VQ-1’s air assets and technical capabilities were significantly upgraded in the spring of 1969 with the arrival of two EP-3B Orion “Bat Rack” aircraft.
PR-31 arrived 17 March 69 and PR-32 arrived on June 21. After their initial checkout at Atsugi, Japan, both aircraft deployed to Det Bravo. Back end equipment in the EP-3B was similar to that of the EC-121M (Willy). The real advantage of the EP-3B was its cruising altitude, nearly twice that of the venerable Willy. This resulted in a significant improvement in signal quality. From the squadron standpoint, the EP-3s were more reliable and required less maintenance. The EA-3B Skywarrior back end equipment was upgraded in August 1969. This upgrade was nicknamed SEAWING, a name sometimes applied to EA-3B missions in general.
Source: LCDR Robert E. Morrison, USN (ret.)
Station HYPO 
17 March 2019 at 10:50
We called the EC-121s “Willy Victors” in my day and I flew several “last” missions of the Willy Victor out of Astugi. It would be farewelled and flown off to Guam alledgefly entoute the boneyard. Them a month later it would be back for one more “last deployment” with yet another “last flight” I forget exactly how many times this happened but it was more than 3… 6? It got to be a joke after the first several “last” flights.
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17 March 2019 at 15:27
I flew in both PR 31 & PR32, arrived the “Q” when these two beast showed up. I was an ELINT Operator out of Bravo Detachment
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18 March 2019 at 16:25
Incredible. I was a crew member on these as well, but some time later.
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24 November 2022 at 21:11
Under the black EP-3B page I describe how we acquired these three a/c. Perhaps my discussion should be here instead.
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