S-3 Sundown

[VetteMuscle427]

Test guys flying them?

So the rumor says. They are going to use them to clear the missile range... a job currently done by P-3s/C-130s.

 

[FLYTPAY]

So the rumor says. They are going to use them to clear the missile range... a job currently done by P-3s/C-130s.

This could potentially become the best deal ever....

 

[MasterBates]

No doubt....I suspect that maybe what it takes for the USN to get really serious about ASW....segue/threadjack...has anyone else heard that there is to be no MAD on P-8 now??

They did away with the MAD on the 60R.

It was one of my favorite/best tools for reasons I can't go into here.

 

[wink]

CAINS II, EFI's, SLAM-ER, other boxes.....it is sad to see her go. At least NASA still flies her!

SLAM-ER, how did I forget that? I'll admit I wasn't in the fleet when SLAM came around, but it sure seemed like the Hoover/SLAM combo was never used to it's full potential. Let the 3 g Viking stand off and shoot Harpoon and SLAM so there are plenty of pointy nosed jets to go feet dry. Now you have to hold back aircraft better suited for other things to shoot stand off missiles.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Playful disagreement is always fun. But in this case I don't see the disagreement. It is a fact that from S-3A to S-3B and sunset, the Viking took on Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar, a better APU, newer avionics, Harpoon, Maverick, refueling pod, and LANTIRN, just off the top of my head. Who could disagree those changes wouldn't make any aircraft more capable and by extension, better.

I'm gonna presume that this "APU" is not what I'm thinking it is......cause the bigger starter motor on my new car really didn't influence my purchase

 

[D_Rob]

I got to fly one back on CORTRAMID. Def a sweet plane, wish I could have actually flown her in the fleet. Also the only Navy plane I actually almost puked in.

 

[wink]

I'm gonna presume that this "APU" is not what I'm thinking it is......cause the bigger starter motor on my new car really didn't influence my purchase

An APU is not a "starter". Your car starter is not critical in an emergency. While a better APU didn't help the Hoover employ weapons, it made it a safer (better) aircraft.

 

[MasterBates]

What did the Hoov use it's APU for in emergencies? The Hummer ain't got an APU and in the 60B it had a generator about 2/3 the capacity of the mains, plus it was a source for bleed air for airstart.

Although, god help you in a dual engine failure below 4k, if the APU wasn't on..

 

[PropAddict]

has anyone else heard that there is to be no MAD on P-8 now??

One of the guys in the P-8 office told me that same thing when I asked if it was somehow hidden in the tailcone or something. Then he handed me some posters, zappers, and an MMA neck lanyard. I swear that plane would cost 1/2 as much if they didn't make all the promo freebies for it.

 

[HooverPilot]

There was a good showing @ the I-bar today for those of us who couldn't make it to JAX.

 

[Single Seat]

Sad to see it go. They always had lots of gas to give, burned little, brought it all back. Personally, I think in a low threat environment (Iraq), you could've loaded the thing up with JDAM and LANTIRN and it would've been a great CAS platform.

Until they asked for a show of force that is.

 

[wink]

Until they asked for a show of force that is.

What, you don't think that fat straight winged war machine sounded threatening enough? I bet we could have gotten a couple hundred insurgents to laugh to death.

 

[highside7r]

Sad to see them go. My F-14 backseat ride off the boat didn't pan out, but the S-3 ride did, great fun. Checked on Flightaware.com, NASA has them flying.

 

[MIDNJAC]

An APU is not a "starter". Your car starter is not critical in an emergency. While a better APU didn't help the Hoover employ weapons, it made it a safer (better) aircraft.

Fair enough....you know what you are talking about, I don't. It just struck me as a funny piece of equipment to talk up. I guess the original APU was REALLY bad

 

[HeyJoe]

Sundown image

090129-N-0486G-004 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 29, 2009) Cmdr. David Schaffer, executive officer of the "Checkmates" of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 22, salutes as the colors are paraded during the VS-22 deactivation ceremony. The ceremony marked the deactivation of the last S-3B Viking squadron in the Jacksonville area. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Gay/Released)

Vintage US Navy images from final years of VS-22 Operations