Prior to the introduction of the P-3 Orion in the mid-1960s, the Neptune was the primary U.S. Operational history Early Cold War Emerson nose turret from the Neptune at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Florida, 2007 There was also a hatch in the floor of the aft fuselage, near the sonobuoy chutes. Normal crew access was via a ladder on the aft bulkhead of the nosewheel well to a hatch on the left side of the wheel well, then forward to the observer nose, or up through another hatch to the main deck. The jets were also started and kept running at flight idle during low-altitude (500-foot (150 m) during the day and 1,000-foot (300 m) at night) anti-submarine and/or anti-shipping operations as a safety measure should one of the radials develop problems. In normal US Navy operations, the jet engines were run at full power (97%) to assure takeoff, then shut down upon reaching a safe altitude. This prevented windmilling, allowing for economical piston-engine-only long-endurance search and patrol operations. The jet pods were fitted with intake doors that remained closed when the J-34s were not running. To save weight and complexity of two separate fuel systems, the Westinghouse J34 jet engines on P2Vs burned the 115–145 Avgas fuel of the piston engines, instead of jet fuel. The Convair B-36, several Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, Fairchild C-123 Provider, North American AJ Savage, and Avro Shackleton aircraft were also so equipped. īeginning with the P2V-5F model, the Neptune became one of the first operational aircraft fitted with both piston and jet engines. ![]() Potential use as a bomber led to successful launches from aircraft carriers. Production began in 1946, and the aircraft was accepted into service in 1947. A major factor in the design was ease of manufacture and maintenance, and this may have been a major factor in the type's long life and worldwide success. It was not until 1944 that the program went into full swing. Navy signed a letter of intent for two prototype XP2Vs, which was confirmed by a formal contract on 4 April 1944 with a further 15 aircraft being ordered 10 days later. At first, the new design was considered a low priority compared to other aircraft in development at the time, with Vega also developing and producing the PV-2 Harpoon patrol bomber. ![]() ![]() The type was successful in export, and saw service with several armed forces.ĭesign and development XP2V-1 prototype in 1945 P2V-2 of VP-18 over NAS Jacksonville, 1953ĭevelopment of a new land-based patrol bomber began early in World War II, with design work starting at Lockheed's Vega subsidiary as a private venture on 6 December 1941. Designed as a land-based aircraft, the Neptune never made a carrier landing, but a small number were converted and deployed as carrier-launched (using JATO assist), stop-gap nuclear bombers that would have to land on shore or ditch. It was developed for the US Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and was replaced in turn by the Lockheed P-3 Orion. The Lockheed P-2 Neptune (designated P2V by the United States Navy prior to September 1962) is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft.
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