Warbird Information Exchange

For an article I'm writing on the Neptune...

The Australian group HARS either had or has a flying Neptune. Does anybody know it it is currently flying? (I have of course asked HARS directly but have yet to receive a reply.) By "flying," I don't mean "generally capable of flight, probably" but that the aircraft is licensed, annualed and at least occasionally active.

The only other recently active Neptune is the one operated by the U. S. Mid-Atlantic Air Museum. It is currently NOT flying, since no air shows can afford to pay for the fuel it burns.

youtube video shows it flying last year at airshows.

MAAM's hasn't flown since the early 90s and its been sitting ever since. It would need a full restoration before flown again.

Ericksons collection has one that flew last year.

Plus the ones being used to fight fires. They were retired but last I knew some were pulled from retirement a few days later to help on California fires?

On a side note: I do hope some Neptunes go on the airshow circuit someday. Lots of variants and paint schemes out there. Flown by the Navy since the end of ww2 to the 1980s.

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HARS Neptune is flying regularly regn: VH-IOY former RAAF ser: A89-273.

I used to own it and saved it from being scrapped in the late 1970's...

Russ Strine, who is the MAAM's president and only Neptune pilot, told me a couple of weeks ago that all it would need is a thorough inspection, new tires, and some new hydraulic and fuel hoses--hardly a full restoration.

Well thats good to hear. I was worried too considering its been outside pretty much since she was restored. I've heard a similar story that the R4D needs to be completely restored again due to being exposed to the weather.

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Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

I think there would be quite a market for this type of plane on the air show circuit. Big, loud, radial engines, 60's / 70's era paint, could it take riders? The down side is that it would take more than 1 fully qualified crew and that sounds like it would be an issue for MAAM. I would love to see it flying!

Tom P.

MAAM certificated their P2V-7 to legally operate only with a full "crew" of 12, which allows him to carry 11 museum members along on each flight, legally. Each person had a formal checklist (or something of the sort) to handle, whether it was just to confirm that the left main gear had successfully retracted as they peered at it through an observer's window. I don't think they sold rides, but maybe the museum members had to be in a certain membership category, and they each had to be "qualified" as crewmembers. This is how MAAM handled using the airplane for the benefit of museum members, as Strine described it to me.

Apparently there isn't. No air show seems to be able to afford the gas it costs to get it to and from the show and to fly displays. The thing burns 1,980 gph on takeoff alone. That's the only reason it isn't flying.

I could be wrong but, there are several four engine bombers that criss cross the country each year on tours and they make it work. Now, granted they are B-17s and a B-24, there is the Berlin airlift C-54, and the Detroit Flagship. Plus clearly the Berlin airlift foundation feels like there is enough interest in the C-97 to bring her back to life.

No doubt it would take a different structure of volunteers, the ability to sell rides, coordinate a tour and marketing but, having been an air show organizer for 14+ years, I think it could be done. Especially on the East coast where there are large population centers much closer together. I know that on some stops that the line for just the walk through tour of "Witchcraft" and Nine'O Nine is 45 minutes long and folks happily pony up to do that. The Neptune with much of its original configuration inside would be awesome!

My .02

Tom P.

Tell that to Russ Strine, not me. He's at 610 372-7333. I don't have a dog in this fight.

I was a MAAM member back then and was fortunate to have flown aboard the Neptune for one trip to the air show at Willow Grove NAS

I remember my duty as crewman was to remove the left main gear pin prior to taxi and to confirm the main gear retraction after takeoff from my seat in the afterstation.

it was rather thrilling walking up behind that running 3350 to pull the pin in the wheel well!

It's a shame that air show promoters don't want to foot the bill for the P2V because it's a great aircraft and tours through the plane are always popular.

I was just at the MAAM (as a paying visitor since I've moved to SC years ago) just this September. The P2 looks a little rough but overall not bad for being inactive.

I agree that based on what I saw, unless something disagreeable would be found, it could be brought back to flight without a full "restoration" and the MAAM has parts and knowledge available for it.

The only drawback to the neptune for air shows is that Nobody except for real plane nerds knows what it is. It's not Iconic like a B-17 or other 4 engine bomber and with the investment for fuel and crew rooms the "tune" is directly in competition with those types of Aircraft

I remember that at the Willow grove air show one of the questions most often asked was if we flew it there! people couldn't believe that some enthusiasts could fly something as complex and wild looking as the P2

Tom Bowers

Stephan - no worries - me either. I am just saying that as someone who has been in the event organization that it 'could' be possible. It would of course take a lot of effort to put together something like the Collings group has for the B-17 and B-24 for the Neptune. On the other hand I think that the additional perk of it being a 'cold war' airplane could be an additional selling point. Or maybe I just love the Neptune and all the ASW equipment and set up

Anyway, I have no money or airplane to argue with either so it is just a thought.

All the best,

Tom P.

Tom, I was serious in suggesting that you contact Russ, although it may have come off as snippy. With your background as an air-show organizer, you bring a lot to the table.

An earlier commentor said that the Neptune might have a problem on the air-show circuit as a "forgotten airplane." Coincidentally, that is exactly my thesis for the Aviation History article that I have just completed--that this is one of the great forgotten airplanes of all time, in terms of what it accomplished as a Cold Warrior and also its service in Korea and Vietnam. Too late for WWII and the overshadowed by its successor, the Orion.

I have talked to Russ too. Even if its not a full restoration, it would probably still take a year or more to get it airworthy again. I have seen it in person just a few years ago and it looked really rough.

I for one hope it gets back flying someday soon.

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...Real plane nerds AND veterans of the aircraft of course. Often most popular in the comments section on Neptune videos are many veterans recalling their fond time with the P2V. Probably second most popular comments, are the bafflement of why HARS, and others, cover up the wonderful bellow of the 3350's with music...but I digress. As a kid we enjoyed the Neptunes at Navy Dallas among the herd of C-119's and Crusaders in the background. The awesome bellow of the recips combined with jet noise of an operational Neptune lifting off was a favorite pastime.

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