Will they be scrapped or do they have some life left in them & can they be sold on?
Buffalo Joe might want some if the tail can be put back to standard & the price is right!
Will they be scrapped or do they have some life left in them & can they be sold on?
Buffalo Joe might want some if the tail can be put back to standard & the price is right!
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Caveat I'm not totally sure of the base airframe, there's a bunch that seem to have been converted to firefighting air tankers here in Canada.
According to Radio NZ (a usually factually accurate organisation) this morning, the P-3K2s are going out of service five months earlier than scheduled because the RNZAF has run out of aircrew. 
Apparently enough flight deck and/or Tacrail crew have quit that it's no longer viable to maintain the P-3K2s in an operational state, and because they were going out of service (in Q3?) soon, it's not worth training replacements.
Somewhat astonishing
Apparently enough flight deck and/or Tacrail crew have quit that it's no longer viable to maintain the P-3K2s in an operational state, and because they were going out of service (in Q3?) soon, it's not worth training replacements.
Somewhat astonishing
According to Radio NZ (a usually factually accurate organisation) this morning, the P-3K2s are going out of service five months earlier than scheduled because the RNZAF has run out of aircrew.
Apparently enough flight deck and/or Tacrail crew have quit that it's no longer viable to maintain the P-3K2s in an operational state, and because they were going out of service (in Q3?) soon, it's not worth training replacements.
Somewhat astonishing
Apparently enough flight deck and/or Tacrail crew have quit that it's no longer viable to maintain the P-3K2s in an operational state, and because they were going out of service (in Q3?) soon, it's not worth training replacements.
Somewhat astonishing
Radio New Zealand Story
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news...craft-project/
Last time I saw CP-140 was back in August lifting off from Mildenhall for the Little Gransden Air Show display
cheers
OK Boomer!
Kiwi humour:
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