Air Tankers at Fox Field, October 26, 2003


(Download a higher resolution picture by clicking on any picture below.)

On Sunday October 26, several fire fighting tankers took off from Fox Field Airport near Lancaster to fight the numerous fires between Simi Valley and Lake Piru. The turbulent wind prevented the tankers from dropping their loads of retardent on the fires. The tankers were too heavy to land safely with the retardent on board. They returned to Fox Field and dropped the retardent alongside the runway.

Douglas C-54E Skymaster N460WA Tanker #151

Douglas C-54E Skymaster, N460WA Tanker #151 is operated by ARDCO, Inc.

Douglas C-54E Skymaster, N460WA Tanker #151 is based at Fox Field.

Lockheed P-2 Neptune, N4692A Tanker #48 is operated by Minden. It came from Kalispell, Wyoming to fight the California fires.

Lockheed P-2 Neptune, N4692A Tanker #48

Lockheed P-3 Orion, N922AU Aero Union Tanker #22 is operated by Aero Union.

Lockheed P-3 Orion, N922AU Aero Union Tanker #22 came from Durango, Colorado to fight the California fires.


More Tanker Photos

Aerial tankers



- advertisement -

Aerial Tankers

2020 Calendar

You can buy a 2020 Calendar featuring my photographs of aerial tankers in flight and fighting fires.

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: Aerial Tankers

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: Aerial Tankers

A dozen photos of aerial tankers:

Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress N17W Tanker 04, Santa Barbara, September 12, 1979
Douglas DC-7C N5903 Tanker 35, Santa Barbara, November 28, 1980
Douglas C-54E Cargomaster N460WA Tanker 151, Santa Ynez Valley, July 30, 1990
California Air National Guard C-130E Tanker 6, NAWS Pt. Mugu, April 25, 1998
Douglas C-54E Cargomaster N8502G Tanker 65, Santa Barbara Airport, May 5, 2004
Evergreen S-64E Skycrane N6979R Tanker 707, Santa Ynez Valley, May 7, 2004
Evergreen International Boeing 747 Supertanker, San Bernardino, May 31, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara Airport, June 19, 2006
Lockheed P2V-5 N1386C Tanker 44, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Coulson Flying Tankers Martin JRM Hawaii Mars, Lake Elsinore, October 27, 2007
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-30 10 Tanker Air Carrier Tanker 911, Mesa, Arizona 2011
BAE-146-200A N146FF Tanker 40, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, June 15, 2012

Buy my Aerial Tankers: 2020 Calendar at Lulu! Put a copy of the Aerial Tankers: 2020 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.


Firefighting Aircraft of CAL FIRE

2020 Calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of California Department of Forestry fire fighting aircraft.

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: CAL FIRE

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: CAL FIRE

This calendar is dedicated to the men and women of CAL FIRE and honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the citizens of California.

A dozen photos of California Department of Forestry fire fighting aircraft:

Grumman US-2A Tracker N416DF Tanker 96, Santa Barbara, September 13, 1979
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat NX7195C Tanker E40, Beale Air Force Base, May 31, 1980
Grumman TS-2A Tracker N405DF Tanker 72, Santa Barbara, October 16, 1985
Grumman TS-2A Tracker N406DF Tanker 73, Santa Barbara, July 19, 1990
Grumman TS-2A Tracker N420DF Tanker 75, Santa Ynez Mountains. August 15, 2002
Bell UH-1H Huey N805EH, Santa Ynez Mountains. August 15, 2002
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-10 Tanker 910, Victorville, June 17, 2005
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N436DF Tanker 76, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
North American OV-10A Bronco N403DF, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara, June 25, 2006
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-10 Tanker 911, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, June 11, 2011

Buy my CALFIRE: 2020 calendar at Lulu! Put a copy of the CAL FIRE: 2020 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.


Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara

2020 calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara.

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara

Aerial tankers fought the Day Fire from the Santa Barbara Air Attack Station for ten days, from Monday, September 18 to Wednesday September 27. Three Lockheed P-2 Neptunes and four Lockheed P-3 Orions visited the Air Attack Station during the fire. This calendar includes a dozen photos of those tankers:

Neptune Aviation Lockheed SP-2H Neptune, N4235T Tanker 09
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune, N96264 Tanker 12
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune, N1386C Tanker 44
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-25 Orion, N920AU Tanker 20
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-45 Orion, N921AU Tanker 21
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-45 Orion, N922AU Tanker 22
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-40 Orion, N925AU Tanker 25

Buy my Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara: 2020 calendar at Lulu! Put a copy of the Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.


Firefighting Helicopters

2020 calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Firefighting Helicopters.

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: Firefighting Helicopters

Lockett Books Calendar Catalog: Firefighting Helicopters

A dozen photos of firefighting helicopters.

Santa Barbara County Fire Department Bell UH-1H Huey N205FD Tanker 309
Santa Barbara County Fire Department Bell UH-1H Huey N205KS Tanker 308
Era Aviation Bell 212 N508EH
Marine Corps Boeing-Vertol CH-46F Sea Knight BuNo 155315 Tanker 906
Marine Corps Boeing-Vertol CH-46F Sea Knight BuNo 156426 Tanker 904
Columbia Helicopters Kawasaki-Vertol KV107-11 N184CH
Siller Brothers Sikorsky S-61N N15456
Evergreen Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane N6979R Tanker 707
Helicopter Transport Services Sikorsky CH-54B Skycrane N720HT Tanker 720
Erickson Air Crane Sikorsky S64E Skycrane N247AC 744

Buy my Firefighting Helicopters: 2020 calendar at Lulu! Put a copy of the Firefighting Helicopters: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

- advertisement -



Send a message to Brian.