Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:31 pm
Pooner, that plug in the rocket intervalometer is a shorting plug, acts as a safety--rockets don't fire if it's installed.
It's bullet shaped (think of a .45 pistol cartridge for proportions). The end of it is a female plug for the electrical socket it plugs into--four pins, if I remember.
The connector end of the plug is as deep as the socket it mates with, and the rest of the plug is metallic. It has a lanyard ring on the end of it. It fits the socket real firmly.
Maybe PJ will get a closeup of the plug, removed from the unit?
It's bullet shaped (think of a .45 pistol cartridge for proportions). The end of it is a female plug for the electrical socket it plugs into--four pins, if I remember.
The connector end of the plug is as deep as the socket it mates with, and the rest of the plug is metallic. It has a lanyard ring on the end of it. It fits the socket real firmly.
Maybe PJ will get a closeup of the plug, removed from the unit?
Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:36 pm
If I can get about 2hrs. to spend in front of the film reader I'll look it up as I need to duplicate the stencils/decals for hyd. system....give me till Monday
Dave
Dave
Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:11 pm
IndyJen,
Drove by last night, too dark and wet to see your progress on Hot Stuff! At least in your photos, I can see that she has lost the "Harpoon Tilt"...good deal!
Do you have the military and civilian history cards for you aircraft? It would be interesting to see Hot Stuff's path from Litchfield to present.
Looking in 37234's military card, it has been listed as a PV-2T2, I have asked ole Pooner, but other than T for Training or possibly Twin...purely speculative...could you shed any light on this designation?
Keep up the great work..and if ya want a REAL toilet lid....custom heated throne!!!
Gary
Drove by last night, too dark and wet to see your progress on Hot Stuff! At least in your photos, I can see that she has lost the "Harpoon Tilt"...good deal!
Do you have the military and civilian history cards for you aircraft? It would be interesting to see Hot Stuff's path from Litchfield to present.
Looking in 37234's military card, it has been listed as a PV-2T2, I have asked ole Pooner, but other than T for Training or possibly Twin...purely speculative...could you shed any light on this designation?
Keep up the great work..and if ya want a REAL toilet lid....custom heated throne!!!
Gary
Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:38 am
Gary,
The Marine Corps Historical Branch has a listing of types, including that PV-2T2. Their entry says this version, and the PV-2T, was a modified Harpoon, used for electronic training, circa 1952.
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmchist/air.txt
Hot Stuff still has her "tilt" going on. She'll probably have that tilt until we hang the engine and run it up, and then the strut will finally collapse back to normal.
The Marine Corps Historical Branch has a listing of types, including that PV-2T2. Their entry says this version, and the PV-2T, was a modified Harpoon, used for electronic training, circa 1952.
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmchist/air.txt
Hot Stuff still has her "tilt" going on. She'll probably have that tilt until we hang the engine and run it up, and then the strut will finally collapse back to normal.
Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:27 am
Gary,
Here's the history of "Hot Stuff":
BuAero 37396 U.S. Navy accepted 16 March 1945
> Delivered 9 April 1945 to HDN1 FAW9
> To BAR Burbank 11June 1945
> VPB 136 July 1945
> Pool HDN FAW6 November 1945
> Pool HDN FAW4 December 1945
> Pool FASRON112 September 1946
> Pool Alameda May 1947
> Overhauled 20 July 1948
> NART Los Alamitos 1950
> O & R M&S Alameda 21 October 1950
> NART Willow Grove 23 April 1951
> O & R M&S Corpus Christi 1 November 1953
> Retired 1 October 1953
> Storage Litchfield Park 20 February 1954
> Stricken 17 December 1956
> (4901=UFS) TT:1551 Hours
> Sold to Master Equipment Co. as N7265C in 1957
> Stored, uncvtd, until at least January 1966 then for agricultural use
> To RALCO registered 22 August 1979. Ralph S. Johnson (CAR August 1985)
> To Historic Aircraft Memorial Foundation, registered January 1986.
> Operated in association with the Lone Star Wing of the Confederate Air Force
> as warbird (A/O February 1986)
> To American Military Heritage Foundation. Registered January 1990.
