P2V Bu No. 554

Sabrejet – thank you for all the research !

See above, edited post: no tail boom on 131554 in early and late service – photo here http://www.vpnavy.com/p2/nmcp2_01_10dec2006.jpg is from ’63, just before storage at Litchfield Park: there is a similar photo from ’58 of this aircraft, also with no boom.

It’s 135554 then.

I’m not an expert on Neptunes, but I believe that a number of earlier aircraft had the glass nose and the tail extension that are characteristic of the P2V-7. Some of the RAF’s P2V-5s were like this. Whether this was a rebuild programme or end-of-line examples I don’t know. However, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a P2V-6 with this kit. just on the grounds of initial build appearance.

Possibly.

Further info:
126554 was from a cancelled batch, so either 131554 (stricken from Litchfield Park storage 27th August 1963 as an MP-2F) or 135554 (stricken from Davis Monthan storage 6th November 1968 as an SP-2H).

I’ve double-checked and these seem to be the only possibles. 135554 seems to be the most likely/only one!

See here for 131554: http://www.cloud9photography.us/US-Squadrons-USN/US-Navy-Fleet-Composite/VC-8-REDTAILS-pictures/i-NXbFJWW – late in the service of 131554, but still no tail boom.

Baugher has this on 135554:

135554 (MSN 726-7011) Accepted at Burbank 22 Nov 54, Lockheed Burbank Nov 54 to Mar 55; NARF Jacksonville Mar 55;
FASRON-109 Jacksonville Mar 55 to Jun 55; VP-18 Jacksonville Jun 55 to Jul 57; NARF Norfolk Jul 57 to Aug 57;
NARF Alameda Aug 57 to Mar 53: NADC Johnsville Mar 58 to May 64 (not listed as P2V-7S; listed as *Y/P2V-7″
from Aug 62, YP-2H from Nov 62, NP-2H from May 63); NWC China Lake May 64 to Jul 64;
NADC Johnsville Jul 64 to Jan 68; to storage at MASDC Davis-Monthan AFB 27 Jan 68; SOC 6 Nov 68.

Photos here:

http://www.vpnavy.com/p2/nadcp2_01_25oct2003.jpg
http://www.vpnavy.com/p2/nadcp2_01_16jun2006.jpg
http://www.vpnavy.com/p2/nadcp2_03_10dec2006.jpg
http://www.vpnavy.com/p2/nadcp2_02_10dec2006.jpg

Apologies for all the edits: I’d say it has to be 135554.

THANK YOU BOTH GENTLEMEN!

From this set of variants – only the 7 had the tail magnetometer.

so most likely the -7 ?

I may have missed one, but it’ll be either of:

P2V-6 126554
P2V-6 131554
P2V-7 135554

Your photo clearly shows “Bu #554”.

Could be that the mechanic did not remember the full 6 figure Bu (Aer) number, substituting the Bu xx, then either final 2 numbers, or the 2-digit individual aircraft code within a unit or base, ie the ’55’ followed by a Trident motif to shorthand the unit or base the aircraft was from. Could be wrong. Certainly too little to tie into an individual aircraft now, clearly the guy who wrote it knew how to match that piece back to the correct airframe some 60ish years ago though!

Can think of a lot worse things to do on a slow Sunday afternoon, thanks for the head-scratch puzzle!

Viscount thank you for taking the time to look.

I was only assuming that the Bu number written in pencil on the inside was a shorthand for the aircraft with XXX55XXX in its ident. This could just be graffiti..

I attach it as a cut verison. I had originally assumed it was 554 but the last number is not a number but a symbol.

There is a second official stamp with part number and serial number but the latter runs off the edge of the part.

The Merseyside Aviation Society’s (at the time) ground-breaking books on US military serials included ‘United States Navy Serials 1941-1976’, Peter Danby. While now considerably out of date, it is still THE paper guide to older US Navy (Bureau of Aeronautics or Bu Aer) numbers.

55554 is a little too early, being a General Motors FM-2 Wildcat, supplied to the RN as Wildcat IVs.
155554 is too recent, being a McDonnell F-4J Phantom II

Bit puzzled in your request. Do the ‘?’ represent a missing number, or the previous number shown as being dubious interpretation?

So trying 5*55* as the Bu Aer, then the possible types are Corsair, Texan, Kaydet, Avenger, Dauntless, Wildcat, Skymaster, Corsair, Hellcat, Privateer, where the first * is replaced by 0, 1 , 2 etc. Seems that the 5*55* range is allocated a little early for a Neptune, while the 15*55* is well to late as Orions, Sabreliners and helicopters are some of the types wearing that range of Bu Aer numbers.

On a whim, widened the search into ‘United States Air Force Serials 1946 to 1977, also Peter Danby, MAS. Looked at fiscal serial 55-555*, and each year in 50s eg 50-55*, 51-55*, 52-55* etc, but again drew a blank.

On my interpretation of the request, looks like a false trail for the tail number! Come up with another 6-figure number, I’ll be glad to look it up.