PV-2D Harpoon 84062 (Tanker 101) comes back to life

[PJ]

From the book "Lockheed Twins"....
37489 U.S. Navy accepted 3 May 1945 delivered 21 July 1945 to pool Alameda. To VPB148 August 1945, Pool HDN FAW 2 June 1946, VP 128 August 1946, VP-ML-1 11 December 1946, FASRON-122 January 1947, Stricken 31 January 1947 (88Y=Obsolete/surplus).


Paula
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org

[Taigh Ramey]

Just a quick update on the goings on with the Harpoon.

We were planning our last flight of the year for Veterans Day but sadly we had to cancel. One of our Vets couldn't make it because he had to attend services for a friend. Our other vet became sick and was unable to make it so we decided to put the Veterans Day flight off.

Good news! We found a new PV Vet, Fred, who lives not far from us. Fred was in VPB-135 and I was excited to find this out because that was the same squadron as one of our other vets, Pat, was in. We hope to get them together soon and maybe get them flying once again. Fred's hearing and eyesight isn't the best and he is a bit apprehensive about going up. I can understand but hopefully we can at least reunite him and Pat. I can't wait to listen to those stories!

I visited Fred and took some photos of him and his photo album that are awesome. Here are some:



He had a diary page that shows his indoc and training though to Attu. Very cool
























On to other news; we are also very excited about the fact that we have finally ordered the guns for the nose! Thanks to an awesome donor here on WIX we were able to fund the gun project. It has taken a while to find a company that could make the guns that we wanted and, the tricky part; within our budget. Yhe order has been placed and the funding has been received and he gun project is off and running.

It will take a while for them to make the guns (promissed by May of 2016) but we are so excited to get the nose all gunned up as it will be most impressive to have all 8 fifties in their awesome V formation.

Here are some excerpts from the manuals on the configuration:





We are also scheduling a Torpedo Camp for June 3rd, 2016 as a fund raiser so if you know anyone who might want to have a great day of Harpoon fun please send them our way. We appreciate the support.

Thanks again to our WIX donors who made many projects on the Harpoon possible, especially the guns.

[Zac Yates]

Taigh, Fred's photos really are awesome! What treasures! Thank you so much for sharing them with us.

[Taigh Ramey]

Sorry for the rotation thing. Not sure how that happened. All photos should be right side up now.

[phil65]

"We are also scheduling a Torpedo Camp for June 3rd, 2016".....

[cco23i]

AND period correct ground crew too.

[TAdan]

I'm sure everyone here would love to hear about your latest Lockheed twin project. Saw a few pictures on Facebook of a C-60 getting some TLC.

[Lon Moer]

Taigh,
What is that thing with the foldy wings parked next to the Howard?

[Taigh Ramey]

I have been meaning to make a new post on the C-60 but i have been slacking. I hope to work on it again this weekend since the carbs came in. We will see.

I am not sure what the foldy wing aircraft is you are referring to. Our PV-1/Howard Super Ventura project used to be on the ramp at Chico next to Jimmy Leewards Grumman Guardian. Is this what you were asking about? I heard that the Guardian has since been donated to the Chico Air Museum.

[Lon Moer]

I have been meaning to make a new post on the C-60 but i have been slacking. I hope to work on it again this weekend since the carbs came in. We will see.

I am not sure what the foldy wing aircraft is you are referring to. Our PV-1/Howard Super Ventura project used to be on the ramp at Chico next to Jimmy Leewards Grumman Guardian. Is this what you were asking about? I heard that the Guardian has since been donated to the Chico Air Museum.

Yep, thats what is showing on Google Earth and would explain why I didn't recognize it.

[Mark Allen M]

Taigh and crew, here's a 'visual' list of items you might consider for your next Bomber camp

[shrike]

I make 60% by type, if not quantity that will be there.

[tulsaboy]

Totally off topic, but did anyone else notice that the group of men up front in the photo, on either side of the center line, appear to be African-American troops? That is terribly unusual for the time period. I wonder what the story is there? Would be very interesting to know.
kevin

[Pogmusic]

It really isn't unusual. African-Americans provided a large percentage of truck drivers or equipment operators, remember the Red Ball Express?

[Joseph Huntley]

anyone know where can find parts catalog or maint manual etc for this loverly plane I woulod Love to do a nice Radio Control Model of one. I had looked for factory drawings without much sucess so far but I want to do it as exact scale as possible with about a 131" wingspan