Hasegawa/Blackbird 1/72 Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune

[hsr]

This is my build of a 1/72 Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune using the Hasegawa P2V-7 kit and the Blackbird P2V-5 conversion set. In addition I also used a combination of the Pavla and Eduard interior sets, . Finally I used the Blackbird P2V-5 decal set along with a couple of bits and pieces of the Caracal Neptune decal sheet.

 

The Pavla and Eduad set are for a -7 and required a little backdating to better reflect a -5. Pavla interior fit the Blackbird nose better then it does the Hasegawa one

 

This was similar to my recent OP-2E build 

 

The Blackbird conversion consists of a new nose from the wing forward, tail turret, wing tanks, a new radome and various clear parts. The nose gives you the option of a turret or "observer" nose. I wanted to make as early a Neptune as I could so I did a -5 with the nose turret and no jet engines not the more typical -5F. The nose turret was a clear casting which was unfortunately cast a little too thin and the clear part above the guns had a hole in it. I replace it with a piece of the clear part of the Pavla interior packaging. The other transparencies where a bit cloudy out of the box but a coat of Future really cleared them up. 

 

The one on the right is a left over from the OP-2E build and the one on the left is the P2V-5 one after a coat of Future. This canopy fit much better then the one with the OP-2E and only needed a little trimming.

 

From past experience I knew this would be tail heavy so I started out by filling the new radone with #10 lead shot

 

In the end this proved to not be enough and I ended up filling the front of both engine nacelles with more shot to get it to sit on the nose. 

Here you can see the fuselage after all the surgery and mating of new parts 

 

and here is it all assembled with the resin tip tanks.

 

I have to say that the resin castings were excellent  with virtually no pinholes even after sanding. On the other hand I found the the instructions almost useless leaving a lot of issues to guess work. One error I now know I made is that the large rear windows should be smaller portholes and while the parts were included the instructions made no mention of them and I missed them. The Blackbird decals were excellent and caused no problems. 

 

But enough backstory and without further adieu here is the results. 

 

 

This is my 4th P2V; one out of the box and the other three using Blackbird conversions.

Here they are together

 

They are from left to right this P2V-5 the out of the box P2V-7, an OP-2e and an AP-2H.

 

Until someone comes out with a conversion for a P2V-3C it will be my last, at least for a while.

 

Next up is the Revell F4U-4 with some help from Eduard and the Italeri F4U-4B.

 

Enjoy

 

 

[janneman36]

Looking good and that you have em all is very nice😁

They all look great 👍👍👍

 

cheers, Jan

[VG 33]

Hello

Here are an interesting and very nice gathering of Neptunes.

Patrick

[SAT69]

Very well done. 

[hsr]

On 10/21/2020 at 7:11 PM, janneman36 said:

that you have em all is very nice

 

On 10/21/2020 at 11:40 PM, VG 33 said:

very nice gathering of Neptunes.

I Still need a -3C and/or other early model to complete the collection.

 

Thanks

 

Howard

[Jfgred1]

Beautiful Neptune collection you have there. Really nice. And as you said, deserve to keep growing up...... like the "Truculent Turtle" one...🐢

 

"The Turtle flew nonstop without refueling from Perth, Australia, to Columbus, Ohio, a distance of 11,235 miles, in 55 hours and 17 minutes, a record it held until 1962."... 

 

IMHO, another type of plane that more than deserves to be done by any of the mainstream kit companies in 1/48th scale. Nothing against mustangs, spitfires, Bf109s, if they want to keep on tweaking and updating these, fine with me. But hey, the Neptune is another classic example among many others that deserves a better kit out there in 1/48. 

 

Have a good one and keep it up. 

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Bravo on this!  Lots of hard work on this conversion, well-rewarded with the results!