Aircraft Quiz No. 106

[Doug Robertson]

This quiz will be different in that I am asking for two different aircraft of the US Navy that have the distinction of being in current (2018) service the longest, and the second-longest, respectively. (I am NOT referring to any USN aircraft in a museum).

1a. Make of first aircraft?, 1b. USN nomenclature?, 1c. First year of manufacture?, 1d. First year of USN operational service?, 1e. Where currently based?

2a. Nomenclature of second aircraft?, 2b. First year of USN development?, 2c. Where currently based?

Bonus. What is an absolute distinction of the second aircraft?

Perhaps my toughest quiz yet-prove me wrong!

[SunvisorFlyer]

Okay Doug, I'm unsure about the deployment dates, but...

1a. DHC-3 Otter
1b. Otter NU-1B (UC-1 Otter)
1c. 1952
1d. 1952
1e. U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Md.

2a. U-6A Beaver
2b. 1953
2c. U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Md.

Bonus: The Beaver hauls the X-26 sailplane.

[Doug Robertson]

Well done, partly.

The best way to answer you is to quote the official SEAPOWER 2018 ALMANAC which covers the US Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine with all-inclusive aviation data.

"The NU-1B OTTER is the military version of the de Havilland Aircraft Co. DHC-3, a high-wing, short takeoff and landing utility aircraft. It is flown by USNTPS as part of its curriculum. The NU-1B was manufactured in 1956 and has been in service at USNTPS since 1966. The aircraft is equipped with modern digital avionics systems. The NU-1B has the longest operational history of any naval aircraft in the inventory".

"The X-26A FRIGATE is the longest lived of the "X-plane" programs and is based on the Schweizer SGS-2-32 sailplane. The X--26A was developed in 1967 by the U.S. Navy to train pilots in yaw/roll coupling. Four aircraft were originally procured. Two aircraft remain in service with USNTPS in support of its curriculum".

As an aside, I was just once TDY to NAS Patuxent River in the 1960s as part of the Navy's A-7 jet aircraft Board of Inspection and Survey trials. At Point Mugu we did the acoustical measurements asked by Pax River as well as the missile integration and launches on Mugu's sea test range. The A-7 Corsair II as well as the F-8 Crusader were dangerous aircraft on USN Aircraft Carrier flight decks.

Thank you for your input.