RAAF	MSN	BU NO	DEL USN	DEL RAAF

NIL	5204	152760	08NOV66	22JUN95
Served with VP46, VP30, VP93 & VP67. JUL86 Upgraded 92 Retired with 14,255 hours on the airframe. On arrival RAAF Edinburgh ex Jacksonville, Florida, the aircraft was converted to components. Cockpit section used as Project Air 5276 (AP-3C)Trainer. Fuselage used for Battle Damage Repair Training. An Orion fin/rudder is displayed outside the 92 Wing HQ at RAAF Edinburgh. Despite earlier speculation that it had come from the parted-out P-3B 152760, it has now been established that it came from P-3C A9-754. 04JUN08 This airframe was broken up for scrap at Edinburgh.

L-185B ORION P-3B LO-95*

RAAF	MSN	BU NO	DEL RAAF	LATER

A9-291	5401	155291	10JAN68	NZ4206
11MAY68 Arrived RAAF Edinburgh 30APR85 Traded in to Lockheed 30APR85 Sold to RNZAF as NZ4206 01MAY85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh for Whenuapai, NZ 03MAY85 Arrived Whenuapai, NZ Current to No 5 Sqn RNZAF as type P-3K Commencing in 2006, the RNZAF Orions will be upgraded, after which they will be known as P-3K2
A9-292	5402	155292	23JAN68	N4003G N4003X 4801 14801
11MAY68 Arrived RAAF Edinburgh 01AUG85 Traded in to Lockheed as N4003G 24JAN86 Departed RAAF Edinburgh for Burbank via Tahiti, for conversion to prototype P-3P. Flight Plan filed as N4003G. Crew: J V De Thomas (Pilot) Lyle Schaefer (Pilot) Jack Schroeder (NavCom) Shelly Bloedorn (Flight Engineer) Tommy Thompson (Radar) (Source: Jack Schroeder) 26JAN86 Arrived at Burbank. (Source: Jack Schroeder) Registered to Lockheed, Burbank as N4003X 06AUG88 Departed Palmdale, CA on delivery to the Portuguese Air Force as P-3P serial 4801. (Source: Marco Borst) 07AUG88 Arrived at Montijo AB after a 13 hour flight. (Source: Marco Borst) Re-serialled 14801 Allocated to ESQ601 at Montijo Stored at OGMA at Alverca AB as of JUN05
A9-293	5403	155293	13FEB68	N4008B N4006S 4802 14802
11MAY68 Arrived RAAF Edinburgh 01AUG85 Traded in to Lockheed as N4008B 13NOV85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh 19NOV85 Arrived Beja, Portugal OCT86 Registered to Lockheed, Burbank as N4006S 12OCT87 Delivered to Montijo AB thence to OGMA at Alverca AB for P-3P conversion Delivered to Portuguese Air Force as P-3P 4802 Re-serialled 14802 Allocated to ESQ601 at Montijo Stored at Montijo as of JUN05
A9-294	5404	155294	26FEB68	N4008R N4005X 4803 14803
07DEC83 Traded in to Lockheed as N4008R 13NOV85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh 19NOV85 Arrived Beja, Portugal OCT86 Registered to Lockheed, Burbank as N4005X 20OCT86 Delivered to Montijo AB for use as a trainer (see also A9-298) Subsequently to OGMA at Alverca AB for P-3P conversion Delivered to Portuguese Air Force as P-3P 4803 Re-serialled 14803 Current to ESQ601 at Montijo
A9-295	5405	155295	22MAR68	N4007A N4003G 4804 14804
30APR85 Traded in to Lockheed as N4007A 06DEC85 Test flown at Edinburgh by Lockheed test pilots Vic Ehlers and Stan Olsen (Source: Vic Ehlers) 10DEC85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh commanded by Lockheed test pilot Vic Ehlers 16DEC85 Arrived Beja, Portugal and stored OCT86 Registered to Lockheed, Burbank as N4003G Positioned directly to OGMA at Alverca AB for conversion to P-3P after storage at Beja for one year or more Delivered to Portuguese Air Force as P-3P serial 4804 Re-serialled 14804 Current to ESQ601 at Montijo
A9-296	5406	155296	21MAR68	Nil
11APR68 Crashed and destroyed by fire when undercarriage collapsed during acceptance trials at Moffett Field NAS. (This aircraft was replaced by msn 5286 which became A9-605)
A9-297	5407	155297	04APR68	N4003G N4008B 4805 14805
07DEC83 Traded in to Lockheed as N4003G 14OCT85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh (Source: Vic Ehlers) 21OCT85 Arrived Beja, Portugal (Source: Vic Ehlers) OCT86 Registered to Lockheed, Burbank as N4008B 12OCT87 Delivered to Montijo AB thence to OGMA at Alverca AB for P-3P conversion Delivered to Portuguese Air Force at Montijo AB as P-3P serial 4805 Re-serialled 14805 Current to ESQ601 at Montijo

