P2V / RB-69 Neptune (multiple)

I photographed these Lockheed P-2 Neptune at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Ariz., during a visit in the spring of 2017, and then an airworthy Neptune that looks bundled up among the Erickson Collection in Madras, Ore. The Yanks Air Museum in Chino has a nice example of the Neptune’s twin 20mm cannon on display. Amazingly, I was able to photograph four Neptunes in the area around the Museum of Mountain Flying in Missoula, Mont. The RB-69 is the Air Force’s version of the P2V, and apparently was used by the CIA as well.


1961 Lockheed P2V-7S Neptune 148360 (#726-7256)

previously listed as P-2V-7/P-2H

Erickson Collection, Madras 2017

Erickson Collection; Madras 2023


1960 Lockheed SP-2H (P2V-7S) Neptune 147957 (#726-7207)

Pima Air Museum 2017


P2V-7S/AP-2H 135620 Neptune

Pima Air Museum 2017


1954 P2V-5F 131502

Evergreen Museum 2018


1960 Lockheed SP-2H (P2V-7S) Neptune #726-7224

Missoula, Mont. 2022


1959 Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune #726-7199

Missoula, Mont. 2022


1958 Lockheed SP-2H (P2V-7S) Neptune #726-7158

Missoula, Mont. 2021

Missoula, Mont. 2022


1960 Lockheed SP-2H (P2V-7S) Neptune #726-7215

Missoula, Mont. 2022


RB-69A Neptune 54-4037

Conflicting sources also refer to this as SP-2H Neptune 147954 marked as ‘44037’

Robins AFB 2024


AP-2E Neptune 61-31485

Fort Novosel 2024


P2V-1 89082 (26-1003) “Truculent Turtle”

On September 29, 1946, a four-man crew took off in this plane from Perth, Australia, in an attempt to reach Washington DC. Weather and obstacles caused the crew to stop short in Columbus, Ohio, landing at 11:28 AM on October 1st, having completed an 11,235.6 mile flight in 55 hours and 17 minutes. Also making the record flight was “Joe,” a 325-lb. baby kangaroo intended for donation to the National Zoo in Washington DC.

Naval Aviation Museum, NAS Pensacola 2024