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Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon (ロッキードPV-2ハープーン)
The Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon is an American patrol/anti-submarine aircraft that was transferred to the newly formed JMSDF for patrol and anti-submarine warfare in 1955. The Americans handed over 12 aircraft in the PV-2 variant and 5 in the PV-2D variant. These aircraft served in the JMSDF from 1955 to 1961, 2 PV-2 aircraft were lost in accidents, during which 5 crew members died.
History
History in the USA
The Lockheed PV-2 aircraft was designed in 1943 to replace the unsuccessful PV-1 naval aircraft, which was a development of the B-34 bomber. The US Navy stated that the PV-1 has too little payload and is not maneuverable, so it was decided to improve it in the new aircraft. It was decided to enlarge the entire aircraft, increase the wing area, 5 M2 machine guns were installed in the aircraft, which were used for attack, mounts for 127mm HVAR rockets were added on the wings, the bomb load in the bomb bay was increased by 30% (from 1361 kg to 1814 kg). The first PV-2 aircraft made its maiden flight in November 1943. The US Navy immediately placed an order for 500 PV-2 aircraft, but there were problems with the design of the wings, which resulted in only 69 aircraft being delivered to units at the end of 1944. However, after improving the design of the wings, the Lockheed PV-2 turned out to be a very successful design, which lived to see an improved version of the PV-2D known from War Thunder. 470 Lockheed PV-2 aircraft were built, which during and after World War 2 were sent to the allies of the USA: Japan, Brazil, France, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands. In order to support the newly formed Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the Americans decided to transfer 17 Lockheed PV-2 aircraft in the PV-2 and PV-2D versions.
History in Japan
On July 1, 1954, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed, which did not have any aircraft at the time of its creation. It was decided to negotiate the purchase or receipt of aircraft from the USA. The Americans agreed to such actions and handed over 17 Lockheed PV-2 aircraft to the Japanese side, which were to be used for patrol operations and the destruction of submarines. 12 PV-2 aircraft, along with 5 PV-2D aircraft, were delivered to Kanoya Air Force Base on January 16, 1955. The aircraft were officially handed over to the JMSDF on April 18, 1955 and immediately began operations.
Information on the transfer of PV-2 aircraft from Aeronautical Information May 1955^
Unfortunately, just three months later, PV-2 aircraft number 4109 crashed, which crashed shortly after the loss, during which the crew was trained to fly according to the instruments. On July 8, 1955, the plane took off from Kanoya Air Base and due to a left engine failure and a stall at 12:52 the plane crashed to the ground near Nozato Station on the Furun Line. Of the six-man crew, only one of the crew members survived, who suffered serious injuries.
Information about the crash of the Lockheed PV-2 aircraft number 4109^
The Lockheed PV-2 aircraft were already obsolete at the time of their introduction, so the JMSDF purchased Lockheed P2V-7 aircraft in January 1956, and Grumman S2F-1 aircraft in April, which meant that PV-2 aircraft were directed only to crew training. The training aircraft lost all armament and served until 1961, when due to the lack of spare parts and the export of these aircraft, they were withdrawn. Even before the PV-2 aircraft were withdrawn, on December 28, 1957, during maintenance work on the PV-2 aircraft number 4582, a fire broke out, of which only the right engine and part of the tail of the machine survived.
Japanese Lockheed PV-2
Construction description
The Lockheed PV-2 aircraft is almost identical to the Lockheed PV-2D aircraft, which is already in War Thunder. The only difference is the offensive armament, which consists of five M2 machine guns instead of eight M2 machine guns. Three M2 machine guns were mounted in a small hump on the chin of the aircraft, and the other two guns were mounted in the nose of the aircraft.In addition, the aircraft is not able to carry the Tiny Tim rocket and additional M2 rifles due to the fact that the Japanese did not have them.
Positioning of M2 rifles on the Lockheed PV-2 aircraft
Construction details
Cockpit Photos
Technical sketches
General characteristics
- Crew: 5
- Length: 22,9 m
- Wingspan: 15,9 m
- Height: 4,04 m
- Wing area: 63,73 m2
- Empty weight: 9,538 kg
- Gross weight: 15,272 kg
- Max takeoff weight: 16,329 kg
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 484 km/h
- Cruise speed: 275 km/h
- Range: 2881 km
- Maximum range: 4715 km
- Service ceiling: 7285 m
Armament
- Guns:
- 5 x M2 12.7 mm machine gun mounted in the nose of the machine
- 2 x M2 12.7 mm machine gun in a turret on the back (800 rounds)
- 2 x M2 12.7mm machine gun in the belly turret (2000 shells)
- Bombs:
- Bomb bay load: 1814 kg (4000 lb)
- Load Under Wings: 907 kg (2000 lb)
- 8 x 127mm HVAR rockets under the wings
- 1 x Torpedo in the bomb bay
Summary
The Lockheed PV-2 aircraft would be a very useful aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. PV-2 will provide Japan with a very useful CAS, which is very weak for the Japanese at the moment. The firepower of 5 M2 machine guns combined with a mass of rockets and bombs will provide Japanese players with sufficient CAS support. This aircraft is well suited for the event of the establishment of the JMSDF or the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
PV-2 (航空機) - Wikipedia
日本におけるロッキードPV-2の歴史 (hikokikumo.net)
Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon : Lockheed / Lockheed Martin (valka.cz)
Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon (joebaugher.com)
Lockheed Ventura - Wikipedia
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura/PV-2 Harpoon [Bombardero / Reconocimiento Marítimo] - La Segunda Guerra Mundial
Lockheed 37 / PV-1 Ventura / PV-2 Harpoon - maritime patrol aircraft (aviastar.org)
Book sources
- Awiation Archiwe - US Bombers of WW2 pages 30 to 33
US Bombers of WW2 (PDFDrive) | PDF | Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress | Aerial Bombing (scribd.com)