From: john@anasazi.com (John R. Moore)
Subject: Re: concerning the OP2E info request
Reply-To: john@anasazi.com
Organization: Anasazi Inc, Phoenix AZ USA
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 04:35:36 GMT

Keywords: 

In article <1992Jul20.033644.4110@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> bm511@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Ronald G. Martin) writes:
]Someone requested information on the OP2E aircraft. The following is part of the
]information I found in "The Naval Air War in Vietnam" by Peter B. Mersky and
]Norman Polmar. The book was published by The Nautical and Aviation Publishing Co  
]Company of Annapolis, Maryland. Copyright 1981. ISBN 0-933852-13-4.
]excerpt follows:
]pg. 172
]SPECIAL OPERATIONS
]The aircraft which VO-67 was to operate was the veteran Lockheed P-2 Neptune, lo   
]long the backbone of the maritime patrol squadrons of the Navy, as well as several     
]several allied countries. The model chosen for the squadron was the SP-2E, but
]with the large amount of internal and external modifications needed to outfit the plan  
]the plane for the squadron's mission, the aircraft was redesignated OP-2E.
]These major modifications, which were conducted by Martin Aircraft in
]Baltimore, Maryland, included removal of the distinctive Magnetic Anomoly
]Detection (MAD) tailboom to allow the introduction of chaff dispensers; the
]removal of the wingtip tanks; the addition of two SUU-11 7.62-mm mini-gun pod
]under each wing; the provision of internally mounted cameras; and fiberglass
]propellers."
]" Internally, the Neptunes were also substantially altered. All ASW equipment
]was deleted and self-sealing fuel tanks installed. A chaff system and various
]radios were introduced, as well as a Norden bombsight to direct sensor 
]emplacements, and provision for M-60 hand-held 7.62-mm guns in waist positions.
]Painted in a dark jungle-green camoflauge, the "chopped and blocked" P-2's
]took on a sinister appearance in keeping with their highly secretive missions."
]NOTE:
]THE VO-67 MISSIONS WERE FLOWN OUT OF NAKHOM PHANOM, THAILAND. THE MISSION WAS
]TO DROP "SPIKEBUOY" AND "ADSID" ACOUSTICAL SENSORS ALONG THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL.
]THE SENSORS BURIED THEMSELVES ABOUT 2 1/2 FEET INTO THE GROUND. 
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]THE SQUADRON BEGAN OPS ON 11/25/67 AND WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN 7/68.

When VO-67 was decomissioned, it's survivors (it had a lot of KIA's)
joined VP-31 - my squadron. They brought their black, funny looking
P-2's with them... mini-guns under the wings, funny antennae in the
forward observer's area, mufflers on the prop engines, cannon in the
tail (in place of the MAD boom - I didn't see the cannon but heard about
them). The P-2's were considered quite
secretive and we were not allowed close to them during the short time they
were at Moffett. Several months later, I saw one of those P-2's in
Cam Ranh Bay, SVN next to the P-3 hangar. - I don't know why it was there. 
It had quite a few bullet holes in it (with bandaids painted over them).

Apparently in addition to dropping sensors, they also were used
to attack ground targets. In addition to the miniguns (which, let's face
it, are not really needed to sow sensors), they carried napalm.
The mufflers on the engines apparently made them quiet enough
(according to a friend of mine from VO-67) that they could sneak
up on a village or enemy concentration without being detected until
they opened fire.

By the way, apparently when VO-67 came back, they brought with them
(in their top secret aircraft) quite a load of marijuana.
-- 
John Moore NJ7E, 7525 Clearwater Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85253  (602-951-9326)
john@anasazi.com ncar!noao!asuvax!anasaz!john anasaz!john@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
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