34中隊唯一的一架P2V-5(P-2E)訓練機(B/N 128355). 這張照片是1966年拍攝與國軍使用相同的上白下灰色塗裝. 此前本機為全深藍色塗裝.
Photo: Internet
In 1954 under Project Cherry, CIA obtained five newly built P2V-7 (7047/135612/54-4037, 7097/140438/54-4038, 7099/140440/54-4039, 7101/140442/54-4040, 7105/141233/54-4041) and converted these into P2V-7U/RB-69A variants by Lockheed's Skunk Works at Hangar B5 in Burbank, California, for the CIA's own private fleet of covert ELINT/ferret aircraft. Later to make up P2V-7U/RB-69A operational losses, the CIA obtained and converted two existing US Navy P2V-7s (7286/150283 in September 1962, 7021/135564 in December 1964) to P2V-7U/RB-69A Phase VI standard, and also acquired an older P2V-5(128355) from US Navy as training aircraft in 1963. Test flights done by lead aircraft (7047) at Edwards AFB from 1955 to 1956, all the aircraft painted with dark sea blue color but with USAF markings. In 1957 P2V-7U (7047) was sent to Eglin AFB for testing aircraft performance at low level and under adverse conditions. The initial two aircraft (7097, 7099) were sent to Europe, based at Wiesbaden, West Germany, but were later withdrawn in 1959 when the CIA reduced its covert aircraft assets in Europe. The CIA sent the other two P2V-7U/RB-69As to Hsinchu Air Base, Taiwan, where by December 1957, they were given to a "Black Op" unit, the ROCAF/Taiwan's 34th Squadron, aka the "Black Bat" Squadron, and painted in ROCAF/Taiwan markings. The ROCAF/Taiwan P2V-7U/RB-69A's mission was to conduct low level penetration flights into mainland China to conduct ELINT/ferret missions including mapping out China's air defense networks, inserting agents via airdrop, and dropping leaflets and supplies. The agreement for Plausible Deniability between US and ROC government meant the RB-69A would be manned by ROCAF/Taiwan crew while conducting operational missions, but would be manned by CIA crew when ferrying RB-69A out of Taiwan or other operational area to US.
The P2V-7U/RB-69A flew with ROCAF/Taiwan Black Bat Squadron over China from 1957 to November 1966. All five original aircraft (two crashed in South Korea, three shot down over China) lost with all hands on board. In January 1967, two remaining RB-69As flew back to NAS Alameda, California, and were converted back to regular US Navy P2H/P2V-7 ASW aircraft configurations.Most of the 34th Squadron's Black Op missions still remain classified by the CIA, although a CIA internal draft history, Low-Level Technical Reconnaissance over Mainland China (1955-66), reference CSHP-2.348, written in 1972 that covers CIA/ROCAF/Taiwan 34th Squadron's Black Op missions is known to be in existence but would not be declassified by the CIA until after 2022.
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