Jump to content

Neptune Patrol


Recommended Posts

Better inflight amenities that we would get flying today!  Catered meals, hand carved roast beef (did you see the pic of the crewmember pulling a full roast out of the oven?) silverware, full recline sleeping facilities and smoking privileges for those who partake!

 

Great pics Finn, thanks so much for posting. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dad stayed in the Navy after WW2 and was assigned for a couple of years to a P2V squadron based at Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station, Puerto Rico.  He was a Aviation Ordnanceman and aircrewman.  As an AO1, he was responsible for the care and feeding of anything on the airplane that had to do with raining fire and steel on the enemy.  His unit, either VP-3 or VP-5 - I forget which - flew routine coastal patrols from PR up the East Coast to the Navy base at Argentia, Newfoudland, where they would land, RON, and then fly back.  I can't imagine a more boring, groaner of a mission.  Since we were technically at peace at that time, there was little for him to do during these very long missions, so he became the chief cook and bottle washer along with other duties as assigned.  Roast beef was apparently a staple on these flights as was lots of coffee, pies, etc - remember that the Navy ALWAYS ate well - and the airplane had a full galley.  He told me he was never able to boil water, however, because they usually cruised too high to get it to boil.  According to him, garbage went over the side with little regard to who or what was below them at the time and I always wondered what it would be like to be smacked by a frozen potato from nowhere traveling at terminal velocity .   If you've never been in one, a Neptune is big but not particularly commodious.  The fuselage is divided roughly in half by a massive wing carry-through/fuel tank that takes up most of the available space in the middle of the airplane.  If you want to go from one compartment to the other, you have to climb/slide over it.  Most of the rest of the space was filled with old school tube avionics with women's names like Jazabel and Juliet, radar scopes and such, so there was little walking-around room.  The version of the Neptune he flew in was an early one with a solid nose with fixed guns, a bomb bay and eight pylons under each wing.  I don't think it carried much in the way of sonar like later versions did.  No jet engines or tip tanks, but it could use JATO if necessary.  Overall sea blue with minimal markings.  I have a photo somewhere of him in a poopy suit (immersion suit) either for training or in prep for a long over water patrol up north and he looks for all the world like Fozzie Bear of the Muppets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

Probably, as we used to call what came in the box lunches from the Elmendorf flight kitchen that we got when working mid shifts (when we didn't send somebody to Wendy's outside the main gate):


Wholly synthetic chicken-like substance patty sandwiches

 

guess that's what was the same in many armed forces around the world, even in the former and present eastern block......

Edited by Jack
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

Probably, as we used to call what came in the box lunches from the Elmendorf flight kitchen that we got when working mid shifts (when we didn't send somebody to Wendy's outside the main gate):


Wholly synthetic chicken-like substance patty sandwiches

No way Jennings, apparently the Navy has some standards when it comes to in-flight dining.  No box lunches for these guys.  From the same series:

329644b3e064cccd_landing

Fresh carved roast beef, a nice after-dinner smoke and then a long nap.  These guys had it made!   Sure beats the AF....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

Probably, as we used to call what came in the box lunches from the Elmendorf flight kitchen that we got when working mid shifts (when we didn't send somebody to Wendy's outside the main gate):


Wholly synthetic chicken-like substance patty sandwiches

 

Wow - that's living!!

 

:unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too have had a boxed lunch from Elmondorf, opened the box and inside was a sandwich, no plastic wrapping to keep it fresh or anything, unlike the ones we had in Cold Lake which were with all sorts of stuff to eat. Anyway, here is the insides of a Martin Marlin, and yes there is a plate of food there to pick over:

 

04e_dj2017_13p5m-2flightdeckusn_live.jpg

 

Jari

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...