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Lockheed P2V-7 (P-2H) 'Neptune'

Description
  Manufacturer:Lockheed


  Base model:P2V
  Designation:P2V
  Version:-7
  Nickname:Neptune
  Equivalent to: P-2H P2HP-2H
  Designation System:U.S. Navy / Marines
  Designation Period:1923-1962
  Basic role:Patrol
  See Also:

Specifications
  Length: 91' 8" 27.9 m
  Wingspan: 103' 10" 31.6 m
  Wingarea: 1,000.0 sq ft 92.8 sq m
  Empty Weight: 49,935 lb 22,646 kg
  Gross Weight: 73,139 lb 33,169 kg
  Max Weight: 79,895 lb 36,233 kg

Propulsion
  No. of Engines: 2
  Powerplant: Wright R-3350-32W
  Horsepower (each): 3500

Performance
  Range: 2,200 miles 3,542 km
  Cruise Speed: 188 mph 302 km/h 163 kt
  Max Speed: 403 mph 648 km/h 350 kt
  Climb: 1,760 ft/min 536 m/min
  Ceiling: 22,000 ft 6,705 m

Known serial numbers
153611 / 153616

Examples of this type may be found at
MuseumCityState
Mid-Atlantic Air MuseumReadingPennsylvania
Museum of AviationWarner Robins AFBGeorgia
Pima Air & Space MuseumTucsonArizona

P-2H on display

Mid-Atlantic Air Museum

Museum of Aviation
   


 

Recent comments by our visitors
 Chuck Moehle
 , MI
I got to know the P2V-7 while stationed at Alameda NAS in VP-19 from 1960 to 1963. What a great plane, like some have mentioned the sound of those two R-3350 engines at take off was something to behold. I flew in a flight crew as second mech for a year then was grounded for a sinus condition. Spent the rest of my hitch in the trouble shooters crew.
06/01/2012 @ 14:09 [ref: 58609]
 bob runci
 walpole, MA
was re-living my time with the p2v-7 and read lennie bourgois time in 1958 - 1961 with vp-23. i am wondering his time with bob (pappy) kline, plane captain, is the same bob kline i worked with in 1955-1958 in brunswick maine, fasron 108. bob and i were mechs. during that tour. would appreciate any info concerning bobs' location. thanks to anyone who can help. regards, bob runci.

