PV-2D Harpoon 84062 (Tanker 101) comes back to life

cco23i · **Posted:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:06 am

CHA-CHING!

Bingofuel · **Joined:** Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:46 pm **Posts:** 4

Wow, Hi all, New guy here and just blown away by this thread. It got me thinking of visiting Dempsey Field in Rantoul, Kansas back in 1975. I was a student at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa and a buddy and I drove up there one weekend as we heard of the a/c there. There were (4) PV-2s on the field then, all fire bombers and N6657D was one of them. I took some lousey photos using slide film with a Kodak Instamatic camera of everything there including the PV-2s. Back then it looked pretty sorry with big hand sprayed on N number in orange on her side. Just the tops of the cowl rings were red and the rudders but not he fins were red. I had the slides copied to paper prints but they didn't come out too well.
There were also at least (5) A/B-26 Invaders there all fire bombers and a North American O-47, plus sprayer single seat AT-6s. Does anyone know what happened to any of the other PV-2s? One was N6853C and another was N7086C and I don't know the fourth. I think only N6657D was a D model. The others all had the earlier nose. The time of the year was winter and all I remember was how cold I was so we didn't hang around all day. We poped over to a nearby airport which I can't remember the name of and there was B-17G tanker #42 N3509G being worked on outside in 10F wheather. I guess ya have to work on them off season but it didn't look like fun to me. The B-17 was on jack stands and they were doing retract tests and the wind was blowing 30 miles an hour and the plane was rocking all over the place. I took lots of pics of the 17 and they came out better but its all Instamatic stuff.
Great to hear she is still around and someone saved at least one of them. Love those old warbirds. Keep up the great work. MB

Dan K · **Posted:** Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:31 pm

Bingofuel wrote:

Wow, Hi all, New guy here and just blown away by this thread. It got me thinking of visiting Dempsey Field in Rantoul, Kansas back in 1975. I was a student at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa and a buddy and I drove up there one weekend as we heard of the a/c there. There were (4) PV-2s on the field then, all fire bombers and N6657D was one of them. I took some lousey photos using slide film with a Kodak Instamatic camera of everything there including the PV-2s. Back then it looked pretty sorry with big hand sprayed on N number in orange on her side. Just the tops of the cowl rings were red and the rudders but not he fins were red. I had the slides copied to paper prints but they didn't come out too well.
There were also at least (5) A/B-26 Invaders there all fire bombers and a North American O-47, plus sprayer single seat AT-6s. Does anyone know what happened to any of the other PV-2s? One was N6853C and another was N7086C and I don't know the fourth. I think only N6657D was a D model. The others all had the earlier nose. The time of the year was winter and all I remember was how cold I was so we didn't hang around all day. We poped over to a nearby airport which I can't remember the name of and there was B-17G tanker #42 N3509G being worked on outside in 10F wheather. I guess ya have to work on them off season but it didn't look like fun to me. The B-17 was on jack stands and they were doing retract tests and the wind was blowing 30 miles an hour and the plane was rocking all over the place. I took lots of pics of the 17 and they came out better but its all Instamatic stuff.
Great to hear she is still around and someone saved at least one of them. Love those old warbirds. Keep up the great work. MB

N6657D

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pv2harpo ... 84062.html

N7086C

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pv2harpo ... 37444.html

6853C

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pv2harpo ... 37159.html

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

ok, we are salivating here!!!! :lol:

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:56 am

N6853C...Is in Louisianna, just south of Lafayette

N7086C...Is in Chandler, Az....Owned by Bill Dietzel, Fresno, Ca...currently under the custody of the Gila River Indian Tribe....

I spoke with Bill Dempsey a few years ago, and he told me that he used to own N7458C, my bird, although I cannot find anything stating that it was owned by him in the records, I know that these aircraft switched hands overnight sometimes, and I know that immaculate records were kept by all parties involved!!!

OK Taigh....what's been going on out your way? You'se guys have been entirely too quiet for too long. Got paint????

G.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

Photos please....,please?

Any updates, Taigh?

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:56 pm

N6853C

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:02 pm

N7086C

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 5:06 pm

Sorry, I don't have any good updated for you all lately. I have been out of town in Switzerland for a couple of weeks working on a customers pair of Twin Beech's. Ricky has been working on the engines a little. He was chasing some oil leaks on push rod tubes and finding a bum spark plug.

While I was off the last two weeks I was still tracking down some parts. I found a good stash of radar gear including a real nice looking antenna, the missing transmitter and other cool goodies. I hope to pick them up in the next day or two.

The paint is coming slowly. We have a facility to do the paint we are just waiting for the final approval.

We hope to take 062 to to an air/car show called Pacific Coast Dream Machines at Half Moon Bay, CA in early May. It is an old Army then Navy field in WWII. I recommend this show to anyone as it is awesome. There have every kind of old motorized vehicle that you can think of. From hit and miss engines, a wood fired steam mule, dragsters, tractors, race cars, Classic cars, military vehicles, warbirds, etc. Its a guys show for sure. I am usually flying rides in the Beech so I only get to see it when I fly over but it is a good one for sure. Get there early and plan to stay late because of the horrible traffic getting out.

So sorry not much Harpoon news to report lately but stay tuned...

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

No worries, Taigh. We all realize you have another life to live besides satisfying our curiosities!

Thanks and safe travels!

bugazon · **Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:58 pm

thanks for the updates Taigh. Ill be at the dream machines. I hope to actually meet you, but i know you will have your hands full.

K5DH · **Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:38 pm

This has nothing to do with PV-2's, but I thought it was kinda funny.

On my way to work this morning, I passed a beer delivery truck from Harpoon Beer! :drinkers:

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

k5dh wrote:

This has nothing to do with PV-2's, but I thought it was kinda funny.

On my way to work this morning, I passed a beer delivery truck from Harpoon Beer! :drinkers:

Hey, Taigh.., looks like Dean found your 'sponsor'?? Hey.., certainly worked well for Red Bull!!!

Get on the horn!
:shock:

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:11 am

Thats exactly what I was thinking! I looked them up and they are on the East coast but maybe they need some West coast exposure...

krlang · **Posted:** Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:19 am

Sounds like a trip to BOS is in order.

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PV-2D Harpoon 84062 (Tanker 101) comes back to life

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