OLATHE NAVAL AIR STATION

[gsheff]

We have completed funding to make a short documentary on the history of the Olathe Naval Air Station. I need some help.

We are looking at recreating some scenes and want to have some aircraft flown in for the filming. Since NAS Olathe was a primary training facility we would like to have a couple N2Ss. We would also like to have a Corsair or a Avenger or bearcat - probably can only afford but one of these aircraft. How can I find these aircraft owners and ways to contact them? Preferably in the region of Kansas City.

Any photos (high res) would be great! I have found some real gems form the National Archives! Hoping to post them soon.

[Jerry O'Neill]

WIX'er Mike George is in Illinois, so he's only a state away and has an F4U-5N.
Jerry

[kalamazookid]

The CAF Missouri Wing has a TBM Avenger:

http://www.cafmo.org/

[dusttinbound]

Don't forget there also is the Heart of America wing of the CAF that has a couple of training aircraft. I know of a BT-13 that is based in MO and good friends with the owners. I might be able to see if they could come up to Olathe. Not sure if you are wanting to focus on the NAS as a training base but there is an AD-5 in Creve Coeur, MO that might work. Not sure who owns this but I saw it at the KC airshow last year and talked with the crew.

Kevin

[tulsaboy]

There is at least one navy-painted stearman in Tulsa.

[GARY HILTON]

Olathe used to have a couple of squadrons of PV-2 Harpoons based there after the war.....There are two flying examples in the U.S., but they would have to be repainted for accurate markings....I have offered to put my Harpoon on display there at the C.A.F., and put it in authintic period colors, but they are not interested. They didn't even know what a Poon was.
Gary

[IndyJen]

No worries, Gary--PJ's already liasion-ing with them. They won't have a proper documentary without a PV on the screen! Hopefully we can work it out to take Hot Stuff out there.

[The N man]

I would suggest that you secure the Stearman that is painted in Navy colors. These are so few N3N's flying that it will be tough to get one to meet your needs. Interestingly we are in the final stages of fully restoring to origional specifications an N3N that was used at OLATHE as a trainer from '41 to '43 before it was moved up to Great Lakes and then decommissioned. The plane is on the West Coast and won't be finished for several more months. Good luck with the project.

[Airlift48]

You might want to get some C-47/R4D's...

In Dec. 1943, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox visited the newly commissioned Naval Air Reserve Base at Olathe, KS. The following January he ordered VR-3 to be moved there to continue their operation. This resulted in the inauguration of scheduled round trip flights to the west coast Naval installations. VR-3 was the first military unit to operate "Air Evacuation" flights with their aircraft, flying wounded WWII and ill servicemen from Washington to Burbank, CA. It was followed in December with once a week scheduled flights to Toronto Canada with a flag stop in Ottawa Canada. That same month, they inaugurated four daily flights between the east and west coasts. At that time (1944) VR-3 was the first naval unit to have a WAVE (female sailor) assigned, when a Link trainer was obtained.

[12XU2A3X3]

don't forget about VMF (AW)-215 operated F4Ds out of Olathe under the 7K tailcode. i think they were the only naval/marine reserve unit to operated the type.

[12XU2A3X3]

you might do well to contact a man named Lionel Paul who lives near westover mass for pictures.

[Owen Miller]

Interesting post about VR-3. A couple of weeks ago
I had the opportunity to look through the logbook of
an aviator assigned to VR-3. Lots of entries into and
out of Olathe. Most of the guy's time was in R-4Ds
and R-5Ds. The wildest thing was he had ONE flight
in a Coronado from the West Coast to Hawaii. The
Bu No matches the one being restored in Pensacola
and will one day be displayed inside. Figure the odds....

[Airlift48]

Owen, any chance you could look at that logbook again?

Our C-54/R5D was with VR-3. BuNo. 90414.

It would be interesting if your friend flew the "Spirit of Freedom" back in its Navy Days..

It would be better if he had a photo! I have no photos of 90414 in USN paint.