Theis just one tough old air blender. These aircraft just keep at it decade after decade, hunting submarines and patrolling the world’s sea lanes. Case in point, this spectacular image showing three of these old birds belonging to VP-4 ‘Skinny Dragons’ being readied for their next sorties out of Marine Corps Air Station Keneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Although their replacement is operational, the , it will be many years until the a Navy P-3 graces the sky for the final time, and that will truly be a sad day for Naval Aviation. Say what you want about these smokey old birds, but they sure have soul.

The Navy is settling into its new maritime patrol aircraft and increased deployments abroad are…

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber Porter/Released

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