Lockheed P-2 Neptune – Fotos e Vídeo

O Lockheed P-2 Neptune (designado P2V pela Marinha dos Estados Unidos antes de setembro de 1962) foi uma aeronave de patrulha marítima e guerra anti-submarina (ASW). Foi desenvolvido para a Marinha dos EUA pela Lockheed para substituir o Lockheed PV-1 Ventura e o PV-2 Harpoon, e foi substituído por sua vez pelo Lockheed P-3 Orion. Projetado como uma aeronave terrestre, o Neptune nunca fez um pouso de porta-aviões, embora um pequeno número de aeronaves tenha sido convertido e implantado como bombardeiros nucleares stop-gap lançados por porta-aviões que teriam que abandonar ou se recuperar em bases terrestres. O tipo foi bem sucedido na exportação e viu o serviço com várias forças armadas.

Fonte: Lockheed P-2 Netuno na Wikipédia

The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a versatile and long-lived aircraft that served in various roles and countries for over four decades. It was designed by Lockheed as a land-based maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft for the US Navy, replacing the older PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon models. The P-2 Neptune first flew in 1945 and entered service in 1947, with a total of 1,177 units built until 1956. The P-2 Neptune had a distinctive feature of having both piston and jet engines, which gave it extra power and speed when needed.
The P-2 Neptune was used in several conflicts, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Beagle conflict and the Falklands War, performing reconnaissance, surveillance, bombing, gunship and electronic warfare missions. The P-2 Neptune was also exported to several allies of the US, such as Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands and Argentina. The P-2 Neptune was eventually replaced by the more advanced Lockheed P-3 Orion in the 1960s and 1970s, but some of them remained in service until the 1980s or even later as firebombers or research aircraft.