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

[Taigh Ramey]

Hey Taigh, How many hrs you got on it since leaving her nesting spot???

Looks like only about 19 hours of flying time so far with our longest trip being to San Diego for the Centennial of Naval Aviation celebration at NAS North Island.

Taigh...Quick question, with the turret and associated fairings installed, is it water tight in that area or will the turret have to be covered? Travis

There was sealant and gap seals on the fairing and turret ring to cut down on water and the air blast down but turrets were never really air or water tight. The rubber gap seal from the turret fairing to the turret dome helps a lot when compared to other turret installations. We will make a turret cover to protect the dome and interior while she is on the ground. There is a Lockheed turret cover in the blueprints made from canvas that we will use as a pattern with more modern materials for lining it to protect the plastic. Incidentally there was also a cover for the canopy/cockpit, engines, radome and even one to cover up the national insignia on the wing (presumably for camouflage when on the ground). I have seen other wartime aircraft that also had insignia covers for the wing.

Wow Taigh that raw video is fantastic, you just need to install some blank firing 50 cals in that top turret for effect!

I agree and we will do that. The guns we are raising funds for will have chambers for gas guns built in and we will make the 8-50's in the nose and the two in the turret go bang eventually

Taigh, were you able to get up and take the turret for a spin?

Sadly, no. I'm the guy flying so I can't have fun in the turret or the other crew positions right now. For now I have to live vicariously through the stories of the guys who are playing in back. I'd like to see what the radar components look like to see if they vibrate much in the shock mounts. I'd like to see what would roll around on the nav table in cruise. I'd like to lay down and gaze out at the world from the new tunnel gun glass. I'd like to play in the Martin turret all powered up etc. Some day...

May I ask what would be a "ballpark" price tag on your finish paint scheme? If it's not for public knowledge I'll completely understand. Just curious.

It's no secret. We have the materials to do the paint. We bought the acid etch, alodine and a kind company donated the primer and paint so we basically have what we need to paint her. I am hoping to find a good place to paint the Harpoon inside instead of out on the ramp and also I need some more time to finish the preparations properly. I am leaning against the hard push to paint her until we have everything prepped correctly. If we hurry the paint job we will have problems not too far down the road and I want this paint to last a long time and look good. As with the rest of this project it all comes in good time when the time is right. The time to paint is getting closer though so bear with us. We will fix the ugly stuff (paint, tail wheel retract etc) as we can.

I was joking last week that we; had a turret but no tunnel gun glass. We have a nav table in place but no tunnel gun glass so we can fly. An IFF radio but we haven't replaced the cockpit glass yet. We have a nearly full radar station but no paint on the outside. A complete radio station but we haven't replaced the instrument panel with the original one. We have a cool camera mount but the tail wheel is still fixed down. Lots of projects to do and in time we will get to them. Hey, the engines are running well...knock on wood...

Peter sent this over and I love it. It is a taste of things to come. I just wish he could crank out the whole aircraft that easily!



Looks good doesn't it! Sometime soon...

[K5DH]

Great video!

Taigh, if you read this, please PM me your shipping address. I have a present for you.

[Taigh Ramey]

Great video!

Taigh, if you read this, please PM me your shipping address. I have a present for you.

OOOH, Christmas!! PM on the way

[Roger Cain]

Taigh and crew arriving at dusk on Friday at the Dream Machines show.

[cco23i]

As usual Roger an OUTFRICKENSTANDING photo!!!!

[Obergrafeter]

Good capture of the fire out of the #1 exhaust.

[rwdfresno]

Once upon a time we painted a AT-6 in the hangar. We sealed it off form the rest of the the hangar by creating a room with rolls of plastic surrounding and on the floor. Of course a PV is a lot bigger and a lot more plastic.

[CAPFlyer]

That's how the guys who painted Air Tahoma's planes did it as well. We took one of the hangars, pulled the props to get the planes all the way in, hung plastic to create the "paint booth" and then turned up the heaters. Was kinda miserable with the hangar being at 90+ for almost 2 weeks while the 3 240's were painted, but they looked decent for the first time in over a decade afterwards. I wasn't a fan of the paint (white fuse/black cowls), but hey, it was clean. Just wish they'd done the wings too, but that was going to be a hard row to hoe as it would've almost doubled the price due to the needed prep work.

[Taigh Ramey]

That's the problem; I don't have a good hangar to use here. I am hoping to work out a deal for the use of one. If this doesn't work out then I will have to paint her on the ramp out in the open which is certainly not my preference. This is the main reason as to why I am delaying the paint job as I would like to get her indoors for better painting conditions.

[rwdfresno]

Too bad you can't sneak into Nimitz Field. There are a lot of beautiful huge hangars over there most likely going to waste. There was also a really nice stripping and painting facilty. Plus for the Harpoon it would probably be like going to visit on old friend. Kind of sad to think of what has happened to that once bustling air base.

[Invader26]

Bloody nice job. That aircraft has to be the best living restoration out there.

Bravo Zulu chaps!

[slinky]

The video your daughter took is OUTSTANDING!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!

As has been said before, this is one of the best resto threads going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If my hangar was big enough you'd have it for free to paint that beautiful bird!!!!!

Keep it up, Love the turret!

[Taigh Ramey]

I appreciate the accolades but it's not much of a restoration in my mind. It's more like making a "barn find". We're mostly just cleaning and fixing what we have and finding as many of the puzzle pieces we can to put her back as she was.

We are simply doing the maintenance as needed and preventative maintenance on the important things in addition to the guns, radios and trinkets getting bolted on at the same time. We can't do a restoration because it's not economically feasible for our fledgling museums resources so we have to take care of what we have.

I have always gravitated towards keeping things original as opposed to full blown restoration even if it's a bit scrappy. I prefer faded original paint to shiny new paint any day but not many share my views.

Several individuals and groups have begun restorations on large warbirds only to loose interest or backing over time. Restorations on these kinds of aircraft represent massive undertakings not to be taken lightly. It's easy to tear a plane down. Its something entirely different to get it fixed up and back together. keeping a project as a flying restoration is a great way to keep up morale and motivation.

Our group is fortunate to have a sound low time/low wear aircraft to start with that has had a failr level of preservation (simply by circumstance) so we don't need to tear her down to little pieces to fix corroded spars and the like. We just had to fix the usual stuff and keep up the regular maintenance needed for airworthiness. At the same time the part I truely love is tracking down the original bits and pieces to make her more complete. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, I have been collecting this kind of gear and technical information for a few decades now so it makes it easier to put a project like this together.

It's fun to share this with you all and please know that all of us really appreciate the positive feedback and support.

More to come...

[slinky]

Yeah, "resto" was a poor choice of words as I know how you like to keep it as origional as possible. It's more of a revival of a survivor like you say, a "barn find"....the work inside is outstanding! Really liked the pix on the nav table install.
I envy you guys!!!!!! Love the PV-2s!!!!

BTW, I really like this statement you made.....

The industry is heavily driven by ego and personal desires for custom work tailored to the guy paying the invoices which is certainly fine but I would rather have a Rosie the Riveter come in and see her original zinc chromate looking a bit worn after 70 years but still flying.

[Taigh Ramey]

Now here is some serious restoration work on a critical airframe component

What do you suppose these holes are for?