On 27 November two HARS aircraft, the PBY-6A Catalina and P2V-7 Neptune, were present at RAAF Edinburgh to participate in celebrations to mark the arrival of the first Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft that will replace the ageing Orion fleet. HARS was invited to participate because, with our two aircraft and the RAAF’s Orion, a formation was able to be assembled alongside the Poseidon that represented four generations of maritime patrol aircraft. This formation highlights the importance of the work done by HARS volunteers in preserving our aviation history.
The Poseidon is a purpose-built maritime patrol aircraft based on the Boeing 737-800, but structurally modified to carry a range of internal and external weapons and to allow sustained operations at low level. It replaces the Lockheed AP-3C Orion which will be phased out over the next three years. The complete fleet of Poseidon aircraft will be in place by 2020 and will be based at RAAF Edinburgh.
