, ▁and ▁saw ▁service ▁with ▁several ▁armed ▁forces . ▁ ▁Design ▁and ▁development ▁ ▁Development ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁land - based ▁pat rol ▁bom ber ▁began ▁early ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁with ▁design ▁work ▁starting ▁at ▁Lock he ed ' s ▁V ega ▁subs idi ary ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁vent ure ▁on ▁ 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁At ▁first , ▁the ▁new ▁design ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁low ▁priority ▁compared ▁to ▁other ▁aircraft ▁in ▁development ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁with ▁V ega ▁also ▁developing ▁and ▁producing ▁the ▁P V - 2 ▁Har po on ▁pat rol ▁bom ber . ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁signed ▁a ▁letter ▁of ▁intent ▁for ▁two ▁prototype ▁XP 2 V s , ▁which ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁a ▁formal ▁contract ▁on ▁ 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁with ▁a ▁further ▁ 1 5 ▁aircraft ▁being ▁ordered ▁ 1 0 ▁days ▁later . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁that ▁the ▁program ▁went ▁into ▁full ▁swing . ▁A ▁major ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁design ▁was ▁ease ▁of ▁manufact ure ▁and ▁maintenance , ▁and ▁this ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁major ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁type ' s ▁long ▁life ▁and ▁world wide ▁success . ▁The ▁first ▁aircraft ▁fle w ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁Production ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁and ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁accepted ▁into ▁service ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁Pot ential