#1061 EP-3E Aries II
Purchased products will not feature the Squadron Prints watermark
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1061 - Lockheed EP-3E, 161410, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron ONE, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, \"World Watchers\".
The lineage of VQ-1’s World Watchers can be traced back to two PBY-5A Catalina “Black Cats” modified for electronic reconnaissance during World War II. The unit was formally established as the Special Electronic Search Project at Naval Air Station Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines, in October 1951. VQ-1 has called several places home, including Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Naval Air Field Atsugi, Japan and Naval Air Station Agana, Guam. In 1994 VQ-1 settled at its current location aboard Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Several types of aircraft have served them well including the PBY-5Y Catalina, P4M-1Q Mercator, P2V-5F Neptune, F9F-8T Cougar, EA-3B Skywarrior, EC-121M Super Constellation, EP-3E Aries I and Aries II. VQ-1 has participated in every major conflict since its inception providing valuable intelligence to fleet and theater commanders. Constantly flying in harm’s way proved disastrous when North Korea downed a VQ-1 Super Connie in 1969 with the loss of all 31 crewmembers aboard and again in 2001 when an EP-3 collided with a Chinese F-8II forcing the crew to land on Hainan Island, China. Recently VQ-1 has participated in the following operations: DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, DESERT FOX, WARDEN, STABILIZE, ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM. The EP-3E is 116 feet , 10 inches long with a wingspan of 99 feet, 8 inches. It is powered by four Allison T56-A-14 turboprop engines, each producing 4,600 shaft horsepower. Maximum gross weight is 142,000 pounds. The normal crew of 24 includes 3 pilots, 2 flight engineers, a navigator, an evaluator, a senior evaluator, 3 electronic warfare operators, a laboratory operator, an inflight technician and various other special operators.