Lockheed Neptune A89-302 – HARS Parkes Aviation Museum

Warbirds Online recently travelled to HARS Parkes Aviation Museum, NSW to view the newly arrived ex RAAF Lockheed Neptune A89-302 5021 P-2E (built as P2V-4 133640 but modified on the production line to approximate a  P2V-5 ) previously RAAF serial A89-595.  This aircraft is extremely historic being the oldest surviving RAAF Neptune and the only surviving early P2V-4/5 aircraft in Australia. It is also one of the oldest Neptunes to survive in the world.

The aircraft has survived many near fatal scrapping events and has finally made its way to a permanent home at the growing HARS Parkes Aviation Museum. Over the years the airframe has been in long term storage at RAAF Wagga, RAAF Laverton and RAAF Point Cook where it was part of the RAAF Museum reserve collection. Recently a decision was made by the RAAF Museum to gift the aircraft to HARS and immediately the effort to recover the aircraft was put into action.

Some have asked why this aircraft has been included in the collection at HARS Parkes given there is a later SP-2H 149072 – RAAF A89-272 display at the HARS Parkes satellite facility. However having one of both the types of RAAF Neptunes on display at one site is of undoubted value and as previously stated A89-302 is arguably the most significant Neptune on display in Australia so the value is easily demonstrated.

In a typical HARS mammoth recovery effort, a team of volunteers traveled to RAAF Point Cook in November to recover the aircraft from its storage site. After ten days of hard work and numerous trips to and from Parkes the aircraft is now safely stored at HARS Parkes storage facility and is awaiting the imminent commencement of the assembly and restoration process.  Progress is set to be fairly rapid given the previous effort to assemble A89-272 which is now back together and undergoing repaint.

A89-302 is in a poor state cosmetically, given its decades of storage including open storage and also its use as a spare parts source for other preservation progress. Structurally however the aircraft is in better condition than might be imagined. She is quite restorable especially given HARS access to Neptune spare parts, although HARS would love to hear from anybody willing to donate any internal fitting from a Neptune.

To make the restoration simpler each major component will be restored at the storage facility and repainted prior to being dispatched to the HARS Parkes Museum where assembly will take place.  This method is hoped to save time and volunteer effort.

Lockheed Neptune A89-302 History

Lockheed Neptune A89-302 was one of the first Neptunes delivered to the RAAF and was in fact constructed in California USA as an early  P2V-4 but converted before delivery to as far as possible to  P2V-5 status, although there were still differences. Disaster befell the aircraft on 12 October 1951 when it Belly-landed at Lake Muroc in the USA (when starboard main gear would not lower due to a broken chain drive) prior to delivery to Australia. She was rapidly repaired and was delivered to the RAAF on the 4th of November 1951.  At this time the aircraft carried the RAAF Serial A89-595, however it was renumbered to A89-302 in August as part of a simplified RAAF serial scheme.

As delivered, A89-302 was armed with 3 turrets all armed with twin 20mm Canon and did not have the two 3,250 pounds-force (14.5 kN) J34 jet engines, being  powered solely by 2 X  3,200 horsepower (2,400 kW) R-3350-26WA engines. The turrets were later removed and the jets fitted along with other modifications and updates to enhance the aircrafts anti-submarine capabilities.

A89-302 served a long and distinguished career in the RAAF with 11Sqn from 1951 until it was retired in 1966, replaced first by P2V-7s and later P3 Orion aircraft. She was then allotted to the RAAF School of Technical Training at Wagga Wagga NSW in March 1967, for conversion to an instructional airframe and remained there until 1974 when it was noted as being restored for display purposes.  The aircraft deteriorated and by 1975 was assessed for scrapping. However this did not occur and it remained at Wagga until it was moved to RAAF Laverton in 1997 with some smaller components going to RAAF Point Cook by 2000. The intention had been to restore the aircraft for the RAAF Museum.  As the Museum already had SP-2H C/N 149075 – RAAF Ex A89-275 of No. 10 it was decided to rationalize the collection and the Neptune was gifted to HARS in June 2018.

Lockheed Neptune A89-302 – The future

The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) would welcome any donations to help restore the aircraft and also welcomes new members to assist in restoring the valuable historic Aviation treasures held in the Parkes Museum facility. The restoration of all the Parkes based aircraft covers both internal and external restoration to the highest possible standard. Warbirds Online can attest to the team spirit and camaraderie of the working parties at the Parkes HARS Museum.   It is a fantastic opportunity to contribute in a real way to preserving historic aircraft and exhibits and meet new friends and “fellow travellers”.

If you can assist in any way you can contact HARS via their website.  They would really like to hear from you!

Warbirds Online will continue to follow the restoration of this Neptune and of Parkes HARS Museum in general as this thriving Museum grows and flourishes in the future.

© John Parker 2018