PV-2 Harpoon

[ghilt]

Hi,
My first post here...Since buying a PV-2 last year, I've been doing research on the 'Poons....I am interested in talking with anyone that flew, crewed, or just like the ole pigs, like myself.

A lot of my research is in tracking down the surviving PVs...of the 535 PV-2s built, I believe there to be only about 30 left, at least in the USA, possibly more out there around the globe.

Very interested in individual aircraft histories and pictures, old and new...Thanks!! Gary and "Harpoon Annie" 15-1200 37234 N7458C

 

[A4K]

Welcome aboard mate, and great photo!

We used Lodestars, Hudsons, Venturas and Harpoons in the RNZAF.A number of Lodestars and Hudsons are still around (some preserved), aswell as 1 example of the Ventura and Harpoon each (that I know of).
Remains of ex-RNZAF venturas and Harpoons also exist in the Solomon islands, serial letters still being remarkably preserved.

As an aside, I knew an ex-RNZAF mechanic who worked on Corsairs during the pacific campaign. Near the end of hostilities, he said the Americans were loading aircraft onto barges, along with brand new tractors. They would take the barge not too distantly out to sea, start the tractor (facing the aircraft) and brick the accelerator. The driverless tractor would plow all the aircraft off the barge and go in after them. They would then turn the barge around, reload the barge with aircraft and a new tractor and do it again...
He couldn't believe the waste!
Getting more to the point,though, one day he saw them scrapping Ventura aircraft. They were about to scrap one of them, and he said to them "Hey! How much would you want for that?" They stopped what they were doing and asked him "what have you got?" "I can get you a crate of beer right now, if you'll leave that aircraft alone" he said. "Okay, done!" they replied, and moved on to the next one!
After repatriation to NZ, he never got the money together to import the aircraft, and atleast as late as the late 70's, it was still there, possibly still is.

 

[Wildcat]

G'day Gary, welcome to the site and congrats on buying a Harpoon, very cool!! I also like the Ventura/Harpoons, one of the unsung types from WWII. We use to have an airworthy PV1 here in Australia until it made a wheels up landing in 96 I believe, At the moment I'm pretty sure its still waiting to be restored back to static condition.
The Queensland Air Museum is also restoring a static PV1. See here LOCKHEED VENTURA A59-96

There is also one up in Darwin A59-73 - The Lockheed File

Some pics of the once airworthy PV1. VH-SFF - The Lockheed File

 

[ghilt]

Thanks for the quick replys..I've heard the stories about the a/c being disposed of in the most extreme methods...would love to see a pic of a PV-2 in RNZAF trim...Wildcat, thanks for the welcome, It seems we're a little short on the PV-1s stateside...about all were converted to Howard 250-350-500standards. I'm sure the restoration of the Venturas will be fine examples, can't wait to see them when done...Not much in the history books on the Ventura, even less on the Harpoon....A friend and I are trying to remedy the latter....Y'all take care now...Gary

 

[A4K]

Best of luck to you Gary! It seems to have pretty much remained in the shadows, although RNZAF aircrew loved them, so I've read.
I'll try to find some pictures on the net of RNZAF Harpoons when I can (I only have the net at work, and no way to scan and send my own photos), but in the meantime I can tell you that the scheme for the PV-2 was the standard US Navy scheme with the RNZAF pacific roundel painted over the US star, the bars remaining. Most RNZAF PV-1's were painted olive drab on all upper surfaces (as far as I can tell so far) with the pacific roundel.

Exact types used by the RNZAF were the following:
Lockheed C-60A Lodestar; Hudson GR.Mk.3, Mk.V; PV-1 Ventura/ RB-34 Lexington; and PV-2 harpoon.

Check out the following too: Kiwi Aircraft Images

 

[DBII]

Welcome, ghilt. Congrats on obtaining a warbird. I am looking forward to see pictures of the restoration. Nice pictures Wildcat. There are a couple of Venturas and Harpoons in the area. I will try and post some photos over the weekend.

DBII

 

[Johnny Signor]

Hey try out this site it has some info etc on them VPNAVY
Good luck!

 

[Marcel]

I believe I saw Ventura or Harpoon flying here in The Netherlands, last May. I'll check if I have a picture.

 

[PV-2 Guy]

Gary and Harpoon Annie -
I'm new here...but I am with a group that has a PV-2 Harpoon... American Military Heritage Foundation - Flying the PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
We have engine problems at the moment, but are working them out, and should be back in the air this Fall....long story short.
We have the only Harpoon in the world that flys in Navy colors....it looks like yours needs a little work, but its cool non the less...check out our web-site, maybe we can network...where are you located? We are in central Indiana.

