Lockheed P2V Neptune
An RC version of the US Navy patrol aircraft
The full-scale Neptune was used for maritime patrol; its primary mission was antisubmarine duty. However, it saw service in various applications until 1982.
Gary Fuller designed his RC version of the aircraft to be easy to construct, using a box-type fuselage. The wing inboard section is fully sheeted, and the outboard section uses typical D-tube construction. The wing is mounted to the fuselage with a joiner tube so that the model can be easily disassembled for transport.
The P2V can be configured for either fixed or retractable landing gear; mechanical retracts were used in this build. Recommended power is .25-size glow engines or the equivalent electric motors.
Gary ultimately decided to go electric, using a pair of MaxCim MaxN 32-13Y brushless motors and 11.1-volt Li-Poly batteries. The completed model has an 80-inch wingspan and 622 square inches of wing area, with a flying weight of 10 pounds.
According to Gary, in the construction article published in the June 2005 MA, his design exhibited realistic flight characteristics. He recommended keeping the airspeed up on approach to avoid the chance of a stall on landing.
Specifications and ordering
- AMA Plans Service listing: 977
- Price: $30 plus shipping and handling
- Ordering: See page 155 or visit www.modelaircraft.org/plans.aspx for ordering information
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
