Harpoon

The Ventura's successor, the PV-2 Harpoon, also received some executive conversions, though the majority of civilianised aircraft became freight haulers, crop dusters or were used for insect eradication. In April 1958 Oakland Airmotive was given CAB approval for it's Centaurus created the Harpoon. The aircraft was extensively modified including pressurisation, large cabin windows, a modified wing and the usual aerodynamic clean-up. It had a range of over 2000 miles (3200 km), had a maximum speed of 328mph (527 kmh), sat up to 14 passengers and cost approx $150,000 per conversion (Optional items included interior, radios, radar, auto pilot, engine analyzers, JATO installations, and complete pressurization for $152,000. Neither Centaurus were pressurized). The Centaurus unfortunately it met with little or no interest and only two were sold, the first being delivered to The Le Franc Corp of San Francisco in May 1958. Howard also acquired a number of Harpoons in the late 1950s but most of them remained unconverted or gave up under-carriage parts to the Howard 500 aircraft. However one impressive bespoke conversion was the Howard Super Harpoon, with picture windows, large four-bladed paddle props and a fuselage extension of 6ft (1.8m), it was basically the Super Ventura concept built into a Harpoon. Rolled out in February 1959 in a smart red and black colour scheme as N144X for Quintana Petroleum of Houston, the aircraft is still with us today and as last reported residing in the Mojave desert.

Here's a funny story: Stahmann Farms Inc. Las Cruces, NM. used Harpoon N6655D (15-1600) between 1961 - 1984 for frost control flights over Stahmann's 4000 acre (16188 hectares) pecan nut plantation in New Mexico. The aircraft would be dispatched usually between 3 and 4 a.m and would be directed from the ground to areas that were in danger of freezing. It was flown at between 75-100ft (22.8-30.4m) above tree top level to deflect the warmer air downwards. To increase the down wash the aircraft was flown with its spray tanks full of water. This aircraft was to have been converted to a long range transport for Dean Stahmann and his family to transport them to Peru in case of war - this was at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, there was the possibility of a proprietary conflict with the Howard 500 and therefore Stahmann chose a B-26B for this role.

Accommodation:10/14 pax

Power Plant: 2 x P&W R-2800-31s. Centaurus had 2 x R-2800-83-AM10s

Range: 2000 miles+ (3200 km+)

Span: 75ft (22.86m)

Length: 52ft 1.1in (15.86m) Centaurus was 52ft (15.84m)

Cruise Speed: 265mph (426 kmh). Centaurus cruise speed was 280mph (450 kmh)

Exec/Cargo Harpoon Details:
C/n		Reg		Type			Notes	
15-1120	N7671C		Oakland Airmotive Centaurus		a)
15-1228	N7428C		Howard Cargo				b)
15-1478	N144X		Howard Super Harpoon			c)
15-1502	N7436C		Oakland Airmotive Centaurus		d)

Notes
a) Cvtd. to freighter late1965 for Micronesian Airlines, Guam. Destroyed on take off on delivery flight, Hayward, CA, 7.9.65. Curiously the c/n plate was offered for sale on the Internet in 3.98.
b) Cvtd., 1965 by Howard Aero. Converted to haul rare plants to the USA from Latin America; R/h cargo door installed and fuselage extended by 4 feet at a cost of $222,000. W/o 9.90 with the CAF.
c) Civil conversion completed by Howard Aero, 19.2.59. Wings rebuilt and modified by Oakland Airmotive at Oakland and under-wing pylon mounted fuel tanks added by 9.63. Currently it is at a storage yard located near the El Mirage dry Lake in California. This is between Palmdale and Adelanto, in the Mojave desert.
d) Converted to Prototype Centaurus 4.58. Eventually sold to bird Corp. and crashed and destroyed during forced landing at Palm Springs 23.9.67. bird replaced this aircraft with a Howard 500.