Two Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed P3C Orions have been presented to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook and the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) in Albion Park, NSW.
The RAAF Museum aircraft, the RAAF's first Orion A9-751, was delivered to Point Cook from 10 Squadron on 16 November. The RAAF took A9-751 on strength in 1978, and it arrived in Australia at RAAF Edinburgh in May that year.
Chief of the Air Force Air Marshal Leo Davies AO officially consigned Orion A9-753 to HARS in a ceremony at Albion Park on 3 November. A9-753 had served with 10 Squadron also, but lately is thought to have been a static training aid for 292 Squadron.
A9-753 will sit alongside the other maritime patrol aircraft housed at HARS, including the Consolidated Catalina, Lockheed Neptunes and Grumman Tracker.
The RAAF's fleet of Orions will be replaced by the Boeing P-8 Posiedon and the Northrop Grumman MQ4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system.
It is believed that a third Orion is earmarked for the South Australian Aviation Museum.
with information from adf-serials.