Half Moon Bay's Pacific Coast Dream Machines show originally offered us 200 gallons of fuel to bring the Harpoon to their show which wasn't going to work for us. We can't be out of pocket...more than we already are anyway!... so it looked like we were only going to go in the Beech since we sell rides in the C-45H. Then a few days before the show they called back and we worked out the Harpoon gas thing so off we went.
The Dream Machines is a great show full of every kind of cool vehicle, engine, machine that us guys and a few gals like. Its a gear heads Mecca but I am a bit sad that I don't get to see much of it since it is a working day for me. I am flying rides in the Beech so the closest I get to the cool stuff is flying over it while hopping rides in the Twin Beech.
The Harpoon was pretty much ready to go since we had been working on her and flew the Saturday before. Vincent gave her a bath and she was as shiny as she can be in her dull bare metal finish...man, I can't wait to get her painted...oooh, non specular sea blue...my new favorite color.
Jerry came over to fly the Beech for us and since Ricky has been busting butt volunteering on the PV-2 a lot lately he got the right seat for some flight instruction. Here is a shot of Ricky doing just that and he did great too. The sunburn says that this was taken on the way home but he looked the same on the way over just not so red!
We arrived in Half Moon Bay around 7:15 am and parked the Harpoon on the ramp in some nice company
There was a good turn out at the show with an ocean of people milling about. Here is a real bad shot of the PV-2 on the ramp. My camera needs an overhaul
The aircraft for the most part were on one end of the field and the vehicles/machines were on the other end. The ride aircraft (Twin Beech, biplanes, P-51 and SNJ from the good folks at the CAF in Camarillo) were about in the middle and we all were busy throughout the day. The weather was fantastic with the only problem being the wind that picked up later in the day. It was fine for flying but hard on the ground folks. That wind sure can drain you out. Can you spot the Harpoon?
Here is a shot of the other end of the show taken late in the day when folks were already heading home. The parking lot was jammed full earlier and now you can see the precession of cars packing up the roads. I have heard that it takes many hours to get out of the show. Sure is noce to see it from the air and not the ground!
You can also see the aircraft trying to get to the runway to take off. This was a bit hard for us ride folks who really like getting in and out as fast as possible but that's part of the game we play.
The temporary ATC tower volunteers have been controlling this show for many years and are wonderful to work with. They really make things nice for us ride folks. Sorry about the bug splats on the glass. I cleaned the glass several times throughout the day too! The Beech earned her title of bug smasher today!
Here is Ricky and Cade attending to the fuel appetite of the Harpoon. I think Ricky is thinking 'is there anything in there?'
It was a good show but we need to put some display material together for the PV-2 to show the folks what she has been through for the last 65 years.
A good time was had by all but we were sure beat by the end of the day last night. Maybe we will catch up on the sleep tonight.
_________________
To donate to the PV-2D project via PayPal click here
http://www.twinbeech.com/84062restoration.htmWe brought her from:
to this in 3 months:
Help us get her all the way back
All donations are tax deductible as the Stockton Field Aviation Museum is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Tell a friend as the Harpoon needs all the help she can get.
Thank you!
Taigh Ramey
Vintage Aircraft, Stockton, California
http://www.twinbeech.com'KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY!'
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