> Current: Flying in two tone blue Navy c/s as 37396 "Hot Stuff"
I haven't seen pencil notes any any of the nooks and cranies, but there are plenty of stencils from the overhaul at Alameda.
Another piece of restoration equipment that I am curious about is the B-3 Drift Sight. I have 3....anyone have any operating manuals for these?
PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org
>
Here's the history of "Hot Stuff":
BuAero 37396 U.S. Navy accepted 16 March 1945
> Delivered 9 April 1945 to HDN1 FAW9
> To BAR Burbank 11June 1945
> VPB 136 July 1945
> Pool HDN FAW6 November 1945
> Pool HDN FAW4 December 1945
> Pool FASRON112 September 1946
> Pool Alameda May 1947
> Overhauled 20 July 1948
> NART Los Alamitos 1950
> O & R M&S Alameda 21 October 1950
> NART Willow Grove 23 April 1951
> O & R M&S Corpus Christi 1 November 1953
> Retired 1 October 1953
> Storage Litchfield Park 20 February 1954
> Stricken 17 December 1956
> (4901=UFS) TT:1551 Hours
> Sold to Master Equipment Co. as N7265C in 1957
> Stored, uncvtd, until at least January 1966 then for agricultural use
> To RALCO registered 22 August 1979. Ralph S. Johnson (CAR August 1985)
> To Historic Aircraft Memorial Foundation, registered January 1986.
> Operated in association with the Lone Star Wing of the Confederate Air Force
> as warbird (A/O February 1986)
> To American Military Heritage Foundation. Registered January 1990.
> Current: Flying in two tone blue Navy c/s as 37396 "Hot Stuff"
I haven't seen pencil notes any any of the nooks and cranies, but there are plenty of stencils from the overhaul at Alameda.
Another piece of restoration equipment that I am curious about is the B-3 Drift Sight. I have 3....anyone have any operating manuals for these?
PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org
>
The "other" Harpoon bombsight
Thu Dec 11, 2008 4:37 pm
Well, you asked for some data on the "other" bombsight for the Harpoon, so here goes...
Here's a photo of the original toilet seat lid for the PV-2:
Here's a view of the hinge assembly. And what's that stuff in the corner there, you ask? Well, that's Myrex granules, of course - the famous "ant killer bait" that this Harpoon last dropped in the southern US in an attempt to wipe out the fire ant population...pleasant lil' old mixture of poison and ground corn cobs.
Here's the data tag from a "newer" mil aircraft toilet. The lid assembly is almost identical to the wartime Lockheed unit and differs only slightly on the hinge assembly....
And lastly, an overall shot of the contemporary military toilet.
The PV-2 had the toilet basin all built into the lower portion of transition decking and floorboard structure - rather comfy place, actually, right along side of the storage bin with a simply superb view of the tail gun position and the Martin upper turret. Privacy was in short supply aboard the "Harpoon." Needless to say - this was as high tech as it got (this was not a chemical toilet... the rest should be self-explanatory...).
If you see one of these newer toilet assemblies in an aero junkyard or aero surplus action, PJ, it'll provide you with a lid assembly...
Here's a photo of the original toilet seat lid for the PV-2:
Here's a view of the hinge assembly. And what's that stuff in the corner there, you ask? Well, that's Myrex granules, of course - the famous "ant killer bait" that this Harpoon last dropped in the southern US in an attempt to wipe out the fire ant population...pleasant lil' old mixture of poison and ground corn cobs.
Here's the data tag from a "newer" mil aircraft toilet. The lid assembly is almost identical to the wartime Lockheed unit and differs only slightly on the hinge assembly....
And lastly, an overall shot of the contemporary military toilet.
The PV-2 had the toilet basin all built into the lower portion of transition decking and floorboard structure - rather comfy place, actually, right along side of the storage bin with a simply superb view of the tail gun position and the Martin upper turret. Privacy was in short supply aboard the "Harpoon." Needless to say - this was as high tech as it got (this was not a chemical toilet... the rest should be self-explanatory...).
