Redmond Air Center located at Roberts Field / Redmond Municipal Airport in central Oregon is home to the U.S. Forest Service Air Tanker Base.
The 1964 vintage Lockheed P-3A Orion's are flown by Aero Union Corp. under contract to the USFS. Each one is equipped with a 3,000 gallon belly tank.
The 1958 vintage Douglas DC-7B is flown by Butler Aircraft Company under contract to Oregon Department of Forestry (her advanced age excludes her from federal wildland fire-fighting duties). She is also equipped with a 3,000 gallon tank.
© Ron Close 2017
