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Aerial tankers have been fighting the Day Fire for many days. On Monday, September 25, the tanker action was concentrated over Santa Paula Canyon, just a few miles from Ojai. Lockheed P-3 Orions from the Santa Barbara Air Attack Station shared the sky with Lockheed P-2 Neptunes from the Fox Field Air Attack Station. Bell 205 and 212 Hueys paraded back and forth above the Santa Paula River.
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-25 Orion, N920AU Tanker 20 crosses paths with a Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune.
Tanker 20 dives behind the ridge that separates Echo Falls Canyon from Santa Paula Canyon. It was delivered to the U.S. Navy as BuNo 150513 in April 1963. Its Lockheed construction number is 185-5039. After transfer to the Spanish Air Force, it served as an instructional airframe at Texas State Technical College.
Smoke rises from Santa Paula Canyon.
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P-2 Neptune tanker 05 makes a pass over the canyon before going in for its retardant drop.=.
Bell 212, N911KW is operated by Rogers Helicopters of Fresno, California.
Bell 205A-1, N58HJ tanker H-534
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune tanker 05 passes over a smoking patch on Topatopa Bluff.
Bell 205A-1, N16HX.
The crew of this Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune observes the air attack lead plane demonstrate the path to fly on its retardant drop.
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune follows the air attack lead plane on its run over the fire.
Bell 205A-1, N16HX.
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune follows the air attack lead plane out of the smoke filled canyon.
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-45 Orion, N921AU Tanker 21 passes over Bell 205A-1, N58HJ. Tanker 21 was delivered to the U.S. Navy as BuNo 151385 in September 1964. Its Lockheed construction number is 185-6098.
Bell 205A-1, N58HJ.
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune, N1386C Tanker 44 passes over Bell 205A-1, N58HJU. Tanker 44 was delivered to the U.S. Navy as BuNo 128422 in 1951. Its construction number is 426-5268.
Tanker 44
A hot spot begins to develop on Topatopa Bluff.
Tanker 21 flies past the hot spot.
Tanker 21
Bell 205A-1, N58HJ.
Bell 205A-1, N16HX.
Bell 205A-1, N28HJ.
The ground crew clears an overgrown firebreak.
Bulldozers open up the firebreak.
Tanker 20 races its shadow along the ridgeline.
Tanker 20 dives into Santa Paula Canyon.
Bell 212, N911KW.
Tanker 20
Neptune Aviation Lockheed SP-2H Neptune, N4235T Tanker 09 dives into the canyon. It was delivered to the U.S. Navy as P2V-7S BuNo 150282. Its construction number is 726-7285.
Tanker 09 climbs back out of the canyon.
Tanker 09
Tanker 09
Tanker 44
Tanker 25 and Tanker 44
Tanker 44
Tanker 25
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune, N96264 Tanker 12 was delivered to the U.S. Navy as BuNo 128346. Its construction number is 426-5192.
Tanker 25
Tanker 25
Tanker 25
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune Tanker 11
Tanker 12
Bell 205A-1, N28HJ flies under the air attack lead plane.
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune Tanker 45
You can buy a 2008 Calendar featuring my photographs of aerial tankers in flight and fighting fires.
A dozen photos of aerial tankers:
Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress N17W Tanker 04, Santa Barbara, September 12, 1979
Douglas DC-7C N5903 Tanker 35, Santa Barbara, November 28, 1980
Douglas C-54E Cargomaster N460WA Tanker 151, Santa Ynez Valley, July 30, 1990
Air Force Reserve Lockheed C-130E Hercules 62-1081, Reno Stead, September 15, 1991
California Air National Guard C-130E Tanker 6, NAWS Pt. Mugu, April 25, 1998
Douglas C-54E Cargomaster N8502G Tanker 65, Santa Barbara Airport, May 5, 2004
Evergreen S-64E Skycrane N6979R Tanker 707, Santa Ynez Valley, May 7, 2004
Siller Brothers Sikosky S-61N N15456, Santa Ynez Valley, May 7, 2004
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-10 10 Tanker Air Carrier Tanker 910, Goleta, November 4, 2005
Evergreen International Boeing 747 Supertanker, San Bernardino, May 31, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara Airport, June 19, 2006
Lockheed P2V-5 N1386C Tanker 44, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Put a copy of the Aerial Tankers: 2008 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $16.95.
Aerial tankers
The P-3 Orion Research Group, based in the Netherlands, has a P-3A Orion Aircraft Location Report.
The National Interagency Fire Center.
The National Incident Information Center.
The SSD Fire Detection Program.
Wildlandfire.com's Air Tankers Photo page..
Send a message to Brian.