If you see one of these newer toilet assemblies in an aero junkyard or aero surplus action, PJ, it'll provide you with a lid assembly...
Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:25 pm
Thanks, Pooner. When I'm out at the plane on Saturday, i'll show you our current lid. Yes, and a heated seat would go a long way in Indiana!
Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:18 pm
PJ,
Thanks for the history!
Thanks for the history!
Workday Dec 13
Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:01 am
Hello everyone,
It was a right chilly one out on the MQJ ramp Saturday, but unfortunately, "chilly" is about as good as it gets nowadays. When the wind blows like it did yesterday, the workers turn as blue as the airplane.
That's Machine Shop Gaylon, one of our lead mechanics. He's going around prepping the leading edges of the tailfeathers for removal, breaking each screw loose and shooting a bit of Kroil in. Only half a dozen screws will need "special attention, which is a pretty good ratio, actually.
Gaylon was using chemical-packet handwarmer pads in his gloves, which got lots of attention from other, chillier workers.
These included yours truly and PJ, who were working up in the nose, replacing an instrument panel shock mount.
Shot through an open hole in the instrument panel. PJ's wedged up inside the instruments/avionics bay. Few are little enough to get into such spaces and work. Once jammed in there, Paula suddenly began relating stories of how many of the Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz movie were hired to work on the B-24 production line, to buck rivets in the tiniest of spaces.
Here's a view up the gun-bay hatch, looking up into the instruments/avionics bay:
That shock mount is on the splitline between the nose (in Lockheed's promo materials for the type, the "quick remove" nose) and the rest of the fuselage. It is the damndest thing to get to.
Inside the shop, work continued on the engine buildup. We had a full set of plugs waiting in the rack. Rich and Rich took care of that. Some plugs are more accessible than others, according to Rich (no, not _that_ Rich, the other one):
And the carb is now in place on the blower case, which feels like progress. Here's the last view inside the blower case itself that we'll have for a while.
Down in there, you can see the induction vane and forward impeller. The silver disk just forward of the big opening is the cover on the fuel metering valve, a floating needle-valve-and-diaphragm contraption.
Attach the base to the carb, put it in place, and bolt 'er down to book torque, and we have the fine pleasant sight of the Stromberg Injection Carb, right where it belongs.
Another workday, another few things accomplished. Gaylon is finishing his shop work on the cowl flap actuators, so we'll be building those up again soon. Coming in the holidays, work will likely slow down some. But we have people taking on some homework for the restoration projects, thanks to Dave Hansen, who kindly provided prints. We hope to have something to show 'n' tell pretty soon on that front--ARC-5 rack, Radio compartment bulkhead, and Nav table are on that list.
It was a right chilly one out on the MQJ ramp Saturday, but unfortunately, "chilly" is about as good as it gets nowadays. When the wind blows like it did yesterday, the workers turn as blue as the airplane.
That's Machine Shop Gaylon, one of our lead mechanics. He's going around prepping the leading edges of the tailfeathers for removal, breaking each screw loose and shooting a bit of Kroil in. Only half a dozen screws will need "special attention, which is a pretty good ratio, actually.
Gaylon was using chemical-packet handwarmer pads in his gloves, which got lots of attention from other, chillier workers.
These included yours truly and PJ, who were working up in the nose, replacing an instrument panel shock mount.
Shot through an open hole in the instrument panel. PJ's wedged up inside the instruments/avionics bay. Few are little enough to get into such spaces and work. Once jammed in there, Paula suddenly began relating stories of how many of the Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz movie were hired to work on the B-24 production line, to buck rivets in the tiniest of spaces.
Here's a view up the gun-bay hatch, looking up into the instruments/avionics bay:
That shock mount is on the splitline between the nose (in Lockheed's promo materials for the type, the "quick remove" nose) and the rest of the fuselage. It is the damndest thing to get to.
Inside the shop, work continued on the engine buildup. We had a full set of plugs waiting in the rack. Rich and Rich took care of that. Some plugs are more accessible than others, according to Rich (no, not _that_ Rich, the other one):
And the carb is now in place on the blower case, which feels like progress. Here's the last view inside the blower case itself that we'll have for a while.
