Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Flew the P2V-5 & 5F's while attached to VP-1(1952 -55)NAS Whidbey,Is.,WA
Two deployments to Okinawa to fly the China Coast and Formosa Straits patrols.Our patrols were always 10 -12hrs with great aircraft dependability. 2nd deployment returned opposite way home that took us to Phillipines,Singapore.Ceylon (Sri-lanka),
Bahrain,Alexandri.Egypt.Naples,Pt.Lautey,Azores,Quonset Pt.,Hutchinson,and then NAS Whidbey. This aircraft endured thru-out with no problems - all 12 that started finished which supports the dependability of the P2V. My over 1000hrs in the P2V were most enjoyable and memorable

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I was in VP-4 from 1 /1956 to 1 /1958. I should know Jerry Reinhardt, but do not remember. I was in crew # 7 Tail gunner and Cameraman, Loved it!
Jerry Reinhardt, J-M-reinhardt=sbcglobal.net, 22.05.2008
I flew with VP-4 from 1954-57. We converted from P2V-5 to P2v-5F with the J-34 jet engines about halfway through my tour. We were also the designated mining squadron for the West Coast, so most of our planes had twin 20mm cannons in a ball in the nose, twin 50s on the top turret, plus twin 20 mm cannons in the tail. We flew out of Whidbey Island, Iwakuni, Japan, and Naha Okinawa for 3 years, and patrolled all the way from Vladivostok to Vietnam. A great airplane.

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I went to Barbers Point Hawaii in 1954 to VP-6 We flew the P2V 5f, we had gun turrits on them at the time. I finaly got to go on a flight crew as ordenance man. assigned as tail gunner. I was advised the life expectancy in action was 5 seconds. Shortley after we removed the turrets. Made one deployment to Iwakuni Japan for 6 months. I loved the plane and the NAVY.

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Does anyone know the noise level while flying in the P2V-7?

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The Army bought 5 p-2's from the Navy, and I flew in them in Viet Nam in 1971-72. I last saw a flyable one in Graybull, Wyoming in 1990. Good plane, always got us home.

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Was a plank owner in VP-30(june 1960-63)Enjoyed my next /best tour in loving eleven(VP-11 1963-66)My wife(Annell)started wives club -those were the most memorable days!! I retired AECS from AIMD CECIL 1978 God bless all shipmates & all true blooded Americans- political correct or not

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I was in VP-26 five years, 1960-1965. It was the most memorable and exciting years of my life. When I arrived in Brunswick, VP-26 was deployed to Iceland and Spain. Since there were only weeks before their return the Wing made me OinC(Officer in Charge) of painting and getting the hangar ready for the return of the Squadron. They returned with exciting stories of catching a USSR ballistic missile sub on the surface north of Iceland and tracking it all the way back to their base. Although our primary mission was ASW they varied widely and we never knew what would come up. The Russian fishing fleet with their Elint trawlers were not far off the Maine coast and we enjoyed sneaking up on them to light them up with our searchlight hoping to catch a sub on the surface. Being a junior PPC I got many all-night, and often IFR, 12 hour patrols. I enjoyed getting the flight hours. On one night patrol we were diverted to the area where the Thresher went down. We searched the area hours for survivors but found little more than floating debris. A ship was hi-jacked off the coast of Puerto Rico and we tracked it almost to Brazil.

Patrolling the north Atlantic was not always easy. Weather was a major factor. One stormy night we were socked-in total IFR and freezing rain which was too much for our deicers. They melted the ice on the leading edge but the water refreezed half way back on the wings! The controls were getting "mushy" and it was imperative that we get the ice off. Our hand held search lights showed it was 6" thick or more and was disturbing our airflow and lift. I was at 10,000' and decided to descend hoping to get below the freezing level. The problem was that our altimeters had been set at take-off in Brunswick and we had flown hours into a low pressure area so they were reading high but were actually low so we did not know our true altitude. I ordered dropping out the 150' trailing wire antennae and told after-station to immediately announce if it pulled out on contact with the water surface. At approximately 200' we broke out and huge sheets of ice began to break off and we could hear them crashing into the fuselage and our huge 27' tail. The jets had been on during this gut wrenching experience. The main responsibility of any PPC is the safety of the crew so it was prudent for us to get out of this weather and return to base.

The most memorable mission was when JFK announced the blockade of Cuba and VP-26 was ordered to deploy to Boca Chico in Key West. Within hours we set up tent headquarters and flew constant patrols along the Cuban coast, sometimes being shadowed by Cuban MIGs. We asked the USSR ships to open their crates so we could take pictures of the missiles and IL-28 bombers coming out of Cuba. It was eat-sleep-fly so pilots often logged 120 hrs /mo. As soon as we landed our camera films were jetted to D.C. and many of our pics were quickly declassified and we saw them in the news magazines. JFK honored us with a visit to the Squadron and praised our work.

