The Age of Orion: The Lockheed P-3 Story (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) [Hardcover]

David Reade (Author)

Book Description

Series: Schiffer Military/Aviation History | Publication Date: April 1, 1998

The Age of Orion is the first book devoted solely to the development and operational use of the illustrious USN maritime patrol and anti-submarine hunting aircraft the Lockheed P-3 Orion. David Reade details for the first time the complete history and wal

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076430478X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764304781
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #586,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The only resource of its kind in the world!, September 13, 1998

By 

Marc Frattasio (Penn Central New Haven Region) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Orion: The Lockheed P-3 Story (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)

Aviation enthusiasts have been waiting for many years for somebody to do a comprehensive illustrated book on the Lockheed P3 Orion. Thanks to prolific military book publisher Schiffer, this has finally been done. David Reade's 223 page hardcover does an excellent job of telling the story of the Lockheed P3 Orion from its late 50s origins as a modified Electra passenger airliner to the present day P3C. All major modifications of the Orion and all the countries that fly them are covered, and perhaps this is the only true weakness of the book. It's such a huge story that giving detailed comprehensive coverage to 'rare' variants and foreign operators of relatively few aircraft takes valuable page space away from the standard USN antisubmarine patrol aircraft that this writer knows and loves (I'm a P3 EWO in the US Navy Reserve). I'd have liked to have seen more photos showing standard US Navy VP squadron aircraft with their unique and colorful tail emblems (Ideally a photo of an aircraft from every VP squadron in the US Navy showing all the different tail markings used over the past 35 years or so) and less coverage of the EP3s and 'Domes' and other things but that's just me. Even so, there is no other book on the market like it and if you are interested in the Lockheed P3 Orion you really need to add this book to your library. Now, who's going to do a comprehensive illustrated book on the subject of US Naval Reserve aviation????

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally - a comprehensive P-3 book!, July 5, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Age of Orion: The Lockheed P-3 Story (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)

In his 223 page work, David Reade has attempted to cover every P-3 variant, including some (very) little-known ones. The result is a marvellous reference work which I give 4 stars only due to its lack of an index and a small number of captioning, typographic, and minor factual errors, which somewhat detract from its utility. I'm looking forward to a 2nd edition, but wouldn't wait for one.

4000+ hr P-3B TACCO/Mission Commander

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Navy Nav approved, October 9, 2008

By 

Sean Duffy (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Age of Orion: The Lockheed P-3 Story (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)

A friend of mine in the Navy who is now a P3 Navigator loves the book.