Boeing were keen to get an aircraft into USN service, leading to a prototype maritime patrol aircraft based on the C-97 Stratofreighter. The lower hold area was converted to 2 large weapons bays, as well as additional fuel storage, while a large nose mounted search radar radome was also installed, along with a MAD boom and sonobuoy launch tubes. Boeing opted to re-use the name Sea Ranger, in honour of their XPBB-1 flying boat.
Painted in mock USN colours, the P3B-1S prototype was demonstrated to the USN in 1952 and then passed to the service for further evaluation.
In the end the USN decided that the type didn’t offer enough of an improvement on the P2V-5 Neptune, so an order for the type did not follow.
The prototype was retained by the USN however and operated for test and evaluation of various systems, many of which were later fitted to the P2V-7 Neptune and the later P-3 Orion.
The sole Sea Ranger was retired from USN service in 1977.