Our deployment to Sigonella had many interesting experiences. We found a Soviet sub between Sicily and North Africa. But a RON to Tripoli, Libya was more memorable just to get a glimpse of this country and when leaving we requested a two hour VFR fly over the Sahara. It is a memory I'll never forget because we saw it from just a few hundred feet. Another mission was to deliver a classified package from Naples to NATO Headquarters in London so we had a three day trip to remember. We had to fly around France because they would not allow US military in their airspace…can you imagine after what the US did for them in WWll. Another aircraft with Jesus Topax as PPC had an unexpected visit to Parma due to a seriously sick crewmemeber. Luckily, he was fluent in Spanish. In 1964 the Greeks and Turks were fighting in Crete so our orders were to do recon around the island. We RONed in Athens and had a great time, then flew along Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, did recon around Crete and landed at Adana, Turkey. This was a frightening place. The Turks did not like us. Americans had flocked to the base for security so we had to find a room at a hotel in Adana. We took a small USAF bus to town but at some intersections the Turks would surround our bus and rock it from side-to-side. I had only a 38 S&W with tracer shells for emergencies. I was scarred! We stayed in the best hotel we could find for $1 /night. It was an experience…a bad one!
Once back in Sig I flew some VP-26ers to Aviano AFB for leave in Venice. On takeoff climbing out from Aviano we were hit by lightening and all electronics, both com and navigation, were fried. I continued VFR off the west coast of Italy and at Sig made a low pass, got a green light and landed. Both tip tanks had the tail sheared off leaving a hole the size of a quarter but everyone was home safe.

Coming home is always exciting and it was like a race to Rota, then to Lages, and finally to Br ...

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In the spring of 1951, I joined the Patrol Squadron, VP-741 - a reserve outfit, even though I was regular Navy, now in NAS JAX (Jacksonville, Florida, Naval Air Station - where I had been going to Storekeeper (Supply) School). Yep, I was a storekeeper, not on a flight crew - but about every 6 weeks, I would get to fly (the storekeepers took turns). Not just sure when, but the squadron turned Regular Navy - and became VP-16. We went overseas about 6 mos. out of the year - first to "Malta in the Med", then to Port Layoti (I even forget how to spell it) in French Morocco, North Africa, (My first exposure to Arabs and Muslims!)(My opinion hasn't changed! ! !) and finally to Iceland - Beautiful Country when were were there in the Spring /Summer, 1954. Never got above 50ºF - but didn't freeze much, either (WHILE WE WERE THEIR!)! Had some fun with a Russian MIG during one of the flights I was on! We, The Navy, was going to pull a "mock raid" on the U.S. Air Force, who were also stationed there, too - just to test their readiness! Their tours of duty were more than double ours! Naw, they didn't like us very well! ! ! We were planning to rendezvous out over the water, then fly in over the Island, unannounced, but got too close to Russia in the process and they sent a couple of MIGs up after us. One was on our starboard, flying really close to us. The Pilot radioed back to me, saying: "Bodey, get up in that top turret, but keep your hands off of those 50's! I did! The Russian pilot was motioning for us to get away - and had a scowl on his face! Just for the heck of it, I raised my hand and waved at him! ! ! Momentarily, the scowl left his face, ad his waving turned into a genuine wave. I thought I saw a smile on his face, even - but that was probably wishful thinking on my part!

Our pilot noticed it, too. He bellowed over the radio: Bodey, What are you doing back there? I merely replied, I just waved at him. The Pilot, with a grin in his voice said, Well do it again! ! ! But it was too late - the Mig was gone!
That was my last overseas trip, as I took a discharge on my
birthday in '54, which they were allowing then - as they wanted to cut the numbers down - and I was ready! ! !

As the saying goes: "It seems like only yesterday! ! !"

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I was a crew member on P2V7 serving with VP 24 in Norfork, VA. Spent a freezing winter in Kevlavik Iceland and a sweltering summer in Guantanamo during the missile crisis in '63. Lost track of logged hours, flying 14 hour patrols around Cuba photographing Soviet ships bringing missiles in and hiding them in the mountains. Enjoyed dropping the fruit from our box lunches onto the soviet ships and watching them run for cover.

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I was ordered to Observation Squadron 67 (VO-67) in '68 to fly in the OP-2E (modified P-2V5)when my orders were changed to Heavy Attack Squadron 21 (VAH-21), with AP-2H's (P-2V7s) where I did my tour... Numerous crewmen from each squadron have been inducted into the Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor aboard the USS Yorktown museum in Charleston Harbor, Mt. Pleasant, SC. It's still hard to believe that an acft designed to hunt /kill submarines could do so many things so well over land...

