"Mike Kanze" wrote:

Gord,

Your several recent references to the Argus reminded me of a visit by a
number of we NAS Whidbey junior officers to CFB Comox one winter weekend in
1972. The purpose, of course, was some trans-national goodwill and
celebration at the Comox Officers Mess with our hosts and several lovely
ladies. All had the proverbial good time.

(For those unfamiliar with the geography of the Pacific Northwest, CFB Comox
is located on the east (inland) side of Vancouver Island. It's about a 3 - 4
hour drive from Whidbey, depending upon how long you must wait for the
Vancouver - Nanaimo ferry.)

In the course of the evening, one of our folks managed to big-deal a hop in
one of Comox's Argus fleet the following flying day. He suffered a short
rug dance before COMFAIR WHIDBEY upon his return (not s'posed to do such
things unless all the bureaucrats sign off beforehand) but all was forgiven
quickly.

Our guy reported back that the Argus was quite a capable platform, disguised
in a rather homely airframe. Homeliness was not a problem to any of us who
flew the Ugly for our paychecks, though.

Have you any Argus stories to share with us?

Yes, we used to do the same 'mini exchange tour' here also. We'd
usually exchange visits with NAS Brunswick in Maine, but we
usually took their crew flying (and they took us when it was
their turn) I know that they were equipped with the P-3. Then, of
course, we'd need to uphold our honour as big time drinkers as
they did their damnedest to out drink us...god, those were
hellish times.

We were stationed at Summerside on Prince Edward Island, one
hellish spot for weather in the winter. I've spent many stressful
minutes on the button with full fuel, full crew, full armament at
0400L standing up through the cockpit upper hatch to my waist
with an Aldis lamp trying to see if the driving snow was sticking
to the wings and hoping to make a good assessment so as to avoid
giving poor advice to the VPCC and ending up in a flaming ball
somewhere in the over-run. I think we paid for all the fun times
with those minutes.

I believe that I'm near the end of a near thirty year search
here...we had the second of our Argus go in here in 1977 (three
of the 16 man crew were killed) and the Control Tower taped the
happening. I've just now got a handle on a copy and it should be
here Thursday or Friday. (yippee)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)