P2V-7 (P-2H) Neptune seen at NAS Lann-Bihoué. (Damian Allard)
ASW PATROL AIRCRAFT
Designed with extreme range and endurance in mind, the P2V can trace its origins to work carried out by Lockheed subsidiary Vega (and designer Mac Short in particular) into an aircraft combining a high aspect ratio wing with two then new R-3350 Radial engines. With Lockheed focusing its efforts on other high-priority designs like the P-38 and Ventura, it was not until the last months of the WWII that the prototype XP2V-1 Neptune finally flew. Aside from the previously mentioned features, the aircraft also had large Fowler for good short-field performance, a large weapons bay and two defensive turrets. It made its first flight on May 17th 1945. As if to prove the point about its range, the third production P2V-1 set a world distance record of 11,235 miles (18,077 km) in October 1946. The first of 838 Neptunes was delivered to the US Navy in March 1947, and the aircraft went on to serve as the standard ASW platform for many Western countries well into the 1960s such as France, the USA, the UK, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina and Canada. Built over seven distinct sub-types, the Neptune evolved into a superb maritime patrol aircraft, which was also produced in piston-engined from by Kawasaki in Japan. Aside from its use with the navies of the world, modified OP-2E Elint and AP-2H 'gunship' versions were also employed to great effect by the USAF and Army in Vietnam. Now fully retired from military service, near on 40 SP-2/Hs are gainfully employed as firebombers in North America.
The Aéronautique Navale
Française received thirty-one P2V-6 Neptunes
(twin-engined/ two Wright turbo-cyclone compound R-3350 of 3,500 hp)
in the context of the MDAP (Mutual Defence Aid Pact) which operated
between 1953 and 1969 within the 21F (1953-1966), 22F, 23F et 8S
squadrons. The first example (BuAer
134638) landed at Orly on January 19th 1953, then was
delivered to the 11F squadron (future 25F and 21F).
Twenty-six were delivered in 1953 ; then they took delivery
of five additionnal examples in early 1955. They were used over Algeria
with an APS-33 radar as a minelayer/ recce/ ASW aircraft.
Their nose and tail 20 mm turrets were removed and replaced
by a glazed nose in 1957 and a MAD from 1955.
The dorsal one was kept but finally removed in 1962. 100,000 had
been accumulated since 1953.
Variant Number in the French
Navy BuAer Status P2V-6 6037 134640 returned to the
USA P2V-6 6054 134657 returned to the
USA
The French Naval Aviation also operated thirty-four P2V-7s (then designated P-2H/ SP-2Hs in 1962) between June 1958 and August 1984 motorized with two Wright R-3350-32W Compound engines of 3,700 hp and two J34-WE-36 turbo jets added for extra thrust (3,196 lbs). They flew within the 23F, 24F, 25F (until 1983), 9S and 12S (until 1984 in the Pacific Ocean) squadrons. The first example (BuAer 144683) was convoyed by LV Bardon in April 1958. The P2V-7 Neptune BuAer 147569 'Yankee Echo' a.k.a. "Goldorak" operated by the 25F squadron, had been fitted with electronic warfare antennas and various equipement (ECM jammers, Exocet radar unit) in order to train French Navy warships and fighters. The French P2V-7 Neptune's fleet was composed by four subvariants which corresponded to their delivery batch and their BuAer : there were 16 Neptunes batch 144 000 and 146 000, 10 Neptunes batch 147 000 and finally 8 examples batch 148 000.
Variant Number in the French
Navy BuAer Status P2V-7 7136 144685 museum Germany P2V-7 7137 144686 scrapped P2V-7 7138 144687 burned Tahiti P2V-7 7139 144688 museum France P2V-7 7140 144689 burned LaTontouta P2V-7 7143 144692 display
Netherlands P2V-7 7145 146432 burned Tahiti P2V-7 7152 146433 burned Tahiti P2V-7 7154 146435 returned to US P2V-7 7155 146436 returned to US P2V-7 7156 146437 returned to US P2V-7 7157 146438 museum
Netherlands P2V-7 7174 147562 storage Lorient P2V-7 7177 147563 museum France P2V-7 7183 147566 sold to
Australian P2V-7 7244 148331 burned Tahiti P2V-7 7253 148333 stored Hoa P2V-7 7262 148334 museum France P2V-7 7264 148335 museum France P2V-7 7266 148336 out of service Wallis
Island
Specifications :
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1/ Electronic Equipment
P2V-6
Communications
equipment -1 on board
telephone. -1 HF transmitter
linked to MF and HF receivers. -1 ten-frequency
VHF. -1 UHF linked to a
UHF radiogoniometer. -1 HF connection
with ground troops (not permanently
installed). Navigation -1 radio
compass. -1 radiosonde
. -1 beacon
receiver. -1 GPI
calculator. -1 PPI Tactical
Display. -1 APS-33B radar
linked to the GPI and the PPI, a bombardment
calculator linked to a IFF transponder and a
nondirectional interrogator. ESM
counter-measures -1 receiver linked
to the radiogoniometer. ASW
Equipment -1 buoy receiver,
for British T-45 and US SSQ-2B buoys. -1
magnetometer. -1 MAD. Misc. -Autopilot. -Sextant. -Oxygen
equipment. -Searchlight (on
the starboard wing).
P2V-7
Communications
Equipment -1 on board
telephone. -1 HF
transmitter/receiver, later replaced with 2 HF
transmitters/receivers linked to a teleprinter and
encoding equipment. -1 ten-frequency
VHF transmitter/receiver, later replaced by
thirty-frequency gear. -1 UHF linked to
the goniometer. Counter-Measures -They are linked to
a radiogoniometer and an analyser. Navigation -1
astro-compass. -1
gyroscope. -1 magnetic
compass. -1 bearing
calculator. -1 doppler (only on
batch 148 000). -1
radiosonde. -2 MH radio
compasses. -1 Loran
Charlie. -1
TACAN. -1
VOR/ILS. -1 radar-linked
navigation calculator, and a tacical dispaly for
the pilot and the navigator. -1 APS-20 radar
linked to the directional IFF
transponder. - IFF linked to the
active/passive decoders. ASW
equipment -1 four way buoy
receiver linked to the gonio system. -1 passive Jezebel
detector (only on batches 147 000 and 148
000). -1 active Julie
detector (only on batches 147 000 and 148
000). -1 MAD. -1 smoke
detector.
2/ Ordnance
P2V-6
P2V-7
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