Vultee SNV-2 Log Book

[Tulio]

I acquired today, a log book for a Vultee SNV-2, that is in excellent shape, and although the paper has yellowed with age, all the pages are there, and the data and general appearance are outstanding.

My question is:

Is this a book that would be of use to "document" a restoration? Or do you have to have the data plate, too?

If this book is of use . . . how much could it be worth? (Just asking).

Some of the data, as follows:

Navaer-418

United States Navy Department
Bureau of Aeronautics

Aircraft Log Book

Aircraft Model __________

Aircraft No. ____________


**********
Ref: A.C.L. 84-45

PRE-FERRY CHECK SHEET

11/3/42

There is a two-page mimeographed (stapled together) pre-ferry check sheet, with 13 main items and many sub-items, with the entries
written with pencil, and signed by the pilot and crew leader (both illegible)
U. S. Naval Air Station
Ottumwa, Iowa



************

REPORT OF INVENTORY

ACTIVITY: USNAS, OTTUMWA, IOWA
DATE: 11-3-45

AIRCRAFT MODEL: SNV-2
BUAER No. 52101
ENGINE MODEL: R985-AN-1
MFG. NO. P-4232

*************

Bureau of Aeronautics
Standard Inventory List
Model SNV-1, and 2

NavAer 01-50BB-527

13 Feb. 1944

47-52101

This form is in duplicate, and still has (stapled) the original carbon paper in between the two pages.

***************

The Log Book is Log # 2, Sta # 47

Description and preliminary remarks:

Type: SNV-2
Accepted: 11-22-44
Mfr. Vultee Aircraft, Inc.
Engine Type: R-985-AN-1
Engine Mfr. Pratt & Whitney
Fuel capacity (main tank) 60 gal. 43 gal.
(Grav. or aux. tanks) 17 gal (reserve)

Transferred
11/5/45 to Municipal Airport, Ponca City, OKLA.
********************

Date:

11/5/45: Transferred aircraft & engine this date to Municipal Airport, Ponca City, Okla (Sales storage) by authority of Bu Aer Supply Div. ltr.
Aer-S-MNR-205-A-291345 of 16 October 1945.

CLOSED.

Stamp:
Approved by [Ran illegible] Gordon King USNR
Assistant Maintenance Officer
NAS Ottumwa

The ferry flight was conducted by C. T. Banta 11-16-45, and lasted 4 hours and 1 tenth.

Total aircraft time after the ferry flight to Ponca City, was 1138.8



Saludos,


Tulio

Last edited by Tulio on Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Paul Krumrei]

I am drooling.

Sounds like a great find. As far as value, you never know until someone really wants it bad enough.

[Tulio]

Thank you, Paul.


Tulio

[Paul Krumrei]

Thank you, Paul.


Tulio

No Problem, where did you run across that great find may I ask?

[bdk]

I acquired today, a log book for a Vultee SNV-2, that is in excellent shape, and although the paper has yellowed with age, all the pages are there, and the data and general appearance are outstanding.

My question is:

Is this a book that would be of use to "document" a restoration? Or do you have to have the data plate, too?

If this book is of use . . . how much could it be worth? (Just asking).

My opinion is that this is a piece of ephemera. Unless you have the bill of sale for the aircraft that the FAA requires, with complete traceability from when the aircraft was sold surplus (or the last registered owner), you can't use this as the basis for a "data plate restoration." In fact this is a common misnomer. You can make a replacement data plate any time you want. It is really the chain of ownership of the registration that is important.

You can start a new logbook for your registered SNV if you lose the old one. Any time replacement items or AD notes will have to be re-done and documented however. When aircraft are seized the logbooks often turn up missing. There is an established process for recreating the required documentation.

I repeat, in the US there is no specific importance attached to a dataplate as far as the FAA is concerned- no different than any other placard. It is not the VIN for the aircraft like a car has. It is the documented chain of ownership that entitles you to register an aircraft.

As to value, I have no idea unfortunately. Cool find and definitely worth preserving. I'm sure there are many museums that would like to include it in their display along with old Mae Wests and silk parachutes with cotton straps. Few of these documents survived at all, let alone in the condition you describe. If you find that the serial number matches a surviving aircraft, it would definitely be of value to the owner.

I've had a few aircraft where only the current log was available and the ones all the way back from when the plane was built were missing. Not a desirable situation, but one that can be dealt with. I might have paid $500-$1000 just for the extra documentation, but that would have been associated with an existing aircraft and would have helped to document the provenance.

Maybe it is a survivor but most likely it was stripped of its engine for use in a crop duster.

[Tulio]

Thanks!

The information you provided is not only welcome, but also enough to satisfy my original question.

I seriously doubt that the SNV survived, but I have yet to do any kind of research on the BuAer number.

Together with this book, I also bought a civilian pilot's log book from the mid-30s, but I gave it to a friend of mine who is an avid aviation researcher here in Wichita.

Again, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

Thank you, Paul.


Tulio

No Problem, where did you run across that great find may I ask?

An antique mall North of Wichita.

Saludos,


Tulio