A nest of old bolts and nuts with some paint around it in one photo. Visible on the picture are P-2E's N203EV (c/n 426-5228, ex BuNo 128382) and N206EV/145 (c/n 426-5363, ex BuNo 131482) destined for Evergreen, HU-16E's N116FB (c/n 461, ex BuNo 148325 and JMSDF 9052), N112FB (c/n 463, ex BuNo 148328, ex JMSDF 9055), unmarked but N2660L (ex c/n 374, ex BuNo 137901), N118FB (c/n 9304, ex RCAF 9304), on top SA-16A N122FB (c/n 218, ex USAF 51-7168), HU-16E N125FB (c/n 73, ex BuNo 141282), N119FB (c/n 456, ex RCAF 9308), and HU-16B N113FB (c/n 322, ex USAF 51-7244), all of a company named Chalk's.

Former US Navy BuNo 147948 was retired to MASDC on 11 October 1975 and struck of charge in 1978. The Neptune was civilianized as N80232 for Central Air Service 1989, apparently never used and stored at Avra Valley. It's registration was cancelled 2018, but the airframe was still present in 2022.

Year by year, Neptune 203's condition is getting worse. After is active service life it was given to the fire brigade of Hato, which let to the gradual demise of the aircraft.

The mortal remains of a once proud Neptune, having been charred as a fire trainer. The tail-fin (which carried the local code 'H' instead of the more familiar 'V') is displayed outside the gate of the Hato military base at the other end of the airport

Photo via Charles Caruana.

Last flown by VC-8 from NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, withdrawn to MASDC in June 1980. Sold to Hawkins and Powers as N22166 in January 1990 and re-registered as N138HP in June 1990. Remained in storage in one of the scrapyards at Davis Monthan until re-located to Greybull in 1995 where it remained in storage as a spares donor.

ex USN 149119

Delivered to the US Navy as P2V-7S 147963 in 1960. Redesignated as an SP-2H in 1962. Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in 1975. Transferred to the Smithsonian Institution in 1994 but remained at Davis-Monthan AFB. Still there in 2025.

Former 150282 for the USN. Then working for Neptune Inc as Tanker 09. Crashed on take-off from Reno-Stead September 1 2008.

Arr AMARC from VP-94 at NAS New Orleans (LA) on 22 July 1976. Departed by May 2011 and scrapped by HVF West, Tucson.

Displayed here at NAS Virginia having been given to the Smithsonian Institute in 1953 for the National Aviation Museum. It remained for another couple of years before being barged to Pensacola on loan to the Naval Aviation Museum and is now preserved as shown in my photo here. In 1946 it had accomplished a record-breaking flight from Perth, Australia non-stop to Ohio, the crew being accompanied by a young kangaroo gifted to the National Zoo in Washington DC

The prototype of the Neptune, the XP2V-1, made its maiden flight in May 1945 and in Sept/Oct 1946, the early aircraft seen here made a record-breaking flight from Perth to the USA. Intended originally to reach Washington DC, the crew had to settle for Columbus, OH having covered some 11,236 miles over a period of 55h 17m. It then flew with the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River until 1953 when presented to the Smithsonian Institution, going on display at NAS Norfolk, VA where I got to photograph it in 1975. Loaned to the Pensacola museum in 1977 and delivered by barge

Although sadly all faded away, this Neptune was displayed in the markings of its final unit, VP-65, having previously seen service with VP-7, VP-11, VP-23, and VP-18