Here is a video shot from the cockpit of a P-3 Orion as it makes a drop on the Monument fire in southern Arizona. This is how “Towpilot2003” described it on YouTube:
P-3 on the monument fire Tuesday June 14 when it crossed the highway. We stopped this portion of the fire using only aircraft as the ground troops couldn’t keep up with it’s incredible pace.
Looking at the map at the Monument fire link above, I’m thinking they were dropping east of Highway 92 and south of E. Hereford Road.
Be sure and click on Full Screen — you’ll feel like you’re in the aircraft. The camera is very shaky, but the video is impressive, nonetheless:
I can’t imagine what it’s like flying through smoke like that.
Below is what the OUTSIDE of a P-3 looks like.
Thanks Ken
It ain’t the smoke that’s a trouble; it’s the ground!
Right. Low visibility while in the smoke, possibly leading to an issue with the ground.
My heroes. We had 5 P-2’s fly over the house almost all day yesterday, dropping on the Wallow Fire. The winds finally settle down and hopefully they made good progress on the fire.