John

 

[FLYBOYJ]

PV-2 Guy, welcome - and as a former VP sailor "bravo Zulu" on your aircraft!!!!

 

[Micdrow]

Gary and Harpoon Annie -
I'm new here...but I am with a group that has a PV-2 Harpoon... American Military Heritage Foundation - Flying the PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
We have engine problems at the moment, but are working them out, and should be back in the air this Fall....long story short.
We have the only Harpoon in the world that flys in Navy colors....it looks like yours needs a little work, but its cool non the less...check out our web-site, maybe we can network...where are you located? We are in central Indiana.

John

Hi John

Sorry to hear about Hot Stuff, was wondering why I didnt see it this year at EAA Airventure 2008 this year. Usually its there. Hope to see it up and flying at next years EAA 2009.

Good Luck and welcome to the forum.
Paul

 

[PV-2 Guy]

Thank you, this is a great forum and information center.

We'll have the Harpoon in the air soon, the engine should be back from Idaho in a few weeks. We worked all last winter (7 months of weekends) on the engine, hung it this spring, did about three hours of ground testing, and it locked up on us when we shut it down one day...I don't think there are words to express the dissapointment that day. We decided to send it out to have it looked at, it turns out almost the whole thing was fried, main bearing, crank etc.....about the only thing that was good were the cylinders...it chewed its self up on the inside, its a miracle we even got it running to begin with. It might be a 0 time engine when we get it back, the shop is helping us out, but its still going to be expensive.
So we have been working hard every weekend completing the 240 hour annual inspection and doing other things with the aircraft, and working on the paper work to get it on the National Register(Big job) and hopfully next spring quailify for a federal grant, we have our fingers crossed.
Thats the story in a nut shell.

John

 

[PV-2 Guy]

When I get home from the hangar today, I will try to figure out how to post a link to a video of a friend of ours in Utah, he just completed restoring a Harpoon model D, our pilot went out to test fly, and there were engine problems in flight, its a great but scary video.

Keep 'em flying

John

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Very good stuff! Thanks for sharing the link and I am looking foward to the video.

 

[PV-2 Guy]

Here is the video for the test flight, its a friend of ours in Utah, he spent about 200,000 dollars restoring this PV-2 to original war time configuration, inside and out, this flight took place in June 2008. I think he has another engine on it now.
Our pilot Steve went out to do the test flight, an ex Navy fighter pilot and knows how to fly about anything, I think his experience saved the day.
They flew around the airport for about ten minutes, and the right engine started smoking, and then really smoking. He had to turn into the dying engine from base to final - then cut all power and he became a glider pilot with a two engine bomber. And, the tail wheel was locked crooked for some reason, he managed not to flip the aircraft as well.
Enjoy!
I hope the link works.
John -PV-2 Guy

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Very Cool! Thank god all went well - I noticed the tail wheel was cocked on take off.

 

[Micdrow]

Wow, great job by the pilot bringing her in.

 

[PV-2 Guy]

Dave's Custom Sheetmetal \ Aircraft - Warbird Restoration and More

This is the web-site to Daves PV-2 that was in the video.
His PV-2 was part of the Empire Express like ours during WWII, I like what he named it and the nose art.

 

[comiso90]

wow! dramatic... I love the paint scheme. Thanks for posting and I'm glad they made it safe...

BTW nice quality video too.. wide format, clean...

 

[ghilt]

Sorry it's been so long since my last entry....Sometimes life gets in the way...John, I've been to Mt Comfort a few times since my last post..Have talked via email with PJ a time or two, and have followed the progress on Hot Stuff's engine change....I met Steve at Heber City, Ut. when he and Dave ran into the problem with Attu Warrior...By the way, the artist that did the artwork on Attu Warrior, is the same person that filmed the flight that Steve and Dave were on when the oil cooler decided to split wide open and dump all the lubricant out....thats my voice you hear in the video....Pacific Oil Cooler did the overhaul on Dave's coolers...the one that split open was not properly soldered, and they are not standing by their product....I help when I can on crewing Dave's PV....Got the engine changed out in July, and engines have both been run up with great results....Now waiting to find qualified pilots to fly her...Dave is a pilot, but FAA requires that to be typed in the PV-2 (B-34) one must be IFR certified....go figure...The PV-2 IS approved for single pilot operation...As for Annie, I haven't seen her since September, sob..sob..Waiting for winter to get done with...Will be having a wing pulling party in Buffalo, Wy first week of May, going to try to get her home to Missouri...All are invited...I'm buying the beer...