Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Long-range maritime reconnaissance bomber

Power Plant:

Two 2,611 kw (3,500 hp) Wright R-3350-32W two-row eighteen-cylinder turbo-compound air-cooled radial engines; and two 3,800 lb st Westinghouse J-34-WE-34 turbojets

Specifications:

Armament:

Max bomb load up to 3,629 kg (8,000 lb) in bomb bay comprising bombs up to 970 kg (2,000 lb); two 982 kg (2,165 lb) torpedoes; or two 907 kg (2,000 lb) sea mines; or twelve 147 kg (325 lb) depth charges; hard points on wings for eight 12.7 cm (5 in) rockets

History:

The P2V-7 was a development of the earlier versions, and was the last model built, some 726 being delivered from Lockheed’s plant at Burbank, California between the first flight on 26 April 1954 and April 1962. It differed from the P2V-5 mainly in having a new bulged cockpit canopy which provided better visibility, and small more streamline wingtip tanks. All P2V-7s were fitted with the Wright Turbo-Compound R-3350-32W engine with water injection and two Westinghouse J-34 jet engines installed under the wings.

Canadian aircraft did not have the jet engines but all 12 delivered to the RAAF did. Variants included the AP-2H used in the all-weather gunship role in Vietnam; and the PSV-7U used by both the US Navy and USAF for intelligence gathering. The Australian aircraft were all stock aircraft for maritime patrol work. The type was also licence built for the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, 48 being delivered by Kawasaki Heavy Industries with piston engines and 82 with General Electric T-64-10 turboprops.

In 1961 No 10 Squadron RAAF received twelve P2V-7s (A89-270 to A89-281 – c/ns 726-7270 to-7281), later known as the SP-2H, and these operated from Townsville in Queensland until the squadron took delivery of Lockheed Orions in 1978. This unit had been reformed in March 1949 equipped with Avro Lincolns for general maritime patrol operations and were operated until replaced by the Neptune, the latter being delivered from March 1962. Service of the P2V-7 Neptune was relatively trouble free.

The Neptunes operated many search and rescue operations throughout their career. Each year a detachment was sent to Hawaii to the US Navy station at Barber’s Point for exercises and training with US units. Many joint operations were carried out with US, British and New Zealand units. No 10 Squadron crews won the Fincastle Trophy on three occasions in 1968, 1969 and 1970. In 1969 aircraft from the unit shadowed a Russian submarine and merchant ships off the Australian coast. The aircraft also performed anti-submarine escorts for the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney in the 1960s when that ship was used to carry troops and equipment to the Vietnam War. The last two aircraft from the unit flew over RAAF Townsville on 4 December 1977.

The US Navy used a number fitted with skis in the Antarctic, and many after retirement were converted for forest fire bombing. After withdrawal from service most of the RAAF’s early models were scrapped, a couple ending up on fire dumps at RAAF Wagga Wagga and Richmond, NSW, where they were used for fire practice. A total of ten examples of the Neptune series is known to survive in Australia. One P2V-4/5 (A89-302), which spent many years at RAAF Wagga Wagga, was placed on display at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook and has since been taken to Parkes, NSW to the HARS Museum there. Two others, both SP-2Hs are airworthy with the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society at Albion Park, NSW, these being A89-273/VH-IOY (c/n 7273) and VH-LRR (c/n 7183 – ex N8187Z), an ex-French Aeronavale aircraft restored in New Caledonia and flown to Sydney.

Others are held by museums: A89-277 at the Sid Beck Museum at Mareeba, Qld; A89-275 at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook; A89-279 for a period on display at the now defunct Ryan Military Museum at Dubbo, NSW; A89-281 (c/n 7281 BuAer 149081, 61-49081) sold to the Chewing Gum Field Museum at Coolangatta, QLD, later spending some years at Archerfield, QLD (registration VH-NEP being reserved and painted on the aircraft but not taken up). Restoration of A89-281 was commenced but was not completed. It was obtained in 2004 by HARS, was dismantled and was conveyed to Albion Park, NSW where it was restored to static display standard, giving this organisation three Neptunes in its collection at Albion Park, and another two at Parkes, a total of five. In 2016 A89-277, after the demise of the owner of the Mareeba Museum, was obtained and conveyed to the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra.

Another two were at Townsville (A89-272 and A89-280) in the RAAF Museum annex, consideration being given to the latter initially being restored to airworthiness; and the former as a gate guardian at the RAAF base. In 2016 A89-272 was obtained by HARS. It was dismantled and conveyed to Parkes, NSW where it became part of the HARS Museum and storage facility at that airport.

An ex-US aircraft (N54317 – BuAer 145921) converted for fire bombing was imported to Western Australia and was expected to become VH-NEP (c/n 7191 – ex VH-JUK ntu, N54317). Owned by Aerocorp, it was based at Guildford, WA and was fitted with a 10,000 litre (2,200 Imp gal) tank. It was restored and first flew on 22 December 1999. It was to be used for firebombing and oil-spill dispersal contracts in Australia and overseas. However, it was not used much and a syndicate was formed to operate it as a warbird as VH-JUK. This registration was not taken up and it is believed it was offered to HARS at one stage but the offer was not taken up either. It has remained in storage at Cunerdin in Western Australia.