L-185B ORION P-3B LO-100*

RAAF	MSN	BU NO	DEL RAAF	LATER

A9-298	5408	155298	08MAY68	N40035 N64854 4806 14806
21FEB85 Traded in to Lockheed as N40035 14OCT85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh (Source: Vic Ehlers) 21OCT85 Arrived Beja, Portugal (Source: Vic Ehlers) OCT86 Registered to Lockheed, Burbank as N64854 22OCT86 Delivered to Montijo AB for use as a trainer (see also A9-294) Subsequently to OGMA at Alverca AB for P-3P conversion Delivered to Portuguese Air Force at Montijo AB as P-3P serial 4806 Re-serialled 14806 In storage 25MAY05 Flown to the Portuguese Air Force Museum, Sintra AB for preservation. Flight commanded by Major Ropio (XO of 601 Sqn)
A9-299	5409	155299	17MAY68	N91LC N145CS
12DEC82 Traded in to Lockheed as N91LC 22JUL83 Departed RAAF Edinburgh for Burbank, CA 23JUL83 Photographed at Brisbane International as N91LC 27JUL83 Arrived at Burbank (Pilot Vic Ehlers of Lockheed) Modified as prototype AEW&C To U.S. Customs Service as N145CS
A9-300	5410	155300	29MAY68	Nil
12JUL68 Arrived RAAF Edinburgh 27JAN84 Damaged by fire at Edinburgh, SA 85 Remaining usable parts sold to Lockheed as spares for Portuguese aircraft. The wings were later fitted to msn 5501, the first production P-3C, subsequently the prototype EP-3E, after the aircraft was damaged during a post Update III functional check flight. SEP87 Fuselage to DSTO Salisbury, SA for use as avionics mockup. The fin is stored at RAAF Edinburgh having been used for Battle Damage Repair Training. 04JUN08 The fuselage was broken up for scrap at Edinburgh.

L-185B ORION P-3B LO-105

RAAF	MSN	BU NO	DEL USN	DEL RAAF	LATER

A9-605	5286	154605	31DEC68	SEP69	N40035 N96LW N146CS
SEP69 Delivered to RAAF as a replacement for A9-296 which was destroyed during acceptance trials. This aircraft was built for the USN and therefore is correctly a Block 105 aircraft. 12DEC82 Traded in to Lockheed as N40035 06DEC85 Test flown at Edinburgh by Lockheed test pilots Vic Ehlers and Stan Olsen (Source: Vic Ehlers) 10DEC85 Departed RAAF Edinburgh for Burbank under the command of Lockheed test pilot Stan Olsen (Source: Vic Ehlers) Converted to AEW&C Re-registered N96LW To U.S. Customs Service as N146CS

* A Note on P-3B Block Numbers

Block Numbers were generally issued only to aircraft built specifically for the U.S. Navy. However, RAAF document AAP 7215.001-2-1 dated 1983 states that A9-291 to A9-297 inclusive were Block 95 aircraft and A9-298 to A9-300 inclusive were Block 100 aircraft. This document also confirms all of the MSNs and Bu Nos listed in the above tables. It is understood that these Block numbers attach to the RAAF Orions as they were on the production line at the same time as Block 95 & 100 aircraft were being assembled for the USN. Lockheed and the USN discontinued the use of Block Numbers on P-3Cs after 200 because they were not sufficiently specific to represent configuration accurately enough for maintenance, so the USN went to more precise configuration listings of specific aircraft and mods. Nevertheless, Block Numbers higher than 200 were used by several customers, including the RAAF P-3Cs, and indeed there is photographic proof of their use on USN aircraft. It is believed that these Block Numbers were contrived locally for continuity purposes.

NOTES P-3B

Australian ATC records show four of the Portuguese aircraft (A9-293, 294, 297 & 298) departed Edinburgh for Cocos Island, Seychelles, Cairo and Beja. However, there is an anomaly in that the ATC records also show A9-295 going to Burbank and A9-605 going to Portugal but it was actually vice versa. A9-295 was delivered to Portugal and A9-605 went to Burbank for conversion to AEW&C configuration. Australian ATC records show N4007Z for A9-295 and not N4007A but this is almost certainly a typographical error as N4007Z was allocated to a PA-18. A9-292 went to Burbank for conversion by Lockheed to the prototype P-3P. All other P-3Bs sold to Portugal were delivered directly to Portugal for conversion to P-3P by OGMA at Alverca AB. A9-294 and A9-298 were used as trainers prior to conversion. Earlier reports that A9-295 was sighted at Burbank in October 1987 as N4007A are now believed to relate to another aircraft as N4007A was one of several Lockheed "trade plate" registrations used on multiple aircraft. Furthermore, the Lockheed pilot, Vic Ehlers, who ferried A9-295 out of Edinburgh, confirms that he flew the aeroplane to Beja, Portugal.

