Aeronavale Neptune

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19 years 3 months

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Can anyone please identify the unit operating 146433 photographed at Brisbane in March 1975?

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19 years 3 months

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scotavia

Thank you for that link. There is some great movie footage but I could find no evidence of the mystery badge. The badge of 25F is significantly different.

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19 years 3 months

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avion ancien
That was easier than expected. Thanks for the tip.

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5 years 6 months

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Your picture is at a distance and I thought it looked like a White Dove. But the only Aeronavale insignia I could find was this. If that is this insignia, then it is an Aeronavale insignia and not a unit insignia as I have seen some of them and they had this insignia displayed above a unit insignia.

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11 years 3 months

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Nearest I could see was the badge of Escadrille 2S but the colours are different.

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19 years 3 months

Posts: 238

Why not try posting the photo at http://www.aerostories.org/~aeroforums/forumhist/index.php?

Although it was easier than expected at the time my post has yet to appear. Maybe it's held up in moderation or maybe the language has defeated me.

Thanks DADE and Mothminor for your responses. Here's a better crop of the insignia in question.

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5 years 6 months

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Moth Minor is the winner. I have seen better birds

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11 years 3 months

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Seeing Ron's nicely enhanced image I think it is a different bird to the Escadrille 2S one (which I believe is a phoenix). Looks more like a stork or crane to me. It's quite a puzzle!

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19 years 3 months

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It seems that my attempt to post on the French forum mentioned in post #4 has failed. Does anyone familiar with Francais want to have a lash at it?
Rgds

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16 years 7 months

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I'll endeavour to do it later today.

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16 years 7 months

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Ah, not until I started to do so did I remember that it necessitates uploading a photograph to that forum - or that when, previously, I tried to register to do so, my attempts to register failed repeatedly and, as I couldn't work out why, I gave up trying! Sorry.

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For some reason my Midland Counties Publications (MCP) 1975 published, Paul A. Jackson's monograph 'French Military Aviation' survives in my bookcase. Paul Jackson pushed the boundaries of what the British aviation enthusiast knew about the history, units, bases and aircraft of a number of European Air Forces forward considerably. As a first attempt to bring a vast amount of information previously unavailable together in English, no small part of it likely considered secret back home, some detail - especially about the unit histories, current operators and whereabout's of each aircraft was often sketchy.

However, as the compilation of the book (1975) is contemporaneous with the photo (thought early 1975), some of entries may add (or confuse) knowledge, but regrettably in no way answer the question posed in the OP.

The paragraph introducing the Neptune starts by stating that all examples of the P2V-6 (serials then listed) have now been withdrawn from use, with one (regn stated) still used for ground instruction. The current version of the Neptune, the P2V-7/SP-2H has been partially retired, four examples having been transferred to the Dutch Navy in 1965, and others returning to the USA for storage at Davis Monthan. He then lists 34 serials, most with current whereabouts/operating units and some with a previous unit also listed.

The entry for 146433 only confuses. The current unit being given as 12S ? (noseprobe), the aircraft formerly with 23F. Cross reference elsewhere and 12S (12 Escadrille de Servitude) is shown as operating 8 Neptune aircraft (although only 4 are listed by registration) based at Papeete. The unit description includes the information that 4 of the aircraft were specially modified for experimental use connected with the atomic test programme at the Landes range in the Pacific, but retaining their maritime reconnaissance and SAR capabilities. The 12S insignia is described as "a shark's mouth in a radar scope".

The previous unit which operated the aircraft is given as 23F (23 Flotille), who by 1975 were operating Atlantic aircraft based at Lann-Bihoue. The unit description includes the information their aircraft are often deployed to the Pacific test ranges. The unit insignia is described as "A seagull attacking a shark" and is illustrated. Only other Neptune unit listed as active in 1975 is 25F , the last home based Neptune Unit, based at Lann-Bihoue with 8 aircraft for maritime reconnaissance and SAR duties. Insignia described as "a black bird over a rising sun". None of the illustrated insignia, and indeed while some of the insignia descriptions do include mention of a swan (3S) or a phoenix clutching a bomb (2S) they are not listed as Neptune units.

So no help at all really, apart from putting the aircraft as having served with 2 units that had a presence in the Pacific area, so in the right sector of the globe to visit Brisbane. I wonder if the tail insignia is that of a Pacific French base, the Landes Ranges, or maybe an atomic test unit that was using the aircraft? Interesting question that the standard British enthusiast reference of the period does even come close to answering.

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15 years 8 months

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This doesn't answer the original question, but for those interested there is film here of this very aircraft (without the 'bird' tail markings) and others, which appears to be from 1970/74 whilst with 23 Flottille at Muroroa Atoll etc - the same you tube channel also has numerous other home movie clips of French Navy PV2 Neptunes and lots of other interesting stuff, including film of RIAT 1973 - see here - https://youtu.be/s8xe3H8j0wE

Steve.

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19 years 3 months

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Folks I finally got to the bottom of this emblem but I had to form a committee to do it.

The emblem on the fin of Lockheed SP-2H 146433 of Escadrille 12S was applied in 1974 when the aircraft was based at Tontouta in New Caledonia. The emblem represents the Cagou, a bird found in the forests of New Caledonia. The same emblem was applied to Neptune 147570 of Flotille 25F which 146433 replaced at Tontouta. So it's not a unit badge but something specific to New Caledonia.

Thanks to Alain Bourret, Dominique Masset and Tim Kalina.

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11 years 3 months

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Well done on solving the mystery! Thanks for letting us know :)