The last of a batch of twelve SP-2H Neptunes supplied under MDAP to Australia in 1962, allocated BuNo 149081 and becoming A89-281 on arrival for service with 10 Sqdn RAAF Townsville. Flown to Amberley for disposal at the end of 1977 and taken in by the Chewing Gum Field Museum, QLD for static display. Trucked to Archerfield Airport in 1990. Although registration VH-NEP was reserved it was not taken up and was eventually dismantled between 2003 and 2005 having been donated to HARS, becoming the third Neptune in the collection and providing spares for their flying aircraft.

This Neptune was operated by 10 Sqn from 1962 until 1977. It has been beautifully restored and is now on display with the HARS at Albion Park.

Built new for the RAAF and delivered to 10 Squadron, Townsville, 24 May 1962. On 6 December 1977 it made the last RAAF Neptune flight, from Townsville to Amberley, for disposal. In June 1978 it was sold to the Chewing Gum Field Museum, Tallebudgera QLD, and trucked to the Museum. In 1989 it was dontated to the Australian Flying Museum and moved to Archerfield the following year. In 1992 the registration VH-NEP was reserved, but never taken up - confusingly not the currently-registered VH-NEP.

Withdrawn from use in 1977. A89-281 eventually ended up with the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society at Wollongong, NSW, where it has been preserved as a static display.