"...One of the rarest surviving WW II U.S. Navy bombers, a Lockheed PV-2D is being restored by the Wisconsin Wing of the Confederate Air Force, which is based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Wing is a chapter of the international WW II museum called the Confederate Air Force. The organization has the largest collection of flying WW II aircraft in the world, many one of a kind. Instead of seeing the aircraft in a dusty museum, people can see, hear and smell the airplanes in their natural habitat, position of the aircraft. In fact, thesame turret was used on several other bombers including the B-24, B-25 and A-26. It also featured a fire-interrupter to prevent the gunner from shooting his own wings or tail off during battle.

The aircraft could carry either six 5001b, four 6501b or four lOOO lb bombs. It also could carry six flat-nose 3251b depth charges or four 6501b depth charges. The bomber could even be fitted with a single 21271b torpedo. Maximum bomb load was 40001b. One of the best features of the aircraft was the rocket launcers mounted externally on the wings. The PV-2D could carry eight 3.5 inch or 5 inch rockets. External racks were provided for two 155 gallon droptanks or additional depth charges. Incendiary bombs could also be carried broken down in the fuselage or dropped from either the flare chute or camera hatch by a crewman. Empty bottles were also dropped from the camera hatch. Bottles dropped from several hundred feet sound like wailing bombs so they could be used to distract AA crews during strafing runs.

The aircraft served in the Aleutians and the Pacific. It was an ideal night fighter for the South Pacific primarily because of its superior radar, speed and armor. The advanced radar system employed an antenna that could scan 180 degrees with a range of about 80 miles at sea. The PV-2D had a top speed of 282mph, its Pratt&Whitney engines producing 2,000 hp each. Finally, an astounding 7141bs of armor plate protected the crew from danger.

The PV-2 also featured structural integrity superior to previous models. It also featured a re-designed tail group which gave it better handling in engine-out situations as well on the ground. The fuselage was built in three sections; nose, midbody and aft portions. The great asset of a three piece structure was that each section could be easily removed if it was damaged. Self-sealing fuel tanks were used in the airplane. Early models were finished in the standard 1944 three-tone color scheme of; dark blue graduating to medium blue with off-white on the under surfaces. By mid-1945 the paint scheme changed to an over-all glossy dark sea blue"

The Wisconsin Wing's PV-2D (N86493) did not see service in WW II. Trade Ayer, Inc. acquired the airplane from NAS North Island, Ca on 8 December 1957 and retained ownership until 1960. Ownership transferred a number of times until Master Equipment Corp. acquired the aircraft in October 1962. The company used the bomber as a agricultural sprayer until 1984, when the aircraft was sold to Big Iron, Inc. The CAF purchased the aircraft in 1985, and it was delivered on 1 October 1985.

The Wisconsin Wing also made another exciting discovery! They found a derelict PV-2 fuselage with a majority of all its original military intact in Mesa, Arizona. The military equipment such as the gun turret and radar will be used to transform the aircraft back in original military configuration.

The bomber is completely disassembled and the engines are removed for restoration. The restoration is being done by wing members and volunteers, not a professional shop. All restoration funds are generated through the sales of aviation memorabilia at airshows, raffles and donations. One of the biggest tasks in restoration was completed when ten feet of the main spar was replaced. The spar rebuild was a daunting task. A heat treated piece of aluminum was obtained in California and sent to Deutsch and Son Pattern Shop for milling. The aluminum was then sent back to California for additional heat treatment and bending to finish the spar.

Another difficult task was restoring the interior. It was stripped completely, and then meticulously repainted. The airframe also has all new wiring. The correct interior components such as the original radios and radar system will be reinstalled during the restoration.

In summary, great progress has been made on the aircraft, but there is still work to be done. The center section and bomb bay are currently being completed to prepare for the reinstallation of the wings later this year. The props are also restored. The PV-2D will be finished in the markings of the Empire Express. The markings were chosen in honor of the four U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons that operated in the Aleutians in WW II under that name. For more information write the Wisconsin Wing at the following: P.O. Box 1998, Waukesha, Wisconsin, 53187-1998, USA or Ron Werneth Ron1977@interaccess.com..." [22APR98]

"PV-2D Harpoon Restoration Project Page"

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