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AP-2H Neptune 'Napalm Nellie'
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Scale 1:66 Length 16.5" Wingspan 19"
Photography by Action Asia Photo |
During the mid-Sixties the US Navy was keenly interested in developing an aircraft to interdict the flow of enemy supplies coming from Cambodia down the Mekong River and onto the road and water networks of South Vietnam. Armored navy patrol boats and OV-10s were scouring the area but another solution was needed - especially at night. Therefore Navy planners decided to adapt some P-2 Neptune aircraft (which were being phased out as the new P-3 Orions came into service) to a gunship configuration and so follow the successful lead set by the USAF in converting aircraft like the Hercules to a gunship role for battling the Viet Cong. In 1967 four SP-2H aircraft were field modified for the gunship role by mounting multiple mini-guns at various angles in the bomb bay which created a spray effect when fired. Little is known about these very early conversions except that they were painted in several colors (one in overall black, one in green, and two in overall grey). The official program involving conversion of P-2 airframes was TRIM (Trails and Road Interdiction, Multi-sensor) which used four production SP-2H aircraft. The aircraft were highly modified by first removing all ASW equipment and sensors. Removing the old MAD boom from the tail gave room for a twin 20mm cannon which the tail gunner sighted using a Night Observation Scope. Further modifications saw the old ASW radome replaced by a new radome containing the AN/APQ-92 search radar. FLIR (forward-looking infra-red) and LLLTV (low-light level television) sensors were mounted in a large chin fairing under the nose. SLAR (side-looking airborne radar) was in a pod similar to that used on the OV-LB and ran along the fuselage sides behind the wing. Additional equipment included a Real Time IR sensor, an airborne Moving Target Indicator, DIANE (digital integrated attack and navigation equipment), and a Black Crow motor vehicle 'engine ignition sensor'. All four AP-2Hs carried exactly the same equipment and much of this equipment was later employed on the A-6C TRIM aircraft. Armament for the converted SP-2H aircraft (besides the cannons in the tail) consisted of two forward-firing SUU-1 mini-gun pods, two Mk82 500 lb GP Bombs and two Mk77 incendiary bombs. All of that was mounted under the wings. Additionally, later aircraft had 40mm grenade launchers mounted in the bomb bay. Finally, sound suppressing equipment was fitted on the two piston engines and the two turbo-jets The four AP-2H aircraft were assigned to Heavy Attack Squadron VAH-21 "Road Runners" stationed at Cam Rahn Bay in September of 1968 and by June of 1969 had flown over 200 missions - mostly against road and river traffic in the ‘Parrots Beak" area of the Mekong Delta. However, some missions were flown against targets in both Cambodia and Laos, as well as on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. All four aircraft were returned to ConUS in 1969 and placed in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB. Only one example survived the cutting torch and it resides at the Pima County Air Museum in Tucson, Arizona. VAH-21 was deactivated on June16th, 1969.
Crew:
5 - 6, depending on mission
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