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Was an ABH-3 stationed at VP-5 NAS Jax From 1964 through 1966, including a 5-month deployment to Sigonella and 6 weeks to Key West (during a hurricane). "Pushed" a lot of P-2s around during that timeframe, until the squadron upgraded to P-3As. Both were great aircraft...capable of day-after-day of long, punishing hours on patrol. Although the P-3s were a lot more "comfortable", there was something about the "racket" produced by the P-2s that would do a better job of keeping the crews awake, alert (and annoyed) on long patrols !

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I was in the last class graduated from the VP30 Jax detachment in 1968. I went from there to VP-21 in Brunswick and got one deployment to Sigonella under my belt before they shut the squadron down in 1969. I was transferred from the unpressurized, under-heated, non-airconditioned, cramped and noisy P2V-7 to the P3B and almost felt like I was being punished. There is hardly a sensation in the world like spending hours in the bow of the P2 watching the world drift by. I was the MAD /ECM operator while on my shortened tour with VP-21 and no other squadron or duty came close to that experience. After tours in VP-26, and instructor tour in P3Cs with VP-30 (Pax River) and my final tour with VP-11 back in Brunswick, I left the Navy in 1976 but continued to support the Dept of the Navy at Pax River. I still have fond memories of the low altitude crusing and the noise and thunder of those 3350s and the jets.

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First introduced to the P2V-5F in VP-5, 1956,NAS Jax. Worked in Powere Plants and went on crew as 2nd Mech in 1958 as a third class (ADR3). Made deployments to Sigonella, Argentia, Iceland, Puerto Rico. Went to VU-8, Rosy Roads, and went on crew in 1961. Flew in the DP-2E. Never n\\knew that the P2 would fly at 20,000 feet...but it did. Next, after a shortened shore-duty (2 vice 3) I was sent to NADC Johnsville and flew on the P2V-5F. Made deployments to Panama. Left NADC and sent to VP-21 where Ihad my first taste of the P2V-7...the Royles Roice of the P2 series. Made 2 deployments to Sunny Sigonella, Soudah Bay, Crete.The P2 was the most forgiving A /C in its time. VP-21 disestablished and I went to VP-26. They flew P3's. Sure did miss the comfort of the P2's.

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I was a mech in VR 32 on North Island San Diego in 54 and 55
We had 32 AP's and 30 officer Pilots and I was very fortunate to fly as engineer on all the following P2V's 2 3 4 5 5F 6 7 and most peapole don't know it but there was an 8 without jets built for Canada.
The best and fastest was the 2 it had no garbage on it and it didn't have compound turbose
I got to go to the factory and pick up bran new plamnes and to O&R and allways had an Ap as plane commander and got to go all over the USA to pick up and deliver them
Those were the days

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I first flew the P2V in 1959 after I joined VP-19 in Alameda. We deployed to Kodak the Spring of 1960. After four years with VP-19 and over 2,000 hours and PPC qualification I joined the reserves. Have been in reserve squadrons at Sand Point, Whidbey IS., Andrews AFB, and retired at Pt. Magu in 1982 with about 5,000 hours and a deep respect for what this a /c could do. Heavy bomb loads, long range, awesome endurance (my longest flight was a tad over 20 hours), and remarkable safety record. A very sweet machine.

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Survived being shot down by Russian migs in Alaska in 1955 thanks to a skilled pilot and a great airplane.

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Wright Aero. had a P2v for several years doing engine product impronement work on the turbo-compound engine. I crewed and flew across country with one for product demo.

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My frist experence with the P2V-7 was at VP-30 in Jacksonville FL for my Aircrew inflight training. I then joined VP-21 in Brunswick ME. Stayed there for 4 yrs 1964 to 1968(extented twice) then went I got out of the Regular Navy I joined the Reserves at Willow Grove PA. I was a plank owner with VP-64 an flew in P2's until the Squadron transistioned to P3's. After the transistion I had to change rates from ATN to AW to keep flying in the P3. Retired from the Reserves in 1999 as an AW1.

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In 1964 I was assigned to NAS Twin Cities. I was part of the TAR command. We trained researves on P2Vs as well as other aircraft. Our squadrons were VP811,812,813 and 815.We had a great bunch of guys and it was a great time of memories.

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I was in VP-22 in Barber's Point, Hawaii from 5 /59 to 1 /62. I caught the squadron in Kodiak, Alaska out of boot camp. Then back to Barber's Pt. We made 2 deployments to Iwakuni, Japan. What a trip that was. I was actually a PN3 but had a buddy on a crew so I got to go with them on test hops. What I loved most about them was flying as the bow observer over in Japan and experiencing the testing of 'Auto Pilot' change to 'manual' and back again. I'm sure the aircraft dropped and rose 500 feet each time..

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