EX-US Navy/NASA P-3C Orion (Bu 161008/ N436NA) In Sevierville, TN
An unusual discovery was made on the side of a winding road outside of Sevierville, TN that I just had to see for myself. So I made the trip over to the Smoky Mountains to see this partially dismantled EX-US Navy/NASA P-3C Orion (Bu 161008, N436NA) sitting in a gravel lot like a roadside attraction.
After some digging around, it was discovered this Orion was recently sold at a GSA auction in Wallops Island, VA. It had been offered for sale with a reserve price of $25,000. The purchaser of the Orion had only recently trailered the Orion to its current location.
Turns out that whomever purchased this Orion did so with the intention of turning it into an AirBnB. However, it appears they had issues moving the Orion into its final location due to the fuselage being too long to traverse the winding Smoky Mountain roads. At this time, it is unknown how long the Orion with remain in this location or where its eventual final destination will be. Only time will tell.
21Jan23
An unusual sight to see in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. A dismantled US Navy P-3C Orion sitting next to the road. 21Jan23
The P-3C Orion had been sitting here for a couple of weeks and had a temporary fence erected around the pieces. 21Jan23
If it is to become a Bed and Breakfast, then it will require a lot of work to get it ready. 21Jan23
The nose cone is detached and sitting loosely on the ground. 21Jan23
The detached magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) tail boom sits beside the main fuselage. 21Jan23
LL-02 PRESSURE BLK HD 21Jan23
USE ONLY NASGE3-3-G SCREWS FOR INSTL. 21Jan23
GLIDESLOP ANTENNA 944538-101 21Jan23
Radar dome of some type still attached to the forward bulkhead. 21Jan23
Air Multiplier Access and Warning sign. 21Jan23
FUEL GRADE JP-4 PER MIL SPEC MIL-J-5624 GROUND HERE 21Jan23
The detached vertical stabilizer placed underneath the fuselage. 21Jan23
MOORING POINT NAV AIR Paint Codes 21Jan23
Crew door entrance. 21Jan23
WARNING SONOBOUY LAUCH AREA 21Jan23
BOMB HOIST ACCESS DOOR 21Jan23
Painted over NAVY text on the side of the fuselage. 21Jan23
Exposed bulkhead of the outboard engine nacelle. 21Jan23
Exposed inboard engine nacelle with landing gear folded up. 21Jan23
Exposed inboard engine nacelle with landing gear folded up. 21Jan23
Detail of landing gear bay with fluid codes placard attached in the rear. 21Jan23
Outboard engine nacelle. 21Jan23
Closeup of the outboard engine nacelle stencil markings. 21Jan23
A piece of the engine nacelle dropped between the fuselage and wings. 21Jan23
The P-3C Orion has been dropped by the side of the road next to a convenience store. 21Jan23
The sheared off wing and internal components. 21Jan23
Another view of the odd assortment of plane parts stacked together. 21Jan23
The exposed tail cone where the Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) tail boom would normally be attached. 21Jan23
The nub of the sheared off horizontal stabilizer. 21Jan23.
Looking down the interior of the Magnetic Anomaly Detector tail boom. 21Jan23
Partially sealed up window outside one of the interior crew stations. 21Jan23
Fully sealed up port on the side of the fuselage. 21Jan23
Removed wing flaps stacked on the ground. 21Jan23
Stencil marking showing the flap degree angles for visual reference when in use. 21Jan23
P-3C Orion located outside Sevierville, TN. 21Jan23
P-3C Orion located outside Sevierville, TN. 21Jan23
P-3C Orion located outside Sevierville, TN. 21Jan23
P-3C Orion located outside Sevierville, TN. 21Jan23
P-3C Orion located outside Sevierville, TN. 21Jan23