Found a great resource from CAL FIRE, Firefighting Aircraft Recognition Guide, which provides a photo and background of the fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft in the Cal Fire inventory.
Some of the fun highlights, along with a few more photos:
| aircraft | capacity | crew | inventory |
| DC-10 | 12,000 | 3 | 1 |
| 747 | 24,000 | 3 | |
| P-3 Orion | 3,000 | 3 | 8 |
| P-2 Neptune | 2,700 | 3 | 8 |
| DC-6 | 2,800 | 3 | |
| DC-7 | 3,000 | 3 | |
| CL-215 | 1,300 | 3 | |
| S-2T | 1,200 | 1 | |
| C-130 | 3,000 | 3 | |
| helicopters | |||
| S-64 Skycrane | 2,650 | 2 | |
| S-70 Firehawk | 1,000 | 3 | |
| Bell 212 | 360 | 2 | |
| Bell 412 | 360 | 2 | |
| UH-1H Super Huey | 360+324 | 11 |
A few tidbits from the Guide:
- The DC-10 has a load capacity equal to 12 drops from a S-2T.
- Both the DC-10 and the 747 can make ‘segmented’ drops, in other words they can drop just a portion of the load and thus make multiple passes.
- Yes, the P-3 and P-2 were used as long distance maritime patrol, hunting for Soviet submarines.
- Oh, the DC-6 and DC-7? Yes those were the planes on the cutting edge of technology in the 1940s and 1950s.
- The S-2T is a twin-engine turboprop. The C-130 is a military version with four turboprops.
- The S-70 is civilian version of a Blackhawk.
- The Bell 212 and 412 are civilian versions of the Twin Huey. The 412 has four blades.
Not sure if the Cal Fire book is copyrighted, so I won’t be posting any photos from the guide. All photos above are from Flickr and are appropriately credited to the photographer.