BY BILL ENGAR

PROBING THE DEPTHS:  ATLANTIS LOCKHEED P2V-7 NEPTUNE H170 -- ASSEMBLY MODEL KIT -- PAINT AND GLUE (REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY) SOLD SEPARATELY -- COMPLETED MODEL LENGTH 10.75" LONG -- 11.75" WINGSPAN -- RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 14 AND UP -- 57 PARTS

In 1955, Revell released a number of model aircraft kits that have since become favorites among vintage model kit aficionados.  Their P2V-7 is definitely one of these.  In 1960, the kit got a set of (optional) landing gear skis and a colorful paint job.  It wasn't released again in the USA after that.  I recall getting a Lodela version in the 1980's, but it had poor-quality decals and some molding issues.  We're happy to say that Atlantis has released this kit with their usual attention to quality and the decals and molding look great!

While the kit appeared for the first time in 1955, in 1960 Revell debuted the kit with this box art and skis for an unusual arctic version of the P2V-7 Neptune.

Atlantis Models'm P2V-7 Neptune  is a box-scale kit in 1/104-scale.  This is pretty close to Atlantis’ PBY Catalina and new C-141 kits, or it will look great on the shelf next to all your other “box scale” classic aircraft kits released by Atlantis in recent years.

Atlantis' P2V-7 has 57 parts, quite a bit for an early Revell kit.  In addition to raised rivet detail, the model has raised decal locator markings.  If you sand them off, you'll lose the rivets!

As kids, we enjoyed building World War II models that had a lot of clear windows and this one brings back those memories.  There is a cool wingtip spotlight with a clear lens and the cockpit has pilots in seats that will be fun to paint.  There are rivets everywhere!  As kids, we loved models with rivets and the nostalgic among us will embrace this love-it-or-hate-it feature.  If you use the decals on top of them as originally intended and get the alignment right, they won't be that noticeable on the finished model.

Here's a closer look at the fuselage.  There are plenty of rivets and you can see the raised markings to assist with decal placement.  Vintage plastic!

The model has lots of individual clear windows, domes, a gun turret and searchlight cover!  This newer 1960 version of the kit doesn't have the mount for the top-turret, but the clear dome is there if you want to do the modifications to add it!

In 1960, Revell modified their P2V kit by adding skis for an arctic aircraft and deleting the gun turret and radome.  The original version had a bottom radome and a gun turret on top of the fuselage.  The "glass" for the top turret is still there (see pictures of clear parts).  You'd have to make a base with a curve to adapt the flat bottom of the clear part to the curved fuselage but that shouldn't be too hard for the experienced modeler.  Replicating the bottom radome will be a tad more difficult. 

Atlantis includes a high-quality decal sheet with a single set of markings for an Arctic P2V aircraft.

The skis, a new addition to Revell's P2V kit in 1960.

While the model has a number of vintage-kit features, it doesn't have a lot of moving parts, just the props (if you glue carefully!).  The wheels are molded to the lower strut assembly.  We'd strongly recommend the use of Testors Clear Plastic Cement and Window Maker to glue all those "glass" parts in place.  An alternative is white glue or some other non-solvent adhesive.  Regular model glue or cyanoacrylate glue will fog the clear plastic parts and you don't want that with all the windows and clear domes on the model.

This small sprue has the one-piece horizontal stab, props and cockpit.  It's rudimentary but the pilots have an interesting pose.

Note some flash on the front landing gear strut.  Struts for the optional skis are here as well as the inboard pod halves and jet engine halves.

The cockpit is simple and it will probably be hard to see anything except the included pilot figures.  The jet engine halves might benefit from some scratch-built covers.  These were internal doors that would flip closed to cover the inlets when the engines weren't in use.  They were simple flat plates that filled the inside of the inlet and were often painted red.

Note that the wheels have the lower strut molded-in. Sorry, no rolling wheels!.  

At upper left is a "balance strut" to prevent the model from being a tail-sitter.  Instead, we'd recommend adding weight below the cockpit floor.

A closeup of the spotlight transparency.  Scratchbuild a reflector behind this!

The model has some minor sinkholes around, nothing major.  You'll lose some rivet detail on the fuselage if you fill them.  We'd guess a contest modeler might sand off all the raised rivets, but we also believe a very nice model can be built if the raised detail is retained.  It's your choice!

Another fun scratch-building option that wouldn't be too hard is to make a reflector to go inside that spotlight pod.  The clear part is very transparent and this addition will be very easy to see.  We'll include some photos with our Bonus Features for this article.

A scratch-built cockpit bulkhead behind the pilots and an instrument and panels could fabricated from sheet plastic by the intermediate or advanced modeler.

Atlantis' P2V-7 Neptune was originally created prior to Revell standardizing its aircraft kit scales.  It therefore was designed to fit a specific box that held kits with the same price-point back in the day.  Atlantis has re-released a number of these kits and they generally build up to be similar sizes.  Even though they're eclectic scales, they still display great together.  However, at time of posting, Atlantis has just released their new 1/108 C-141A, a former Aurora kit.  This kit happens to be scaled very closely to the Neptune, so these models will look great if displayed together.  Atlantis' PBY Catalina is a former Monogram kit which was also "Box-Scaled" at 1/104.  So those two will look great if displayed together.

Atlantis' own build-up of their P2V-7 model.  We love the colorful Arctic scheme, built and painted right out of the box including kit decals.

Build your Neptune with or without the skis -- they're optional!

Atlantis boxes include plenty of info about the model.

