VP-68 History
Circa 1979
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...In late 79 VP-68 was tasked to turn over BUNO: 150513 to the Spanish Navy. It had been our official "bounce bird" for quite a while, and was a Non-Difar A model, or "Iron Bomber" to some, so we trons were not keeping it ASW ready because all the gear had been superseded. The Spanish showed up in another A and I met the plane along with a chief that spoke fluent Spanish. There were around 35 of them on the plane with 21 parachutes. I would have liked to have seen the ditching station assignments. Anyway we worked all night getting the plane ASW ready for them. The next day a number of them went out on a test flight with some of our people. When they came in there were a few ASW gripes which we fixed, and then secured. The next day they flew it again and griped almost every ASW system on the bird. We spent almost two complete shifts fixing it again, and finally we got it ASW up to their satisfaction. They took old 150513 and their bird and launched back to Spain. About two days later a guy that had been on ramp watch came up to me and said, "Those Spanish guys sure worked late the other night, they came back after you secured and they were swapping gear from their bird to 513 all night long trying to troubleshoot the ASW problems." We'd been had. They probably had dumped every I level unfixable piece of ASW or tron gear in the Spanish Navy on us. Their plane had a huge oil leak and our mechs told them the engine needed to be replaced. Their FE said no, he would just put it in the bag after climbout!!..." Contributed by Hap Walker hcwalker@aol.com
Circa 1978
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...History - Change-Of-Command - Page 31 and 33 - Naval Aviation News - October 1978..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1978/oct78.pdf [09OCT2004]
Circa 1977
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Change-Of-Command - Page 31 - Naval Aviation News - May 1977..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1977/may77.pdf [08OCT2004]
Circa 1976
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Bermuda - Page 28 - Naval Aviation News - December 1976..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1976/dec76.pdf [07OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Six-Week Stay In Bermuda - Page 26 - Naval Aviation News - October 1976..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1976/oct76.pdf [07OCT2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Active Duty - Page 30 - Naval Aviation News - January 1975..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1976/jan76.pdf [05OCT2004]
Circa 1975
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Summer Sessions - Page 30 to 31 - Naval Aviation News - January 1975..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1975/jan75.pdf [02OCT2004]
Circa 1974
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Awards - Page 3 - Naval Aviation News - November 1974..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1974/nov74.pdf [01OCT2004]
Circa 1973
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Reservists At Work Bermuda Weekend - Page 8 to 11 - Naval Aviation News - May 1973..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1973/may73.pdf [28SEP2004]
Circa 1972
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Aviation Safety Awards Announced - Page 3 - Naval Aviation News - November 1972..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1972/nov72.pdf [27SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...The Selected Air Reservist - Page 34 - Naval Aviation News - August 1972..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1972/aug72.pdf [27SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Joint Exercise - Page 18 - Naval Aviation News - July 1972..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1972/jul72.pdf [27SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...A Capital Naval Air Reserve Unit - Page 16 to 17 - Naval Aviation News - July 1972..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1972/jul72.pdf [27SEP2004]
Circa 1971
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...VP-68 At Bermuda - Page 24 - Naval Aviation News - November 1971..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1971/nov71.pdf [25SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Over Water Search - Page 26 - Naval Aviation News - July 1971..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1971/jul71.pdf [23SEP2004]
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Selected Air Reserve - Page 32 to 33 - Naval Aviation News - January 1971..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1971/jan71.pdf [17SEP2004]
Circa 1970
A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Land-based Naval Reserve Patrol Squadrons..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-vol2/chap3-11.pdf [13SEP2004]
"VP-68 History Summary Page"
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