Many aircraft of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) were given a distinctive orange and white livery. Back in my time working on US Navy P-3 Orions, the NRL had two NP-3Ds, named “El Coyote” and “Roadrunner,” complete with the caricatures painted on their side. Those aircraft were used for Project Magnet to map magnetic deviation of the earth. So when I saw this NRL P-3 sitting forlorn in Reynolds Industrial Park in nearby Green Cove Springs, FL, my interest was piqued. I had to photograph it and share it here.
I’ll refer you to this article for a brief but good history of this historic P-3 aircraft.