Lockheed P-2 Neptune

After AD-A School in Memphis, Tennesse was assigned to PAX River. (Jan 1953-Apr 1956) Reported to Electronics Test. VP Group. Worked on and was 2nd Mech,and Plane Captian on P2-V's 3,5, 5F, 7. We had the new and old A /C. Was 2nd Mech on P2-5 (880) Maj Russel was Pilot and A.F. Lewis was Plane Captian. Those were really enjoyable times. Finished my Naval days at Pax River.

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I joined the reserve at Willow Grove NAS in 1960 while still in H.S., went to College and went on active duty as a StationKeeper to train the reserves in 1966. Maintained the P2V7's Electronic gear and flew as a Jez Operator. I though the plane was outstanding. I recently paid considerable to fly at a Reading Airshow to fly in a B-17. Construction similar to the P2V7 in that no frills. I would love an opportunity to fly again in a P2V7.
Anyone who served at WG in the above timeperiod send me an email. Some of the best times in my life.

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I was No. 10 sqdn RAAF in Townsville from 1967 - 1970 as a Radio Technician and spent many hours on flights as ground crew member. Visited Barbers Point Hawaii and did a lot of exercises around Australia in our P2V-7's. There are some still flying in Australia and the sound of the radial engines still bring back great memories.

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I was in VP 24 in Norfolk from Feb 1960-Jan 1963. As an Airman or Airman Apprentice, I was almost immediately assigned to Crew 7 and remained on that crew until I was released from active duty. While the squadron was never deployed during my service, we did have some interesting and exciting missions. The Bay of Pigs invasion--our job was to look for Cuban refugees leaving the island in small boats. In the summer of 62 we were sent to Keflavik to monitor Soviet naval operations in the North Atlantic. In the fall of 62 we were in Guantanamo Bay for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Crew 7 members Pilot Ltcdr. Dan Sliwinski-later replaced by Lt. Pete Catalano, Copilot Lt. John Shuster-replaced by Ltjg. Larry Rasmussen, Plane Capt. Don (Bones) Kelly, Jez Opt Max Lawhon, Nav. don't remember, Radar yours truly, Electrician Carl Ramsey, Radio Dusty Rhodes, Ordnance don't remember and Second Mech JC Burton. In all my hours in the P2V7, we had very few mishaps--an engine failure, an electrical fire and an almost disasterous obstacle take at San Juan airport. Ah, the memories.

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I was on a air crew in th USNR at Floyd Bennett Field VP 836 1954 to 1963.Did ASW Work Was a Petol Missle operator.
Currently I work with a group of volunteers at Floyd Bennett in Hanger B. I am workin on a P2V 5F SP-2E Buro#131542 - I re painted it an have tried to restore some of the interior. I will never fly but it looks great.
Check it and our other planes in the hanger a the Natonal Parks Service Site Floyd Bennett. We give free tours Tuesday,Thursday & Saturday -718-338-5986 10am to 3pm
The smell inside the P2V never goes away the gas,oil etc stay with you forever.

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there is a SP-2H in mint condition at RAF cosford

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Hello to all! I was with VP-6 from 1968 to 71 so I missed the P-2. Never flew in one but god ya gotta love the looks of that bird!! I've always felt that "real Planes" had props and radial engines.

I'm doing some CAD drawings of the P-2s for the time period from 1960 to the mid 60s. I'm having trouble getting accurate info on the ordinance the P-2 carried under the wings. I'm sure it carried missiles and rockets but I need the actual names of the ordinance and the Mark /Mod numbers. That way I can Google them and get drawings and specs for drawing them. I'm doing the drawings for a shipmate. The drawing fo the P-2 is done but I need the info so I can add "ATTITUDE" to the drawing!

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

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I was 2nd mech under Jerry Steverson 1967-68 our piolt was LtCom Bar Steverson Flying Phantoms Vp18 Crew 12 out of Roosevelt Road, PR. I remember this time of my life as one of the best times. Looking to contact other crew members Johnnie Pride, Duke (radio man LG1) DC Cooper

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I was an AE2 in VP8 from Sept 48 to Sept 49. We went to Newfoundland in late Dec and came back to RI in April. We were flying P2V2 that year.

