This Day in Aviation History
April 28th, 1948
The U. S. Navy launches two P2 V-3 C Neptune aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea.
 
At the end of World War II, the US Navy felt the need to acquire a nuclear strike capability to maintain its political influence. In the short term, carrier-based aircraft were the best solution. Nuclear munitions at that time were bulky and required a large aircraft to carry them. The U.S. Navy improvised a carrier-based nuclear strike aircraft by modifying the P2V Neptune for carrier takeoff using jet assisted takeoff (JATO) rocket boosters, with initial takeoff tests in 1948. However, the Neptune could not land on a carrier, therefore the crew had to either make their way to a friendly land base after a strike, or ditch in the sea near a U.S. Navy vessel. It was replaced in this emergency role by the North American AJ Savage, the first nuclear strike aircraft that was fully capable of carrier launch and recovery operations; it was also short-lived in that role as the US Navy was adopting fully jet powered nuclear strike aircraft….
 
Source:
Wikipedia, Lockheed P-2 Neptune: http://gstv.us/1NUUUfb
 
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Photo from: http://gstv.us/1NUUKEv
 
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