Down in there, you can see the induction vane and forward impeller. The silver disk just forward of the big opening is the cover on the fuel metering valve, a floating needle-valve-and-diaphragm contraption.
Attach the base to the carb, put it in place, and bolt 'er down to book torque, and we have the fine pleasant sight of the Stromberg Injection Carb, right where it belongs.
Another workday, another few things accomplished. Gaylon is finishing his shop work on the cowl flap actuators, so we'll be building those up again soon. Coming in the holidays, work will likely slow down some. But we have people taking on some homework for the restoration projects, thanks to Dave Hansen, who kindly provided prints. We hope to have something to show 'n' tell pretty soon on that front--ARC-5 rack, Radio compartment bulkhead, and Nav table are on that list.
Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:21 pm
PJ,
Thanks for the Marine site lead....in going back into my PVs records, I see where 37234 was converted to the PV-2T2X Model on 21 June 1954....
at the O&R BUAER M&S...Corpus Christi, Tx.
Re-designated PV-2T2 at same facility 24 May 55
Alameda June 55
Lichfield Park Dec 55
Striken from enventory Dec 56
Sold 29 May 57....N7458C
I had really had my hopes up that 58C may have been a WWII vet, as she is an early production a/c....My records show that she wasn't accepted until 5 Dec 45....which is kind of confusing, since there were a number of later produced PVs that saw active duty...37306 was lost at Eniwetok with VPB-144 5 Aug 45...72 aircraft after mine was built..4 months to the day, before 37234 was accepted....Looks like it went straight to storage until Aug 48....
Thanks for the Marine site lead....in going back into my PVs records, I see where 37234 was converted to the PV-2T2X Model on 21 June 1954....
at the O&R BUAER M&S...Corpus Christi, Tx.
Re-designated PV-2T2 at same facility 24 May 55
Alameda June 55
Lichfield Park Dec 55
Striken from enventory Dec 56
Sold 29 May 57....N7458C
I had really had my hopes up that 58C may have been a WWII vet, as she is an early production a/c....My records show that she wasn't accepted until 5 Dec 45....which is kind of confusing, since there were a number of later produced PVs that saw active duty...37306 was lost at Eniwetok with VPB-144 5 Aug 45...72 aircraft after mine was built..4 months to the day, before 37234 was accepted....Looks like it went straight to storage until Aug 48....
Last Maintenance of 2008, Mebbe
Sun Dec 21, 2008 1:00 pm
Hello WIXers from the Hot Stuff mx gang.
The bitterly cold time is here in Indy right now, but it was more tolerable yesterday on the Mount Comfort ramp.
Gaylon and Rich got the remaining screws loose on the tailfeather leading edges. Next time we have a tolerable day, we'll pull those off and do that inspection. all the tail surface control cables run in front of the spar, so they're inspected and lubed at that time.
Our man John FedEx, who also is knows here as Johnny Gearpin, has been doing some nice sheetmetal bending lately, including a patch for a cracked rib in the inboard flap bay:
PJ and I worked out the problem with the intrument panel lord mount, and Glen made progress with control cable rigging. It was just cold, however, and colder inside the plane than outside, or so some said. There was enough to do inside the shop that no one had to freeze to death.
We had visiting mechanic Dave along with our man Scott--who's been overseas a lot lately, so he was good to see--paired up, working on the cowl flaps. A few bad brackets needed changing out, and lots of lube points to attend to. It was a good day's project for them.
All that stuff is now a very nice-functioning set of cowl flaps. here's a closer view of the items, including the odd little shims, of which there are about a million, and which are very important. The brackets are castings, and overtorqueing or leaving out shims are two good ways of making cracks.
Our man Roy, who leads most of our electrical projects, checked out the cowl flap motors for this installation using his homemade and extremely excellent drive-motor test set. Darn if one of the two wasn't bad, so he had that changed out in short order. Looking for something in the storage hangar, I found him a whole box of bad drive motors, and now Roy is happy as a clam, with a nice homework project.
