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Operational History
The last flying boat operations of the United States Navy were Market Time patrols of VP-40. Maritime surveillance began in February 1965 to locate small craft transporting supplies from North Vietnam to Viet Cong units in South Vietnam. VP-40 operated from seaplane tenders and patrolled off the Mekong delta between Phú Quo^'c and Vung Tau. The last U.S. Navy P5M, redesignated as an SP-5B, was flown to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland on 12 July 1968 for interim storage pending construction of display area at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. As a display area at Smithsonian did not materialize, the aircraft was later relocated to the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida where it is currently on display.
U.S. Coast Guard
Seven P5M-1Gs and four P5M-2Gs were built for the United States Coast Guard for air-sea rescue service, but the service found the planes difficult to maintain and surplus to requirements. They were subsequently transferred to the U.S. Navy, which redesignated them as TP-5As and used them as training aircraft, since they had no provision for armament.
Martin P5M-2G Marlin assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station San Diego, January 28, 1958.
[Source: U.S. Coast Guard Photo]
The French Navy took delivery of ten former U.S. Navy Marlins in 1959 to replace Short Sunderlands in maritime patrol service, based out of Dakar, Senegal in West Africa. They were returned five years later.
Martin P5M Marlin of the French Aeronavale, Dakar.
[Source: U.S. Navy Photo]
Sources:
Wikipedia
U.S. NAVAL AVIATION RESOURCE CENTER > FLYING BOATS > P5M MARLIN > PREVIOUS PAGE