Martin P4M Mercator

I was an E.T. In VQ-1 from 1959 to 1961. I remember her well I even have a tie clasp, I got in Japan, in the shape of the P4M. VQ-1 moved from MCAF Iwakuni to NAS Atsugi in late 1959 or early 1960.

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My husband,donald mayer ,was the pilot on that june 16th flight .He loved that big old P4M and he loved his crew!!
He died on aug.2nd,2010. I was in Iwakuni with our family
from 1958-1960. Would like hearing from anyone who might
remember any of us.

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This was designed to meet the same specification as the highly-successful Lockheed P2V Neptune. Although only 19 of these aircraft were built, they actually saw a great deal of active service. However, since the the operations they were involved in were mainly of the covert variety, they received very little publicity or recognition. At least one is known to have been shot down by Soviet fighters!

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i served in vu-3 naha 1956-7 vq-1 operated out of flight line hut using our base radio during flight operations i played cribbage with the radio operator the nite tractor called in under attack next day vp-4 picked up parts and put in front of our hut next typhoone all gone

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1952, stationed at North Island, San Diego. Everytime one of these came in and the land tower heard P4M they'd try to hand it off to the seaplane tower! Understand they got some interesting replies!

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1953, stationed at North Island. First one that came in tower directed them to seaplane tower! They replied they'd rather use the concrete runway.

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I was stationed at NAF Litchfield Park, AZ in 51-52. i was down by the ad bldg. one day when a MARTIN P4M came in on a RON. He pulled up in front of the AD Bldg, reversed pitch on his starboard engine and backed into his parking spot. That got our attention as we'd never seen that before. It was a good looking A /C.

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TAD @ Sangley w VU5 1954
P4M's parked down the road
Crew all wore sidearms, flew at night returned at dawn from China???
Later @ Okinawa, had one come in with a blown engine,
on approach, pilot shut down good one & requested a go-round
Air force pukes all stood around with their jaws on the ground

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I flew in the P4M1Q for 2 years. Stationed at Sangley Point, Phillipines, from 1952 1954 We flew lots of patrols out of Okinawa , Japan,Also flew patrol to Vietnam in 54 I was flight engineer & tail gunner when in combat zone. As for the question about ejection seat, no there was none. My squadron commander was A. W. Sweeton I do remember the patrols across the 38th in to Manchuria to check out supply depots.

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I was station at Misawa AFB Japan 59 to 61 as Crash Rescue Firefighter. Would see them every once awhile blew our mind the first time they were waiting to takeoff and light off those J-33 engines could not figure where they were located found out later.

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Spent many hours involving P4M when the Pac designation was VW-1 det alpha and was present for commissioning ceremonies 1955 at Sangley Point, PI. Agree that it was a great and dependable A /C. Awesome with all four two blocked and in a shallow dive.

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I was a mechanic in the 310FBS based at Osan,Korea. We were TDY to Tainan,Formosa when the P4M was shot down off the China coast. We walked under and around a P4M that flew out of Tainan as we went back and forth to our ramp. At least four of our F-86's scrambled to fly cover for the search crews as they recovered what they could. The P4M was one impressive airplane especially after saw those jet engines tucked under 4360 radial engines. We never saw this airplane take off or land, must of flew at night.

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Armament was twin 20mm in the bow and tail turrets and two 50 cal. in the dorsal turret. I flew as navigator and co-pilot out of Sangley Point 1951-53. We were taken under fire off Shanghai by Mig-15s in '52 as was another plane from our unit a few weeks earlier. The MiGs missed both times.

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The correct date should be 6-3-2010. No this message did not come from the "Twilight Zone" just detail malfunction.

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Frank Fry 6-2-2010 This brave crew was commanded by my father just prior to the incident that Mr Farley talks about and "Yes sir"it was indeed a great plane that day and may others that came before it. "Hey Coach"

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I was ECM evaluator on this plane 1958-1960 out of Iwakuni Japan with VQ-1. Was on the plane 16 June 1959 when jumped by 2 MiG's. Was a good plane that day!!

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I flew the P4M in VQ-1 in Iwakuni in 1956 and 1957. Made several Trans Pac's to Norfolk for O&R. Great airplane. Later flew the P2V and I must admit the P2V-5F was a better airplane.

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I flew in this aircraft in VP-21 in 1951 and 52, as a radio /radar operator. A greater aircraft was never made. I refused to fly in P2V's after the trasition although I did have one hop in one. It was like flying on a turtle after being in a real airplane.

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I flew in this plane 1959-1960 from Iwakuni,Japan and Shemi, Alaska as a flight engineer. emergency bailouts were by ejecting the forward hatch and just dropping thru for the 6 members forward. The aft crew bailed out by removing a pullout window on the port side.

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I flew as a navigational radar operator out of Sangley Point, Phillipines from 1951-1953 in this great aircraft.

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