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English > Fighting Fires > Aircraft
Helicopters and slurry bombers are most often associated with wildfires, and are often the first ones there. This page contains general information about helicopters, and detailed information about the specific airtankers used.
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Helicopters: Because of their fast response time and mobility, helicopters are often at a fire a long time before anyone else gets there. They carry water buckets filled at nearby lakes or rivers. The buckets can be very large, some with as much as 700 gallons capacity. Most helicopters are owned by private contractors who use them for logging when they are not on fires.
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Slurry Bombers: Slurry bombers, airtankers, or retardant planes as they are called, also are used to fight fires. They are usually converted military aircraft, or older passenger airplanes. They carry between 2,450 and 3,000 gallons of slurry. Slurry is a combination of water and salt-based fertilizer. The red color is from iron oxide, which is added to the mix to help pilots keep track of treated areas. It does not extinguish fires, but it keeps fuels wet and cool and retards ignition. More detailed information about most of the slurry bombers in use can be found below:
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Airtankers Used:
Drawings courtesy of the Forest Service
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Boeing KC-97:
This plane can be identified by its four engines and four-blade propellors.
KC-97 Stats:
Tank Size: 3,000 gallons
Wingspan: 141 feet, 3 inches
Length: 110 feet, 4 inches
Cruise Speed: 210 knots
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Consolidated PB4Y-2 "Privateer":
The distinguishing factors of this airplane are its bomber appearence, and four piston engines with three-blade propellors.
PB4Y-2 Stats:
Tank Size: 2,000 gallons
Wingspan: 110 feet
Length: 74 feet, 8 inches
Cruise Speed: 184 knots
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Douglas DC-7:
This plane is distinguished by having square windows and four-blade propellors.
DC-7 Stats:
Tank Size: 3,000 gallons
Wingspan: 117 feet, 6 inches
Length: 105 feet, 7 inches
Cruise Speed: 235 knots
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Douglas DC-6:
This plane is distinguished by having square windows and three-blade propellors.
DC-6 Stats:
Tank Size: 2,450 gallons
Wingspan: 117 feet, 6 inches
Length: 107 feet
Cruise Speed: 215 knots
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Douglas DC-4:
This plane is distinguished by having round windows and three-blade propellors.
There are two versions of the DC-4, one a regular, and one a Super DC-4, that can operate with larger engines, therefore it can cruise at a higher speed and has a larger tank capacity.
DC-4 Stats:
Tank Size: 2,000 (Regular) 2,200 (Super) gallons
Wingspan: 117 feet, 6 inches
Length: 93 feet, 11 inches
Cruise Speed: 178 (Regular) 200 (Super) knots
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Grumman S-2 "Tracker":
These planes are old surveillance planes, and are being modified now to better fit their duties as slurry bombers.
S-2 Stats:
Tank Size: 800 gallons
Wingspan: 69 feet, 8 inches
Length: 42 feet
Cruise Speed: 160 knots
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Lockheed C-130A "Hercules":
This airplane can be distinguished by its four turboprop engines with four-blade propellors, and rear cargo door below the tail.
C-130A Stats:
Tank Size: 3,000 gallons
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches
Length: 99 feet, 6 inches
Cruise Speed: 250 knots
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Lockheed P2V "Neptune":
This airplane is unique, in the fact that it has piston and jet engines that run on the same fuel (the jet engines are used just to give more power when needed).
P2V Stats:
Tank Size: 2,450 gallons
Wingspan: 100 feet
Length: 86 feet
Cruise Speed: 187 knots
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Lockheed SP-2H:
This airplane is a modified version of the P2V without the jet engines.
SP-2H Stats:
Tank Size: 2,000 gallons
Wingspan: 100 feet
Length: 92 feet
Cruise Speed: 195 knots
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Lockheed P3A "Orion":
This airplane can be distinguished by its four turbine engines and four-blade propellors.
P3A Stats:
Tank Size: 3,000 gallons
Wingspan: 99 feet, 8 inches
Length: 106 feet, 1 inch
Cruise Speed: 275 knots
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