Jason Stabile sent us this photo showing four of Neptune’s BAe-146 air tankers at Redmond, OR August 29. There is a chance some of them could be busy during the next few days since lightning occurred in southern Oregon and northern California yesterday.
In the photos are tankers 01, 10, 12, and 40. They are all on Call When Needed contracts, except 01 which is on an exclusive use contract.
Thanks Jason!
Seven of the air tankers will be on permanent public display
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While in Missoula this week I got a couple of photos of Tanker 10, the retired P2V that is now the “gate guard” at the airport.
When it was placed in that position in June of 2017, Kevin Condit, Neptune’s Marketing Manager said, “Neptune and the Missoula aviation community have a very long history, and with the Smokejumpers and the Forest Service in Missoula, they asked Neptune Aviation if Tanker 10 could be the gate guard.”
All of the P2V air tankers with their two 18-cylinder radial engines and two small jet engines are now retired, and most will find homes in museums.
Another five are at Missoula, MT and Alamagordo, NM
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Neptune’s Tanker 10 set up at it’s new home at the entrance of Missoula Airport. Neptune photo.
Today Neptune Aviation moved their retired Tanker 10, a P2V, to a place of honor at the Missoula International Airport.
“Tanker 10 is a firefighting tanker that we retired,” Neptune spokesperson Kevin Condit said. “It will now be the gate guard at the Missoula International Airport. Neptune and the Missoula aviation community have a very long history, and with the Smokejumpers and the Forest Service in Missoula, they asked Neptune Aviation if Tanker 10 could be the gate guard.”
Neptune’s Tanker 10 in the process of being moved to the entrance of Missoula Airport. Neptune photo.The retiree was towed by a tug today from Neptune’s ramp to a spot at the airport entrance.
The staff at Neptune has been preparing the aircraft for several months, refurbishing it, removing the reusable avionics, giving it a new paint job, and making it animal and wind resistant.
It was built in 1957 and served in the U.S. Navy with other P2V’s as a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. The P2V’s were eventually replaced by the Lockheed P-3 Orion.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Steve.
Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Tanker 10. Neptune Aviation photo.Neptune Aviation’s P2V air tanker 10 has been retired for several years but will live on as a permanent static display at the Missoula Airport. The company is refurbishing the aircraft, removing the reusable avionics, giving it a new paint job, and making it animal and wind resistant before it is installed on a platform to be built at the entrance to the airport.
The number on the aircraft, Tanker 10, has a storied history, having been used on a B-17, the P2V, and is currently on the tail of a recently converted BAe-146.
T-10 at Medford, Oregon. Photo by Tim Crippin July 31, 2016.
The progression of the three air tankers through the retardant loading and refueling procedures was “like a ballet on the tarmac”.
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Tim Crippin took these photos on July 31 of air tankers at Medford, Oregon. Thanks Tim!
Josh Annas took these photos of air tankers that were working out of Union County Airport in La Grande, Oregon (map) between July 20 and 24. The aircraft were working the Blue Creek Fire in the southwest corner of Washington.
Aaron tells us that on July 23, 13,000 gallons of Jet A fuel was used.
An air tanker operated by a United States firm was dispatched to Canada on Sunday. Today Neptune Aviation’s Tanker 02, a BAe-146, is in Grand Praire, Alberta (map).
Jennifer Jones, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, said there are no plans to send any additional air tankers to Canada at this time.
Tanker 02 does not have an exclusive use contract with the U.S. Forest Service, but received one of the 22 recently awarded Call When Needed contracts.
It is not common to send U.S. air tankers north across the border. But in recent years CV-580 air tankers have spent quite a bit of time in the United States after making the trip south.