Lockheed P-3A Orion

by Tom Hildreth

An adaptation of the L.188 Electra truboprop airliner, Lockheed designed the P3V-1 patrol aircraft as a successor to the Lockheed P2V Neptune. The first production P3V-1 flew fifty years ago, on 15 April 1961. The first production batch of P3V-1s consisted of seven aircraft; 148883-148889. It is not known by this writer which of these aircraft was the first to fly.

Click the photo below for large version


"Lima Mike One" is from the third
production batch of Orions,
and is seen in this view at
NAS Quonset Pt., RI on 24 July 1965
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