Warbird Information Exchange

I just got wind of an auction that was held by the Starman Bros. in Mesa, AZ on the 1st and 2nd of June 2012. for Air Response and the estate of Sam Korth. I was told that there was a Lockheed Harpoon on site that was sold at the auction for practically nothing. If this is true, who got it and how do I contact them? I'm sure all of you know on here know by now that I have been trying to find a Lockheed Lodestar or Harpoon fuselage for some time.

Jason Barnett
(713) 817-8997

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The nose art/aviation artist and general lunatic from Houston, Texas http://www.jasonbarnettartist.com

N7268C sold at auction for 16.6 cents per pound.

Given the condition of the airframe, title issues, location and the problem surrounding storage of derelict-looking airplanes at KFFZ, it's probably reflective of the perceived value of a sad Lockheed PV-2 "Harpoon" in today's economy. Because of all of those hardships alone the buyer may have paid far too much. WIX member Gary Hilton says this this is the second oldest surviving Harpoon. It sure looks like it, as time hasn't been kind to the old girl.

Not too much interest in the PV at the auction given the 100 degree plus temps and the other auction goodies. Potential intertest that Saturday afternoon was only the the Mexican scrap dealers, two California businessmen and the poor dumb oaf who ended up purchasing it.

Am told initial plan is to move it on the field (to the chagrin of the airport administration) to save - or at least delay - it from a date from the breakers and the scrap mongers. Judging by the progress this past week with a blown MLG tire on the port side, it's not going to go anywhere without a fight.

PM me and I'll put you in contact with the buyer. He's a cantankerous old bastard who is by nature rather difficult to deal with. In the event it has to be scrapped, I'm pretty sure he'll like your vision and would appreciate your prior involvement with saving your Lockheed. Worst case scenario is he'll employ you to come up with a nose art concept that'll generally annoy the airport authority....and retain you to paint it.

So, Pooner has another Poon ?
I was sad to hear of Sam's passing, I wish someone would have posted something, Sam and I flew together a number of times in the B-17, DC-3 and TBM.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
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Ah, about all I know about the old Lockheed PVs is that they used an awful lot of hardware. Enough said.

Sad times at the auction and nothing "fun" to report. Truly, an end of an era with the passing of Mr. Korth this year, Mr. Eddie Packard recently, and the closing of Air Response/Globe Air/Aviation Specialties. Few who read this forum really understand the impact the folks as named there had on preservation and operation of the stuff we all love and cherish and endeavor so hard to keep flying. When you see a B-17 in the air today, changes are it survives because of something to do with the Packard family. Really.

Not a lot of joy for me in seeing the Packard family's work of many, many decades sitting out there on the ramp with yellow Starman auction tags attached to pieces of shop equipment and aircraft parts where one had observed father, son and grandson working together for many years. The family members seemed to be pleased that this was the path of progression for the business and that in the end good things would come of it and that bills would be paid and there would be something there for Mr. Packard's retirement. I can certainly respect that and have faith that this is the end result under the watch of Steve Starman. Gene Packard really deserves this.

For me, it's just another observing another "end of an era" that was a little hard to take in and accept. I remember them being gracious to me as a knothead hanging around back in 1985 at their first auction with the B-17s, TBMs, and PVs, and here I was 27 years later, just an older knothead, lurking around at their final auction. Each of them - from father, to son, to grandson - gently (and sometimes not so gently!) influenced and schooled me more than they'll ever know, and I appreciate each of them immensely. That said, the auction was bittersweet and a personal issue.

Thought of you as well, Matt, as Mr. Korth's personal collection of photos were there as well on the auction lot Saturday afternoon, and sure enough, lots of shots of those "early days" with the B-17 some of us remember fondly. The auction was long, hot and surreal.

But enough hijacking of the original thread.

Old N7268C wasn't scrapped, and there's no immediate plans for it to be. That's all I know about that.

Had plans to attend the auction, but work got in the way...................Happy to see that you have returned to grace the WIX site Meester Pooner. Hopefully the Harpoon there will continue to dodge the scrapman...I know of three in Wyoming that might not be so lucky..chow...G.

On a slightly related note:

I purchased Mr. Packard's little J-3 project at the auction. It was to include 4 cylinders, some crank case bits and an intake for a 65 Continental but by the time we got down there to pick it up later that week (we're from near Edmonton, Canada), we found that somebody decided to help themselves to our engine parts.

Not happy, and not cool.

Just in case whoever took my parts happens to read this.
And if you know who took them, please pass this on.

I enjoyed meeting Mr. Packard, however.

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