Lockheed P-2 Neptune (N96278)

Angels in the sky, what a nice old lady!

Q: what are the two items hanging from the wings outside of each engine, and what is in the nose cone, aside from what appears to be a couple of lights? Does this aircraft have a specific purpose; like flying into hurricanes, etc.

>>> David Jennings... Those "two items hanging from the wings outside each engine..." are turbojet engines. There is a fairing in the intake of each that can be closed in flight when these turbojets are not in use to prevent them from spooling and thus creating additional drag. I doubt the observer station is used in this Lockheed model P-2V5F Neptune as it's purpose is for aerial firefighting. This aircraft is owned and registered to Neptune Aviation Service of Missoula, Montana.

David, the purpose of this airplane was anti-submarine patrol during the 50s and 60s. It's role was supplanted by the P-3 Orion. There wasn't anything in the nose, it was an obervers station to verify by visual if the radar told us there was anything "down there". The aircraft in service with the US Navy had an extended MAD detector, basically a big magnet, behind the tail, it was really an odd looking thing. That was the thing that could pick up the presence of a large metal object beneath the waves.

They stopped in MLU the night before. Got to look inside when it was here. Great airplane. Didn't think it'd be VFR only though.

This aircraft appears to me to have been a former RCAF P-2V-7 Neptune.
The lightning flash marking on the side of the fuselage is identical to
the markings of the RCAF aircraft of that era.