RAAF P-3B DISPOSALS

C/N	BuNo	RAAF	FAA#1	DEP (E)	TO	ARR	ARR (M)	FAA#2	PoAF#1	PoAF#2	REMARKS
5401	155291	A9-291	-	01MAY85	NZWP	03MAY85	-	-	-	-	Later NZ4206
5402	155292	A9-292	N4003G(#2)	24JAN86	KBUR	26JAN86	07AUG88	N4003X	4801	14801	Note 1
5403	155293	A9-293	N4008B	13NOV85	LPBJ	19NOV85	12OCT87	N4006S	4802	14802	-
5404	155294	A9-294	N4008R	13NOV85	LPBJ	19NOV85	20OCT86	N4005X	4803	14803	Note 2
5405	155295	A9-295	N4007A	10DEC85	LPBJ	16DEC85	-	N4003G(#3)	4804	14804	Note 3
5407	155297	A9-297	N4003G(#1)	14OCT85	LPBJ	21OCT85	12OCT87	N4008B	4805	14805	-
5408	155298	A9-298	N40035(#1)	14OCT85	LPBJ	21OCT85	22OCT86	N64854	4806	14806	Note 2
5409	155299	A9-299	N91LC	22JUL83	KBUR	27JUL83	-	-	-	-	AEW&C
5286	154605	A9-605	N40035(#2)	10DEC85	KBUR	?	-	N96LW	-	-	AEW&C

The above table was compiled with the assistance of
Marco Borst of the Orion Research Group,
former Lockheed pilot Vic Ehlers
and Lockheed NavCom Jack Schroeder.

NOTES
Dates shown in red are derived from the log book of Vic Ehlers who ferried A9-295, A9-297 and A9-299 out of Australia.
FAA#1	Registration allocated for ferry flight. Jack Schroeder, NavCom on the ferry flight of A9-292, confirms that the flight plan for this flight was filed under the FAA registration shown. Note that these Lockheed "trade plate" registrations were used on multiple aircraft.
FAA#2	Registration allocated for crew training and/or test flying in Portugal.
DEP (E)	Departure from RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia
KBUR	Burbank, California, USA
LPBJ	Beja, Portugal
NZWP	Whenuapai, New Zealand
ARR (M)	Arrival at Montijo Air Base, Portugal
PoAF#1	Initial Portuguese Air Force serial
PoAF#2	Revised Portuguese Air Force serial
Note 1	P-3P prototype. Delivered to PoAF ex Lockheed 07AUG88. Other P-3P conversions were performed by OGMA at Alverca AB from 1987 to 1989. Aircraft were initially stored at Beja and later ferried to OGMA at Alverca AB via Montijo AB as required for P-3P conversion. A9-295 was delivered directly from Beja to OGMA at Alverca AB.
Note 2	A9-294 & A9-298 were delivered to Montijo AB in OCT86 for training aircrew prior to P-3P conversion.
Note 3	Stored at Beja for a year or more then delivered directly to OGMA at Alverca AB for P-3P conversion.

Camera icon is linked to a photo.

Issue	Date	Remarks
7	18JUN08	Added two recent (OCT07) images of 152760 thanks to Richard Siudak.
6	06JUN08	Added a report from the ADF Serials website that BuNo 152760 and A9-300 have been broken up for scrap.
5	12MAR06	Added a reference to the later use of the wings from the fire damaged A9-300. Thanks to Dana Epping.
4	07JAN06	Attempted to further clarify the complicated matter of Block Numbers.
3	26NOV05	Commencing in 2006, the RNZAF Orions will be upgraded, after which they will be known as P-3K2. See A9-291.
2	10NOV05	Previously, A9-291 to A9-300 inclusive were shown as Block 95 aircraft. RAAF document AAP 7215.001-2-1 dated 1983 states that the last three aircraft, A9-298 to A9-300 inclusive, were Block 100 aircraft. Thanks to Marco Borst of the Orion Research Group for supplying this document.
1	11OCT05	Previously, all Orions were presented on the one page. Effective from this date, there are separate pages for each type, P-3B, TAP-3B and P-3C. If required, the previous summary of updates can be viewed here.

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