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Oh yes the good ole reliable P2Vs,I was with VP-6 in 56 & 57 with the P2V5F we deployed to Iwakuni & My positions were,Plane Capt.or bow gunner as we had still all 3 turrets,late 60 till mid Dec 63 I was with VP-9 @ Alameda,a /c 135562 & I flew with my crew for 3 yrs with this bird,67 I went to VP-1 here @ Whidbey Is. & as I was checking into the sqdn.@ 01:30 in Sangley there sat 135562 well I jumped out of the truck & ran up to the ole girl & gave the nose gear a big hug & pat & told her it was so good to see it again,well when I came back @ 10:30 that morning all of VP-1 heard about it,we flew together several times while with VP-1 but some of my more memoriable things with ole 135562 I reenlisted in it while flying with VP-9 in 1962 & Good ole Tex Coleman with VP-1 in 1968 mad e arrangements to take YB-12 135562 this particular day because I was reenlisting again so he swore m,e in in the after station while flying patrol in Vietnam,so in my career I got over 3,000 hrs. in this a /c with many many memories but the most memoriable incident was on our 1968 deployment to Sangley Pt & Vietnam a /c 150282,we just passed Nov. Station on our way to Barbers Point When we encountered problems with our stbd.eng.,had to turn back to Alameda on a new low time eng. & flew 6.2 hrs.single eng.back to Alameda.
We lost 3 CSD's on that danged stbd recip before we finally got to B.P Hawaii
Barely got back to Alameda & out of petro after roll out.
I accumulated over 9,500 hrs in the P2 a /c & loved it all. Bill Yuschalk

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I flew with VP 16 (1954-1956), then to reserve stations for 17 years Got to fly the P2V 2,3,4,5,5F, 6 and 7.Great airplane.

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What a great airplane. I was a Plane Captain SP2E and SP2H VP-4 1961-1963 then to VP-1 1963-1964. Over 1900 accident free hours; the airplane always returned from the mission safely.

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Vp 31 / NARTU NORIS 1970- 1972 What a mix. Reg navy, Tars, Army and Navy Reserves. The Fam 1 flights were scary with the Army helicopter pilots in the old P2V 5's taken out of Davis Mothan.

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I flew the P2V-7 /SP2H with VP1 at Whidby Island, with 3 Alaskan deployments, 1960-1963. I then flew SP2H and E models with VP31 in San Diego. Trained most of the Crazy Cats and VO67 crews. Later flew P3B with VP1 again.

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Fresh out of AW-A school in Memphis in '71 I had an opportunity to catch a flight to Key West while at reserve C school in Willow Grove. I fell in love with flying ( as I knew I would ) and enjoyed it so much I switched to regular Navy, but they were flying P3Cs ( big difference ). I will never forget crawling over the wing to go fore and aft, and wearing the parachute harness ( without the chute ) while in the air. Junior man on the crew, all the gopher jobs, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

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I was in FASRON 116 in Alameda From Oct. 55 to May 57 We were a support Squadron for VP-19 and VP-22 our Squadron had 2 P2V-5F I enjoyed flying on weekends. after Navy Life I worked for Delta Airlines untill retirement 20 years ago.The P2V-5F was a great Airplane

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I was an AE-3 in Vp-8 flying in P2v-5FS Neptunes in 1960-62. VP-8 has a web site for all former flyers that were in VP-8. Lots of North Alantic patrols & trips to Puerto Rico at rosy roads and some great weekends in Bermuda..just had to land at the air force base.

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1953, I was an AN (E3) at North Island. First P2V-7 factory test a /c came in. Admiral looked it over, signed some papers and they taxied out. At the runway they held the brakes as long as possible with '2 turning and 2 burning' and then let it roll. Aircraft was fully insturmentated; they climbed out at 2 degrees below stall angle. Circled around, feathered the props and made a high speed pass down the runway and another sharp pull up. Navy took pictures but we couldn't get any copies. Darn!

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I was an A02 in VP-4 1954-1956 and was the tail gunner in "Sugar Charley 7" a P2V-5...I spent two years looking where I had been instead of where I was going. I was the photographer...took drift readings for Nav...and made the coffee...kind of chief baggage boy and bottle washer.We had 6 P2V s with MAD gear and 6 with tail turrets. I loved flying in that bird...very dependable.

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Stationed in VP-30 Det-Jax as a Plane Captain instructor from 1962 through 1966.Trained students in both the SP2H-5 and 7. The P2V 2 was a forgiving aircraft and a super sub hunter for its time. I really enjoyed training students who were mostly senior to me, for I was a ADJ-3 then ADJ-2 at that time, also most had many more flight hours. Yes, the P2V aircraft an stay airborne on just the jets, just one of many exciting Oh! Oh! experiences. Was involved in VP-5's transition from P2's to the P3 Orion.

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