Hoping to find out the Identity of the Branson Harpoon

Wildchild · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:28 pm

Anything left of the side door? or any door? or control surfaces (rudder)?

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2013 10:13 pm

Wildchild, last I saw, door was toast, but the rudders (metalized) were in fair shape.

I had my static PV on Barnstormers for 29K...still has not sold, but working on a trade. Next available static Harpoon, that can be made flyable is probably around 35K up.

G.

Wildchild · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:26 pm

If no one is intrested in the door (if it still exists) or rudders, PM me with a price. I will not be using them for a restoration though, so if anyone needs them, they have priority over me.

Chris

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:07 am

We could use the tail cone if it is available. Our original was crunched and the one we bought from Carl at Aerotrader has some corrosion issues. Sure would like to find a good one.

XL446 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:20 am **Posts:** 83

Hi Gary,
thanks for the offer. Since I never managed to take a photo of that Harpoon, I suppose owning a small part of it could be the next best thing :-)

I will be over in Missouri for a conference at the end of May, but even a small item will probably make my suitcase too heavy, so I'll just give it a miss. Although I would be very pleased -in a strange kind of way- with photos (on here) of the scrapping. Or, if you manage to save the front fuselage (if there's anything left?), with permission to come and photograph it at your storage site when I'm over.

By the way, what's the tail number of the Lodestar that is being put up in its place, please? Is it perhaps N119J (l/n Louisville-Bowman, KY) or N250X (l/n New Orleans Lakefront, LA)?

pjpahs · **Posted:** Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:31 pm

There is a PV-2 at the Mayday Golf course, N. Myrtle Beach , South Carolina, That is almost the dead ringer of the picture of the Branson plane. Almost matching colors and mounted on a rock pedistal. Found it on WIKIPEDIA, has written on side"Air Tropic Island Charters".

rcaf_100 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:57 am

pjpahs wrote:

There is a PV-2 at the Mayday Golf course, N. Myrtle Beach , South Carolina, That is almost the dead ringer of the picture of the Branson plane. Almost matching colors and mounted on a rock pedistal. Found it on WIKIPEDIA, has written on side"Air Tropic Island Charters".

http://www.maydaygolf.com/mayday-mountain.cfm

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 9:52 am

The mini golf courses are owned by the same corporation. I will have to ask how many they have with the aircraft. I believe there is one in Ga. that has a Beech 18. Have heard of others on the east coast.

B 25 C · **Joined:** Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:05 pm **Posts:** 166

Hy Gary
I would like any of the windows frames with glass or not if they are still in shape. Any small piece of the skin like 12" x 12". I have sent you my phone number look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 9:59 am

My truck should be out of the shop this morning....Hope to be in Branson this evening.

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:10 am

I was given the registration of N801G for the Lodestar that is going up in place of the PV-2. I found out that a person by the name of Ross used to own the Lodestar. Doing a little research, the N-number didn't match, but I think this might actually be N810G.

B 25 C · **Joined:** Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:05 pm **Posts:** 166

Glad to have that info. do you know what year of manufacture?
Thanks

GARY HILTON wrote:

I was given the registration of N801G for the Lodestar that is going up in place of the PV-2. I found out that a person by the name of Ross used to own the Lodestar. Doing a little research, the N-number didn't match, but I think this might actually be N810G.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 7:49 pm

Quote:

I think this might actually be N810G.

This one?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwm1049/8230855181/
http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Transports/Model18.htm

hercrat · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:37 pm

Anything left of the down struts for the undercarriage? PM me if there is!

GARY HILTON · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2013 1:47 am

Arrived in Branson at 11:30 PM....I got the truck out of the shop only to find that one of the rear axle rotors was almost rusted thru at the hub. My son Jeff and I tapped it with a hammer and it broke....So after a new set of rear rotors and a new set of brakes, a lot of beating on metal and using bad language and WD-40, everything fell into place...on the ground.

Had to stop by the plane before we got here to our room. Was disheartened to find that the Harpoon has been moved once again, without a care for the remaining parts. They have moved it to resemble what looks like an accident investigation, where they locate all the parts close to where they were when the airframe was intact, or I guess it's a simulated crash scene...They have really torn the nose up where it isn't worth a hoot now. The tail cone has been totally smashed in....I remember uttering some of the bad language my son was using earlier.

Anyway, bed time for now, will get some pictures tomorrow as to how we found it, and phone calls will be issued as well.

G

Warbird Information Exchange

Hoping to find out the Identity of the Branson Harpoon

Who is online