Just Curious Civilian Herks

[bobdaley]

Anyone know why DOD rents Herks from Transafrik with Kenya registrations 5X- and repainted as National Airlines, for work in Pakistan, when Lynden has 6 Civilian Herks registered in the US and a spotless safety record?

Bob

[Jansen]

Probably price...and they were available.

[RavenFE]

Utilized by several other governmnet departments with 3 alpha characters that come to mind... ?

[P3_Super_Bee]

I believe its more trying to keep our relations with Pakistan on the down low. More "Out of sight, out of mind" type deal, not really trying to hide the relations, just not overtly advertising them either.

The Pakistani P-3's were flown over with all the Pakistani markings blanked out, with USN markings on stickers over the Pakistani markings. Then once the plane landed in Pakistan the USN markings were pealed.

Or as Raven pointed out, maybe the Company is the ones really using them, not the DOD.

[TSgtRet]

I believe its more trying to keep our relations with Pakistan on the down low. More "Out of sight, out of mind" type deal, not really trying to hide the relations, just not overtly advertising them either.

The Pakistani P-3's were flown over with all the Pakistani markings blanked out, with USN markings on stickers over the Pakistani markings. Then once the plane landed in Pakistan the USN markings were pealed.

Or as Raven pointed out, maybe the Company is the ones really using them, not the DOD.

When I was stationed at Keflavik in 1977 we had brand new Greek F-4s and Israeli A-4s ferry through, all wearing U.S. markings. At least the F-4s looked more or less like the SEA camo but the A-4s with the desert camo and non-subdued U.S. markings were a bit obvious.

[P3_Super_Bee]

When I was stationed at Keflavik in 1977 we had brand new Greek F-4s and Israeli A-4s ferry through, all wearing U.S. markings. At least the F-4s looked more or less like the SEA camo but the A-4s with the desert camo and non-subdued U.S. markings were a bit obvious.

Interesting... As of late the only P-3's I seen go with US markings over the purchasing country was Pakistan. Greece, Thailand, and Korea's were all in full country colors of the purchasing country. So who knows. Even Iran's back in the late 70's early 80's went in Iranian colors. Though with those wild paint schemes would have been hard to "hide" who they were going to. LOL,

Little worthless P-3 trivia. The Iranian P-3's were supposed to be in the standard P-3 white over gray scheme of the time. All the P-3's were in Moffett Field with the Iranian crews learning to fly them(they had a different set up as the US. A high ranking Iranian Official was in town to check on the training and the aircraft, and seen one of the Navy's A-4's painted in the aggressor squadron camo. The official liked that paint scheme that he demanded the Iranian P-3's be painted that way...