Tail sections of two Neptunes stored in Neptune Aviation Services' boneyard at their Missoula home base. The one behind is N63819 (ex BuNo 147965).

One of four Neptunes stored in Neptune Aviation Services' boneyard, 700m east of their Missoula hangar. Like most Neptunes there this one still carries its US Navy markings, with some bits painted out. Below the cockpit it has faint silvery "University of Nevada - Reno" and "Fire Science Academy" titles and logo. This aircraft was the only one in the boneyard that could reasonably be photographed. The Neptune behind is N714AU (ex BuNo 148339), which still carries code LZ-14.

It may be hard to believe, but this Neptune is not a spares ship. It is undergoing restoration to flight, after many years of storage and neglect. It made its first post-restoration flight on 6 Dec 2007 and became Tanker 42 (N442NA) a week later. Unfortunately its career would not be long - a bit more than a year later, on 25 Apr 2009, it crashed into high ground in the Oquirrh Mountains near Stockton Pass, UT, during a positioning flight from Missoula, MT to Alamogordo, NM. In this photo it still carries its former US Navy markings, with faded MASDC inventory number PA011 still on the nose.

This once proud Neptune, one of many in the NAS fleet at the time, unfortunately crashed shortly after take-off from Reno-Stead, NV on 1 Sep 2008.

This Neptune is being restored to flight, after many years of storage and neglect. It made its first flight on 6 December 2007 and became Tanker 42 (N442NA) a week later. Unfortunately its career would not be long - it crashed into high ground in the Oquirrh Mountains near Stockton Pass, UT, during a positioning flight from Missoula, MT to Alamogordo, NM. In this photo it still carries its former US Navy markings, without registration, but still with very faded MASDC inventory number PA011 on the nose and US Navy BuNo 150283 under the tailplane.

The photo makes the props look motionless...they weren't crazy enough to do a low pass just on the jets....or were they?

At the Avalon Airshow 2007

Last flying with VP-67 out of Memphis, this Neptune was struck off charge in Sep 1975 and stored there. It eventually went to Minneapolis / Saint Paul International where by 1981 it was kept preserved out back of the former Naval Air Station Twin Cities, as seen here. It disappeared from there after 1987, fate unknown.

This was the first Neptune converted for fire-fighting duties, in 1969. Its original US Navy serial was 124904. It was officially registered to Evergreen Helicopters in Oct 1984, but was never used by them. Reregistered to N208EV in 1985, but reg not painted on and aircraft remained stored. Eventually scrapped there.

Early variant of the Neptune, at the Yesterday's Air Force Museum. Unfortunately, in June 2000 it was sunk off the Florida coast to form an artificial reef.

Formerly serialled 128382 with the US Navy, this Neptune has been stored at Marana for many years.

Became a civilian firebomber as N139HP and, after disposal by Hawkins & Powers, N443NA with Neptune Aviation Services of Missoula, MT.

This Neptune arrived at AMARG during May 80.

Ex US Navy P2V-7 BuAer 149075. Preserved at the RAAF Point Cook museum.

Just one of many interesting exhibits to be seen at the wonderful Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum close to Gifu AB.

Here still in US Navy colours but registered as N713AU. Used for spares by owner Aero Union.