| Home; Aviation; Cameras; Fiction; Health&Safety; Military; MS-Apps; Non-Fiction; Submarine; Technical; Trains; Watches; Transportation |
|---|
Aircraft of Whidbey Naval Air Station
Edited by David Barth September 2015. Photos were taken by David Barth.
These pictures were taken from the Washington State Ferry dock west of Anacortes, Washington. They consist of a P3 Orion "Sub Hunter" aircraft and a Boeing C17 Transport, both apparently headed for the Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island. Looks like they are in or about to enter the flight pattern, perhaps on a left downwind leg for the runway.
Another major base for P3 Orions is in Maine, northeast of Portland.
 |
| A P3 Orion heading for a landing at Whidbey Naval Air Station. Note the flaps are partially deployed for the approach, but it is too early for the landing gear to be lowered. |
 |
| A P3 Orion heading for a landing at Whidbey Naval Air Station. Note the flaps are partially deployed for the approach, but it is too early for the landing gear to be lowered. |
The P3 Orion platform is based on the 1950s Lockheed Electra, but with turbojet engines instead of the old, complicated and high-maintenance reciprocating turbo-compound engines of the 1950s. Turbojets provide very long ranges because they are more efficient than older, high-bypass jet engines. It is believed that they can fly from the West Coast to Guam without inflight refueling or a stop in Hawaii.
The "stinger" on the tail is a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) unit that can sense submarines below the surface. Although tweaked and updated over the years, the MAD uses the same technology developed during the 1950s for location of foreign subs as well as keeping track of US nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile (FBM) and fast attack sub assets.
Upon finding a foreign sub in US waters, the Orion can drop sonobouys (buoys that send sonar "pings" into the water to find the sub). The sonobouys then send the location data up to the orbiting Orion which can then direct surface or undersea assets to intercept. Alternatively, the P3 carries depth charges that can be dropped, if necessary, to eliminate a potential threat (think enemy FBM during a war that could launch a strike on the US or an enemy fast attack that could threaten surface convoys or US subs).
The old Orion platform has a new replacement in the jet-powered P8, but the old guys are still flying because the need for coverage exceeds the number of replacements available.
C17 Globemaster transport aircraft are not based on Whidbey Island, so this one is probably carrying parts or supplies to the Air Station. Although smaller than the C5 Galaxy, the C17 is America's newest, large jet transport, as of 2015, and has proven to be very capable. In fact, on the ground, it was designed to employ reverse thrust to back up, reducing the need for ground carts to position it.
 |
| C17 Globemaster transport heading for a landing at Whidbey Naval Air Station. It is too early for the landing gear to be lowered. |
 |
| C17 Globemaster transport heading for a landing at Whidbey Naval Air Station. It is too early for the landing gear to be lowered. Here the C17 is turning left toward the airport. |