148332 in the past at 25F over Britanny coasts when alive
with former paint schemes and markings of aircraft
through units of anti-sub/maritime patrol. Before flying
with Flotille 25F, it belonged to the 12S Servitude
Flight born during 1969 on the same Lann-Bihoué NAS. In
this latter unit, Neptunes played an interesting role,
six of them having been modified for use in the French
Nuclear Test Programme. They were the so called "
AMOR " versions receiving a misile tracking system
in solid nose and used at various places such as the
Landes Experimental Center, on France south-west coast,
which fired missiles in the Atlantic Ocean either from
ground, aircraft or war vessels including nuclear powered
subs. Later, during 1972, 12S left Lann-Bihoué for the
Hao, next Faa and Mururoa Pacific bases involved in the
nuclear program and its Neptunes were flown for classical
mission of maritime patrol and surveillance around these
sensible and firing nuke sites of Pacific as so as duty
and SAR missions over the area. Note here white painted
underwing racks. Low level patrol speed established
between 175 and 210 Kts and maximum range might be a
maximum about 2800 nautical miles, 3700 when ferried.
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