VP-9 History
Circa 1979
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History and Change-Of-Command - Page 28 and 30 - Naval Aviation News - December 1979..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1979/dec79.pdf [10OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History - Awards - Change-Of-Command - Page 24 and 27 - Naval Aviation News - June 1979..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1979/jun79.pdf [10OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History - Awards - Page 3, 23, 26 to 27 - Naval Aviation News - May 1979..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1979/may79.pdf [10OCT2004]
Circa 1978
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Awards and Rescues - Page 26 - Naval Aviation News - August 1978..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1978/aug78.pdf [09OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History - Awards - Page 4, 5 and 31 - Naval Aviation News - July 1978..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1978/jul78.pdf [09OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History and Change-Of-Command - Page 22 and 25 - Naval Aviation News - June 1978..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1978/jun78.pdf [09OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History and Change-Of-Command - Page 3, 15 and 16 - Naval Aviation News - February 1978..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1978/feb78.pdf [09OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...I was on NAS Adak, Alaska when we lost PD-4 in the North Sea. Readers Digest wrote up a story called "We are Ditching Ditching Ditching This is Not a Drill". I wish that article was scanned onto this web page. I have been looking for a copy for 17 years. It is an amazing story of North Sea survival and heroism between the crew of PD 4 and the Soviet Navy during the height of the Cold War..." Contributed by Todd Broome broome@cisco.com "Todd researched Readers Digest and found the article...Readers' Digest article..."
Circa 1977
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History And Change-Of-Command - Page 23 - Naval Aviation News - June 1977..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1977/jun77.pdf [08OCT2004]
Circa 1976
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Martin PM - Page 20 to 21 - Naval Aviation News - November 1976..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1976/nov76.pdf [07OCT2004]
Circa 1974
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...It's the real thing!..." Contributed by John Moll ABH3 jl172@sbcglobal.net [E-Mail Updated 19NOV2000 | 23JAN98]
Airman Apprentice John R. Moll displays a model of the P-3 "Orion" anti-submarine patrol aircraft that took him more than four months and over $200 to build. Moll, a member of Patrol Squadron Nine, has been stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan, for the past six months. Familiarity with the P-3 comes from working with the aircraft almost daily.
VP-9's Newest Pilot Builds Own P-3 By Sgt. J. E. Huffman
As the P-3 "Orion" antisubmarine patrol aircraft banked and made its final approach into Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan, it was not tracked on any radar screen at Air Traffic Control or even noticed by any of the men on the flight line.
Impossible? Not at all, for the pilot of the aircraft carries his bird tucked under his arm to and from the runway.
The scale-model version of the P-3 "Orion: designed, built and flown by Airman Apprentice John R. Moll, is so exact in detail that a photograph of the model could easily be passed off for official file purposes as the real thing.
Moll's familiarity with the P-3 comes from his work with Patrol Squadron Nine, where he tows the planes to and from the flight line as a Tractor Drive.
The model has a 50-inch wing span and is 60 inches in length. It uses a mixture of castor oil and nitro methane for fuel and has a top speed of more than 155 miles per hour.
It took more than four months of off-duty time and $200 to build. Most of the parts used can be purchased locally, except for the control system, which was ordered from the states.
"The hardest part of the aircraft," said Moll, "was connecting the linkages throughout the wing span."
Moll duplicated all the features and characteristics of the P-3 to the extend that the model will fly with two engines feathered (stopped).
"The only difference in my model and the P-3 "Orion" is that my model doesn't have working aileron flaps or retractable landing gear," said Moll. The P-3 model operates by throttle control and elevation action lines. Moll's interest in model aircraft began some six years ago, when he and a friend entered models in many small aircraft races. When asked if he planned to enter the P-3 in any races, he replied, "No, it's too big and slow."
When Moll is released from active duty, he plans to devote most of his time to the building and racing of model aircraft. He hopes to be able to enter the National Model Aircraft Championship…
... "...The article is the same as it appeared in the Pacific Stars and Stripes in June of 1973. I must correct a few of the mistakes that the reporter Sgt. Huffman made in the article. When he was interviewing me, he was getting some background on me concerning my flying of model airplanes. In the early 70's I was into racing airplanes that went in the neighborhood of around 145-155 M.P.H. So when you read the article he stated wrong. The plane only goes about maybe between 45 and 55M.P.H. As you can also see I sent you a picture as it appeared in the April 1974 Model Airplane News Magazine. How it got in there I have no idea.....The photographs are of my plane and me. The one picture is of my C.O. Commander Ronald F. Marryott and me. This picture was taken just after the planes maiden flight, boy was I skinny then. The second is of my flight crew and me starting the engines for the first flight. The two flight crew are (kneeling) AME2 Steve Follett and (standing and bending over) ADJ2 Carl Jennings. They can be found in the 1973 cruise book. Steve Follett was in crew 8 and Cart Jennings was in crew 7.(back of book).the plane did take about four and half months to make. The plane was purchased at the base hobby shop at M.C.A.S. lwakuni, Japan. The kit started out as a D.C.6 but I changed the fuselage to match close to a P-3. The front single wheel was latter changed two a duel wheel. The plane is a lot of fun to fly and really gets the attention of every one at the flying field where in fly here outside of St. Louis -The plane was painted to look like the planes of the greatest squadron in the world VP-9's (or as we called them Puppy Dog Airlines) because of the P.D. on the tail...."
Circa 1972
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Aviation Safety Awards Announced - Page 3 - Naval Aviation News - November 1972..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1972/nov72.pdf [27SEP2004]
Circa 1971
A BIT OF HISTORY: NAS Adak "...Taken February 1971 at NAS Adak, Alaska. The Aircraft is PD-8 Buno: 152738 attached to VP-9 at NAS Moffett Field, California!..." Contributed by NETTLES, Bullet Bob bulletbob_1@email.msn.com [22DEC2002]
Circa 1970
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...TACCO - Page 40 - Naval Aviation News - January 1971..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1971/jan71.pdf [17SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...On Patrol - Page 28 - Naval Aviation News - June 1970..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1970/jun70.pdf [17SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...On Patrol - Page 26 - Naval Aviation News - May 1970..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1970/may70.pdf [17SEP2004]
"VP-9 History Summary Page"
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