Farewell flight of the very last two Royal Netherlands Navy Orions detached to Hato on 31 December 2004, the end of a great era. A few days later both left for good to be retired by the navy and to be sold.

Seen during one of its last operational flights from Hato, before leaving in the early days of 2005, Orion 300 is showing what it looked like in its final days of service with the Royal Netherlands Navy, with light grey panels and elements borrowed from other aircraft.

Last livery as worn on the Royal Netherlands Navy P-3C before its retirement in 2005. Seen here at Hato in Summer 2004.

Just a few weeks before, this helicopter had been delivered to the Dominican Republic and is yet devoid of any national markings. It was delivered as FAD-3052, but as not to duplicate serials of operational helicopters, FAD-3052 had been allocated to a Bell 206A-1, it was reregistered to FAD-3064. Unfortunately, these camouflage colours were also shortlived, and the helicopter was seen in dull grey since.

Just a few weeks before, this helicopter had been delivered to the Dominican Republic and is yet devoid of any national markings. It was delivered as FAD-3053, but as not to duplicate serials of operational helicopters, FAD-3053 had been allocated to a Bell 206A-1, it was reregistered to FAD-3065. Unfortunately, these camouflage colours were also shortlived, and the helicopter was seen in dull grey since.

It will probably not win a beauty contest, but the Schweizer 330 is not only rare, it is an economic helicopter to operate. The Dominican air force bought four of these helicopters, one of which is FAD-3043, seen here taking off from San Isidro.

One of the star exhibits of the Museo Nacional de Aviacion in Ilopango, San Salvador, El Salvador is this DC-6B, painted as 302.

Chile was one of the very few military operators of the Beech 99A. Nine were delivered in 1970/71 and initially flown by Grupo 11 at Quintero, the last aircraft was finally withdrawn in 2010. 308 was placed onto the civil register in March 2000 as CC-KIW for operation by the Chilean Army Aero Club and sold to a private operator in November 2003 as CC-PLL. Registered in March 2005 to Mansfield Heliflight in the US as N391MH and returned to Chile as CC-CFM with Inversiones Aereas Patagonia (Aerocord) in January 2007. Crashed and destroyed shortly after take off from Puerto Montt in July 2008.

Very rare visit of a Royal Netherlands Navy P-3C to Zanderij airport, Paramaribo in September 2002. It brought a party of Dutch marines to prepare an upcoming jungle training in Surinam.

Up to three Orions were deployed to Hato to conduct counternarcotics operations before the aircraft were retired early 2005.