PJ and Hot Rod Steve worked on installing the exhaust, and that's all done. You connect the ring segment, and then line up several cylinder joint flanges, or swear a bit while failing to quite do so.
That's the right side of the engine. the firesleeve is the prop feathering oil line. Steve had to go, so I left off safetying the carb to help install the last piece, the outlet pipe with the big ball joint.
Next time, we'll overhaul that other cowl flap segment, and finish building up the carb airbox, and likely install the nose ring on the engine. We build up engines to the Quick Engine Change config shown in the book before hanging them. That's nose ring, cowl flaps and air box all installed. Apart from the prop, this is the engine you see when you pull off all the dzus-fastened cowing panels. With it hung, all you have to do is slap on the cowling like normal, and the engine's all bottoned up.
Won't be long now before we see it back on the wing. But we're in the holiday season now, so that will undoubtedly be a sight we'll see in 2009.
That's the news. Take care,
The bitterly cold time is here in Indy right now, but it was more tolerable yesterday on the Mount Comfort ramp.
Gaylon and Rich got the remaining screws loose on the tailfeather leading edges. Next time we have a tolerable day, we'll pull those off and do that inspection. all the tail surface control cables run in front of the spar, so they're inspected and lubed at that time.
Our man John FedEx, who also is knows here as Johnny Gearpin, has been doing some nice sheetmetal bending lately, including a patch for a cracked rib in the inboard flap bay:
PJ and I worked out the problem with the intrument panel lord mount, and Glen made progress with control cable rigging. It was just cold, however, and colder inside the plane than outside, or so some said. There was enough to do inside the shop that no one had to freeze to death.
We had visiting mechanic Dave along with our man Scott--who's been overseas a lot lately, so he was good to see--paired up, working on the cowl flaps. A few bad brackets needed changing out, and lots of lube points to attend to. It was a good day's project for them.
All that stuff is now a very nice-functioning set of cowl flaps. here's a closer view of the items, including the odd little shims, of which there are about a million, and which are very important. The brackets are castings, and overtorqueing or leaving out shims are two good ways of making cracks.
Our man Roy, who leads most of our electrical projects, checked out the cowl flap motors for this installation using his homemade and extremely excellent drive-motor test set. Darn if one of the two wasn't bad, so he had that changed out in short order. Looking for something in the storage hangar, I found him a whole box of bad drive motors, and now Roy is happy as a clam, with a nice homework project.
PJ and Hot Rod Steve worked on installing the exhaust, and that's all done. You connect the ring segment, and then line up several cylinder joint flanges, or swear a bit while failing to quite do so.
That's the right side of the engine. the firesleeve is the prop feathering oil line. Steve had to go, so I left off safetying the carb to help install the last piece, the outlet pipe with the big ball joint.
Next time, we'll overhaul that other cowl flap segment, and finish building up the carb airbox, and likely install the nose ring on the engine. We build up engines to the Quick Engine Change config shown in the book before hanging them. That's nose ring, cowl flaps and air box all installed. Apart from the prop, this is the engine you see when you pull off all the dzus-fastened cowing panels. With it hung, all you have to do is slap on the cowling like normal, and the engine's all bottoned up.
Won't be long now before we see it back on the wing. But we're in the holiday season now, so that will undoubtedly be a sight we'll see in 2009.
That's the news. Take care,
Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:40 pm
I was at MQJ last night, and she looked cold 
Tonight she's gonna get real cold.
Keep the updates coming!
Trey
Tonight she's gonna get real cold.
Keep the updates coming!
Trey
Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:47 pm
You're not kidding there. I got home a while ago from helping farmer friends with their cattle chores. Under two blankets right now. So cold, so cold ...
Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:05 pm
IndyJen wrote:You're not kidding there. I got home a while ago from helping farmer friends with their cattle chores. Under two blankets right now. So cold, so cold ...
You southerners...always whining about the weather.
Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:12 pm
We don't whine so much about our own weather. It's when we have to have your weather that we start moaning!