This kit required TWO licenses -- one from the US Navy and one from Lockheed Martin.  The Navy is a lot more picky about these things than the U.S. Air Force.

It's been some time since Revell's P2V-7 has been available.  Even in the 1980's when it was sold under the Revell-Lodela brand it was hard to find.  We were very happy when Atlantis was able to get the licensing ducks in a row (it apparently wasn't easy) and re-released this kit

A cool new item that Atlantis is including with some of their kits is a collector card.  They feature box art on the front.  The back has a history of the subject.  We think it's a nice little extra that adds to the appeal and collectibility of Atlantis' kits.

With 60 parts and a lot of "glass," we'd recommend this kit to builders comfortable with glue-kits.  You'll need to be careful removing the clear parts from the sprues to avoid "fractures" at the attachment points that might be visible in the part once it's installed.

The kit color scheme is very attractive.  There are other interesting options to build additional colorful and interesting P2V Neptunes.  We'll include some photos in our bonus features.  There were some very colorful drone carriers and a fire bomber would be an interesting conversion.

The instructions for Atlantis' P2V-7 are printed on a single 2-sided 8-1/2X11" sheet of coated paper.  

The sheet is rather packed with four assembly diagrams with English instructions.  A little experience with similar kits will be helpful for the newer modeler.

The 2Modeler Guys give Atlantis' Lockheed P2V-7 Lockheed four enthusiastic thumbs up!!!  It will satisfy the casual builder who'd enjoy a nostalgic weekend project or the more advanced modeler who wants to add some extra detail and a spectacular finish to a fun, vintage model.  Add this great kit to your collection today!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATLANTIS MODELS FOR PROVIDING THE REVIEW KIT USED FOR THIS ARTICLE!

BONUS FEATURES

THE NEPTUNE

During World War II, Lockheed's Ventura was adapted into the PV-2 Harpoon for the US Navy.  The base Ventura needed quite a bit of redesign to be suitable for antisubmarine duty.  It had teething issues but eventually served its mission well.

The PV-2 Harpoon was the US Navy's antisubmarine and patrol aircraft during WWII.

An early Neptune (P2V-2).  The Neptune design began during WWII as a dedicated maritime patrol/antisubmarine aircraft.

While the Harpoon served its role well during WWII, design of a more modern replacement was initiated as the war began.  Unlike the Harpoon, the Neptune was designed specifically from the outset for its land-based maritime patrol and antisubmarine aircraft.  It was much larger than the Ventura-based Harpoon with a maximum take-off weight over double that of the PV-2.

A RATO experiment where a Neptune was launched from an aircraft carrier.  In this application, it could have carried an early atomic bomb.  The Neptune was too big to be recovered on the carrier--it would have to land on a conventional airstrip.

The U.S. Air Force had the designation RB-69A for a few Neptunes that were purchased for covert electronic reconnaissance missions.  The CIA operated these aircraft.  That's dark-blue, not black if you want to build one.

The Neptune first flew in 1945, too late for WWII, but it became operational and saw use during the early Cold War period.  While the basic design was solidly WWII, it eventually received a pair of Westinghouse J34 jet engines to complement its Wright Cyclone piston powerplants, the same engines used by the B-29.

These colorful Neptunes were drone launchers.  Note the aircraft at bottom still has its tail "stinger."

The P-3A Orion replaced the Neptune.  The Orion is another classic Revell kit re-released in the past by Atlantis

While specifically designed for maritime applications, the Neptune was adaptable to other missions.  Designated as an RB-69A by the Air Force, it never was intended to drop a bomb.  This aircraft was an  electronics intelligence platform for the CIA with hardware installed by Lockheed's Skunk Works.  Five aircraft were ordered initially and replacements were needed after unspecified losses.

Neptune Aviation used P2V Neptunes as fire bombers until 2017.  Note the retardant delivery system (RDS) installed in the bottom-center fuselage.

Here's another view of a colorful drone-launcher Neptune.

Nearly 1200 Neptunes were built.  It was widely exported.  It was used in Vietnam and the Argentines used it during the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War.  The Neptune was replaced throughout the 1960's as P-3 Orions became available.  The final ASW mission for the Neptune occurred in 1970 and by the late 1970's, Navy Reserve Neptunes were retired.  A number of former military Neptunes were converted for forest fire suppression and used until recent years.

AN OUT-OF-THE-WAY MUSEUM NEPTUNE

This Neptune resides at the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting just north of Greybull, WY.  It appears that it was never converted for fighting fires.  It retains original Navy markings.  Photos taken 2018.

A number of surviving Neptunes can be seen in museums.  One is on display at the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting at the South Big Horn County Airport in Greybull, MT.  This small aviation museum is way off the beaten path!  It's a beautiful rural setting between Yellowstone National Park and Devil's Tower, Wyoming.  It's well worth a stop for summer-vacationers traveling through the area.

We believe this Neptune was put in storage for conversion to firefighting use but it apparently was never done on this particular aircraft.  It was possibly retained as a "parts bird" to keep the operational aircraft flying.  It retains its original Navy markings and finish, white top over light gray.

Note the spotlight reflector on the right/starboard wing pod.  On the right are pylon mounts for rocket pods.

The Neptune had a weapons bay and wing hardpoints.  Early aircraft had provision for sixteen rockets under the wing, later reduced to eight.  Atlantis' kit has four pylons.

A bomb bay could carry up to 8000 pounds.  This utility made the aircraft well-suited for firefighting use.  Neptunes could carry bombs, torpedoes or depth charges.

Converted firefighters could carry 2000 gallons of fire retardant.