Warbird Information Exchange

I would like to ask if anyone has any pictures of Naval operations at the Olathe Navy Base in Olathe, Kansas....Also looking for any history on the base from when it was opened, until it's closeure as a Navy base....It is now called New Century Industrial Airport.
The CAF has a wing based there, and I am currently talking with the group there about displaying My PV-2 there, and putting her in Navy reserve colors, since there were a couple of reserve squadrons there post WWII.

Here is a link to a bunch of Olathe Navy birds
http://www.vpnavy.com/nasolathe_aircraft.html

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

If you haven't seen Mel Shettle's United States Naval Air Stations of World War II, that would be a good resource. NAS Olathe is covered in volume II and there are several pages of historical material and photos on the NAS. ISBN is 0964338815 for an Amazon search.

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

Yanks' Corsair last served at NAS Olathe.

Try google with "Olathe NAS" - lots of stuff.
I was in the USAFR 442 TCG there in 1950-51, called to active duty March 52

Duke Sumonia
Glen haven, CO.

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Duke Sumonia

Gary
I am just down the road from NAS Olathe and have followed the history of the air station for some time. When the Old Olathe Naval Air Station Museum closed up shop most of the stuff went to Combat Air Museum up at Forbes. I know there was a large collection of pictures but I do not know what made it to CAM. I will look through my small collection to see if I can find anything. I would love to see a plane painted in NAS Olathe and if you need any help with turning some wrenches let me know.

Kevin

Thanks everyone for all the help.........I've been busy running around the country lately delivering mail and other freight for one company, and then jumping in the Dodge haulin' airplane parts around as well...Duke....I believe that we have crossed paths before on a wreck chasing site in the past....good to hear from you and welcome to the WIX site!!
Kevin....A big welcome to you as well! Yes, you are more than welcome to turn a wrench on Ole Annie! Hope to be doing something very soon, as to getting the rest of her moved down closer to home. I have only one photo of a PV-2 at Olathe, but alas, it's a B&W picture...I have a 1/72 model of a PV-2 in reserve markings, but not Olathe's markings...
Thanks for the lead on the stuff going to Topeka....I need to get down that way and see if I can do some digging in their archives. Kevin, do you know Bill Dempsey? Are you close to Rantoul? I need to get back out to his place as well...I wonder if he got his C-47 flown out yet???

That PV-2 in glossy sea blue is beautiful indeed...

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..defeat is never an option!

Here you go Gary...again, these are black and white. Caption on the back reads, "Olathe Navy Air Station 1948" . Same on the back of the Cat photo.






Take care,

PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
http://www.amhf.org

Hey PJ! Thanks! I've only seen the letter K on the tail before...interesting....Is that the stinger guns in the lower turret?
I think it's interesting on the different variations of machine gun placement as well....On the nose of the nearest Poon, there are only the two .50's in the upper portion , where the lower three have been removed. I have heard that some of the PV's at Olathe had the upper turrets removed, some retained them...I had always assumed that the stingers were taken out post WWII.........huh....Pretty neat how they ran the orange band around the fuselage, through the middle of the stars and bars too.

Looks like the one still has its turret. Yes they still have the tunnel guns and note the wear to the nearest planes radome. These were a couple of original pictures that I had Indy Jen scan.


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

Hey Gary,

I am in producing a series of documentaries on the history of Olathe. One of our topics is NAS Olathe and we got it funded by an Olathe business man. We will be producing a short doc about the Air Station this Spiring and summer.

I have been to Topeka and they do have tons of Olathe photos out there. I scanned a few and posted them here a few months ago. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30667

The director at CAM is pretty cool and he showed me all the photos. He had them broken down into aircraft type and I think there was a good stash of PV-2s. I was more interested in the corsairs and crusaders. I was really blown away with how many types served in Olathe.

I am currently trying to hunt down the guys that ran the museum before it closed. I got a few guys numbers. Drop me an e-mail and I'll send you the contact info I have.