This magnificent exhibit is the last surviving Marlin of the 285 built, although unfortunately now too hemmed in for a clear shot. Accepted in 1956, it served VX-1 and several patrol squadrons including VP-40 with which it deployed to SE Asia from 1965 to 1967. It made the last operational flight of a Navy flying boat in May 1967, landing in San Diego Bay. In 1968 it was flown from NAS North Island to Patuxent River and put into the care of the Smithsonian/National Air Museum. In 1977 it was tranferred by barge to Pensacola and by 1990 had undergone restoration, moving inside by 2011

VP-40 operated the Martin Marlin from 1953 until 1967 when it was the last seaplane squadron in the US Navy. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

Cocooned at Pax River with Convair XF2Y Sea Dart 137634

The USCG found the P5M too expensive to maintain and 1312 was transferred in 1961 to the US Navy as 149832. The P5M-5G version was unarmed and became a trainer for the USN. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

P5M-1 Marlin of VP-46 seen at the island of Magong (Makung), in the Pescadores archipelago, off Taiwan. Another P5M-1, 130304, had ran into a coral reef here and eventually sank. Location wrongly given by Life as Quemoy [Kinmen], the Taiwanese island close to the Chinese mainland. Photo by: John Dominis / Life

Retired after service with VP-40. The only surviving Marlin.

Last remaining of this type.

This Marlin was accepted by the Navy in 1956 and joined Air Development Squadron (VX) 1. Over the next 11 years this aircraft served in a number of patrol squadrons, finishing its active career with VP-40, which in 1967 became the last squadron in the USN to be operational with flying boats.

A rare Coast Guard aircraft. This one was assigned to CGAS San Francisco in 1955. This is a flying boat on beaching gear.

Big and ugly airplane!