Also: A DC-10 and Coulson’s most recently converted C-130
Continue readingPhotos of P-3 Orion air tankers at McClellan
Colorado signs CWN contract for P-3 air tankers
Airstrike Firefighters has made Tanker 23 fire-ready and plans to do the same for six more P-3’s
Continue readingAircraft at McClellan, March 26
Above: Air Attack 140, an OV-10 Bronco, at MCC March 26, 2018. Photo by Sergio Maraschin.
Sergio Maraschin, always on the alert for firefighting aircraft, took these photos March 26 at Sacramento McClellan Airport.
Air Tanker 85, an S-2T, at MCC, March 26, 2018. Photo by Sergio Maraschin.
Air Tanker 23 being worked on outside the AirStrike hangar at MCC, March 26, 2018. Photo by Sergio Maraschin.Visiting Airstrike’s facility at McClellan
They expect the P3 Orion to be finished around the first part of April.
Continue readingInterview with Mikey McBryan of Buffalo Airways
The company has 11 DC-3’s
Continue readingAt least one P-3 air tanker expected to be fire-ready this Spring
The P-3’s formerly operated by Aero Union are slowly being brought back to life.
Continue readingA P3 Orion air tanker is being resurrected
It may be airworthy again by the end of this year.
Continue readingA former Aero Union P3 to be resurrected
A new company expects to have it airworthy again by the end of this year.
Continue readingP3 air tanker makes a pass over McClellan Air Field
It has been years since most people have seen a P3 air tanker, on the ground OR in the air. Today one of the P3s that has been stored at McClellan Air Field for several years made a demonstration pass over the airport as part of the Aerial Firefighting conference. Check out the video below.
MAFFS LLC owns the six remaining P3’s that were formerly operated by Aero Union. Two years ago at the Aerial Firefighting Conference at McClellan I took a photo of Ronald Guy of United Aeronautical shaking hands with Joe McBryan of Buffalo Airways shortly after Mr. McBryan purchased Tanker 22. Yesterday Mr. McBryan told me that I might get a chance to take another similar photo. He is negotiating with MAFFS LLC, the company now marketing the P3s, to buy more — perhaps more than one, Mr. McBryan said.
The P3 they purchased in 2014 is currently being worked on in Florida. Buffalo Airways expects it to live on an as air tanker.
Patent application for MAFFS 2 in 2004
In conducting research for work being done to develop an internal tank for a Chinook helicopter we ran across the patent for the portable, roll-on/roll-off retardant dispensing system that became known as the second generation Modular Airborne FireFighting System, or MAFFS 2.
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