I can shed a little light on the PV2 based in Colorado Springs, since I was with it from the day it flew in to the day it left for Texas. Lockheed PV2D Harpoon Bu. 37634 N6655D was first flown on September 6, 1945. She had a very short military carrier, going to Naval Air Facility Litchfield Park, Arizona on February 12, 1946. On March 9, 1955, she was pulled out for inspection and general refurbishment, the plane had a grand total of 29 hours of flight! The next couple of years she bounced around from New Jersey to Tucson, Arizona, finally ending up in Las Cruces, New Mexico in June 1960! She remained there for the next 27 years, spraying pecan groves. They would spray during the early morning, hence the big spotlight in the nose. Finally the new neighbors got tired of hearing 4000hp at 3:00AM, so they had to stop. During that time, the plane was set up on its nose in a landing accident, the engines and props were replaced, and the nose compartment tray for the 8 .50 machine guns was permanently locked in the up position. In 1987, Whitey Wannamaker & Thomas J.Newell bought her, and flew her to Colorado! Jerry, only had a perifiall part in the PV2. At first we did the major work, next to the Division Of Wildlife hanger at the old airport. Then we started flying out of Medowlake airport, a small satellite airport deigned for light aircraft, it was a tight fit. For the next few years we flew many airshows, always hitting up Salt Lake, where the Living History group always treated us well! Unfortunately, she was an expensive beast, when we got her, each engine used 3 gallons of oil per hour, it was down to less then a gallon when she left, still pricey! We desperately wanted a top turret, but they were expensive. The biggest insult, was when we were awarded Best Transport down in Albuquerque. Finally in 1990, the decision was made, Shamu had to go. We only had two groups look at it, a questionable group from Florida, that wanted to know if we could reinstall all the fuel tanks for maximum range, and Robert L.Waltrip of the Lone Star Museum, fortunately it went to him! Originally Whitey and I were suppose to fly her down to Texas, but another crew came up to fly her, I really wanted those last hours. Last I heard, she was damaged in hurricane Ike, needles to say the PV2 is low on their priority list. We did the best we could with what little we had, relocated the exhaust, navigator random, semi authentic interior. Incidently, the FAA inspector saw the original RAF requirements for one pilot, and he wanted this to be a 1 passenger plane! We finally got them up to 5. We did help Neil Rose on his PV2C, but more with knowledge. As ann ironic side note, Whitey originally wanted a P-51, so I kicked around for one, finally ended up talking to Dick Janitell who I knew back then, he found one, but it was way to expensive, I seem to remember $275,000! He also knew where a Sea Fury was for $125,000 with two spare Centaurus engines. To much for their budget. The PV2 in you pictures is a C model, you can tell by the external chin guns, the Ds were built in, and the nose was more rounded, hence Shamu! Hope that answerers at least a few questions.
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