02/28/2012 @ 11:53 [ref: 53470]
 Don Tyrrel
 , IL
I spent the early 60's at Lockheed, Burbank, testing the naval reserve -5's and the assembly line -7's as a electronics flight test tech. It was the end of the production run for the type which I believe ran 17 years. There were only 10 of us flight test techs on the line, and we wrote the sqawks and then came down and worked off the squawks and then went up and bought off the same squawks. Then when a "Navy" flight would come along, we acted as Navy personel and bought the airplane for the Navy. As I said, this was the end of the line for the airplane. The P3 was coming along. We were all offered jobs testing the P3, but we would have to go into management. I was a union man from the toes up, so I declined.
I had some interesting close calls in the P2. We had engine fires which we had to blow out because the airplane has no extinguishers. A nose wheel fell off on take off and landed in the cemetery at the end of the runway. Once we almost ran out of fuel, when, as we were returning from a low-level ASQ-8 flight over the channel, the sheriff's department asked us to scout for them during the Brentwood Fire. The pilots got so interested in that, they forgot to keep an eye on the gages. Of course, these were brand new airplanes that had never flown, and they use to "oil can" on their first take-off when the fillets stretched as the wing began to lift the airplane. But, what's most important... they always brought us home.
The P3 proved to be a very good replacement, but my heart will always belong to the P2.
08/11/2011 @ 14:35 [ref: 45999]
 Jim Renner
 , GA
My father, Richard D. Renner, flew this aircraft for some time after WWII. How would I find out what squadron he flew with, and if any of his Navy buddies are still around? Thank you.
09/11/2010 @ 14:30 [ref: 29934]
 Marlin Elkins
 Pensacola, FL
Just read the comments about the Neptune and wanted to say that I was fortunate enough to be associated with her from 1959 to 1966. I did three consecutive VP tours starting with VP 26 then VP 30 and lastly VP 5. I left VP 5 in 1967 but by then we had switched to the P3. I sure hated to see them go. It was like losing an old love. Sure would like to make one more rocket run while seated in the bow but time marches on........
04/24/2010 @ 22:07 [ref: 26080]
 Daniel Rivers
 Surprise, AZ
I was introduced to the Neptune in 1966 when I was assigned to VP-30 Det Jax, NAS Jacksonville, Florida after completing AMFU-A School at NATTC,Memphis,TN. I was with the "Old Pros" from April 1966 to October 1968 when the squadron detachment was disbanded and transition was completed to the P-3 at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The time that I spent with the Neptune was to become the high point of my Naval career. I loved working on those engines. The sound of two R3350's revving up is quite unique and when you throw in the two Westinghouse J34 jets spooling up to 97% for a ground test, the noise and vibration aren't soon to be forgotten. But, nothing compares to flying in a Neptune. I was blessed to be assigned to flightcrew status where I trained as flight egineer and plane captain. I flew quite few 18 hour turn arounds and also extended missions down to Roosevelt Roads(we liked to refer to these as "rum runs ' for obvious reasons). I really loved spending time in the nose of the Neptune. The view was awesome from there. I had some photos that I took when we were flying over West Virgina in late 1968 on our way an airshow at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, but unfortunately they got lost. The memory though still stays in my mind along with all the other memories of my time with the Neptune P2V-7. in October 1968 I was transfered to VS-30 NAS Boca Chica(now NAS Key West), Florida. There I spent the next two years with the Grumman S2F. After having spent over two years working on and flying in the SP2H Neptune, the little "STOOF" as we called them was a big comedown. Nothing, in my mind can compare to flying in the Lockheed Neptune. The P3 orion is bigger and faster but it doesn't have the grace of the P2V-7 Neptune. It's been over thirty years since I last flew in a Neptune, but, believe me, I will never forget it.
10/11/2009 @ 16:12 [ref: 25169]
 Daniel Rivers
 Surprise, AZ
I was introduced to the Neptune in 1966 when I was assigned to VP-30 Det Jax, NAS Jacksonville, Florida after completing AMFU-A School at NATTC,Memphis,TN. I was with the "Old Pros" from April 1966 to October 1968 when the squadron detachment was disbanded and transition was completed to the P-3 at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The time that I spent with the Neptune was to become the high point of my Naval career. I loved working on those engines. The sound of two R3350's revving up is quite unique and when you throw in the two Westinghouse J34 jets spooling up to 97% for a ground test, the noise and vibration aren't soon to be forgotten. But, nothing compares to flying in a Neptune. I was blessed to be assigned to flightcrew status wher I trained as flight egineer and plane captain. I flew quite few 18 hour turn arounds and also extended missions down to Roosevelt Roads(we liked to refer to these as "rum runs ' for obvious reasons). I really loved spending time in the nose of the Neptune. The view was awesome from there. I had some photos that I took when we were flying over West Virgina in late 1968 on our way an airshow Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, but unfortunately they got lost. The memory though still stays in my mind along with all the other memories of my time with the Neptune P2V-7. in October 1968 I was transfered to VS-30 NAS Boca Chica(now NAS Key West), Florida. There I spent the next two years with the Grumman S2F. After having spent over two years working on and flying the SP2H Neptune, the little "STOOF" as we called them was a big comedown. Nothing, in my mind can compare to flying in the Lockheed Neptune. The P3 orion is bigger and faster but it doesn't have the grace of the P2V-7 Neptune. It's been over thirty years since I last flew in a Neptune, but, believe me, I will never forget it
10/11/2009 @ 16:09 [ref: 25168]
 Maurie Simons
 , OTH
I also served in 10Squadron RAAF as an engine fitter with Kev on the P2 from late 73 until 77 when it all sadly ended. There is nothing quite like the sound of those R3350's at 60 inches of MAP on a take-off roll. A favourite trick on a night engine-run was to advance power to static MAP and hold on fuel prime switch. Used to shoot big flames out of the power recover turbines and scare the heck out of any uninitiated bystander. Having spent a lot of hours sitting in the jump seat, I don't remember cruising at more than 180 knots though. Must say that in my 37 years in aviation, the Neptune remains my favourite.
01/13/2009 @ 22:42 [ref: 23483]
 larry rummel
 saint charles, MO
I was attached to VP-1{Fleet's Finest}from 1966-68 as an electronics tech with various crews...home port was Whidbey Island...numerous Westpacs to Iwakuni and Sangley Point ,with detachments at TanSonNhut in '66 and Cam Ranh Bay in 67 and 68.....the P2-V was a great plane to fly in..low and slow but a real workhorse...Market Time was our mission and we detected and captured a supply trawler in early 66...received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for that! enlistment was up just prior to transition to P-3's as we were the last squadron to fly P-2s...
10/29/2008 @ 12:12 [ref: 22945]
 Tom Mehsling
 Byers, CO
I got some flight time in a civilian P2V-7 that belonged to a group called Military Heritage Command in Denver C0.
The maintenance proved to be to much for the few people that were qualified to work on it. And to expensive to keep pilots qualified. So it got traded for 2 O-2's.
The group has since disbanded.
Back to the P2,our crew chief was Bob (pappy) Kline. Lennie, I have Bob's e-mail address. E-mail me, and in the mean time I'll e-mail him and see if he wants to give it out.

04/14/2008 @ 18:27 [ref: 20556]

 

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