Firefighting Tankers and Support Aircraft

[David Loera]

[BillOz]

CDF S-2T Turbo Tracker.
1. I like how the shadow of the wing on the retardant virtually mimics the view of what the other wing would be.
2. Head-on shot

[David Loera]

[David Loera]

N900AU

[CJPalmer]

The P-3 Orion heading out to fight a fire...

P-3 Orion by airportjunkie, on Flickr
along with the P-2 Neptune.

P-2 Neptune by airportjunkie, on Flickr

[jslugman]

Very nice panning shots!

[Chris Kennedy]

I read somewhere that at least one of the companies operating Neptunes as firefighting air tankers, Neptune Aviation Services, would be replacing them with Bombardier Q200's and Q300's.

I wonder if they will go on to another career as warbirds, or if they are too worn out.

[Jay Beckman]

Interesting question.  No doubt they're well maintained but they've done some very hard flying and carried stuff that's known to get all over everything.

It would take some very deep pockets (I think) to have them torn down, thoroughly cleaned and made safely operable around the public.

The P-3s might be of interest to a foreign government perhaps but I think the Neptunes and Trackers have probably had their last hurrahs.

[cpasley]

I think they could totally make it as warbirds I mean isnt the fact that we have as many B-17's flying as we do ,due to the fact that many were once used as firebombers what I think is even more interesting is what will they replace them with ,I have seen the Canadair/Bombardier solution which is strap some bladders around the fuselage of a Dash-8 series aircraft but havent some of the most successfull tankers been ex-maritime patrol planes and if thats the case should we start seeing maybe S-3's converted or I even read the idea of converting A-10's as tankers called "Firehogs" with the ability to scoop water from lakes and such ,now that would be awesome ,the future of aerial firefighting ,747 supertankers and A-10's 

[jslugman]

A-10s would just use the muzzle blast to blow the fire out.... like Chuck Norris.   

[Chris Kennedy]

According to GlobalSecurity, Aero Union looked into using S-3's way back in 2004. Presumably nothing came of it though, since there haven't been any used.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/s-3.htm

[phantomphan1974]

According to GlobalSecurity, Aero Union looked into using S-3's way back in 2004. Presumably nothing came of it though, since there haven't been any used.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/s-3.htm

Probably too many hours on the wings, hard landings, maybe difficulty getting airframes from the Navy.....Navy seems to be a stickler about releasing/selling airframes of any sort.

[Bubak]

[jslugman]

Good grief that's pretty, where's that taken?

[Bubak]

Thank you Sir...Las Vegas... Nellis AFB.....