Howard 500 N1424

[Fouga23]

A friend posted this video on Facebook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... LuSP4QaXiQ
Ignoring the over-produced crappy music, What I thought to be a Howard 500 suddenly caught my eye! Checking the nose-art via Google, I found it's this one:
http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6652204&nseq=1
Seems like a nice example and worth saving! How many of these Howard's are still around? Must be pretty rare nowadays?

[P51Mstg]

From memory, pretty accurate but not perfect.....

I looked up Howard 500s a couple years ago after the one from MN showed up at OSH (Green one)... There were 17 Howard 500s built, 2 are left flying, one person in Minesota owns both of them. I understand they don't fly too much (lots of gas), but I can say they are COOL.... Given the choice between an old biz jet and one of these, I'd take the Howard. You show up on the ramp with one, you get noticed.

Assuming that airframe can survive long enough, someone will realize that and look into buying it and restoring it. I think we are starting to run out of projects that require "restoration" as opposed to a "dataplate" rebuild....

Mark H

Last edited by P51Mstg on Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.

[happymeal]

The one currently based in Anoka County-Blaine aiport does fly some, and quite a lot from my point of view, as it is used as a corporate plane. The second flyer is actually in Austria, on the same airfield as the Red Bull collection, awaiting new engines. It was overhauled in UK after Toni Philippi bought it, and embarqued last autumn and a mini-Europe tour to check if everything was fit for a ferry flight across the Atlantic. After having stopped in Belgium and Austria, pilot and owner agreed that a set of brand new overhauled engines would be better. Engines are being overhauled at Anderson Automotives – they may already be done.

Last edited by happymeal on Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

[mike furline]

Austria
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Howard-500-(L-237)/2016462/L/&sid=bbabebb7192dd634ed593ddbd6158f46

Anoka
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Howard-500-(L-237)/1970832/L/&sid=bbabebb7192dd634ed593ddbd6158f46

Last edited by mike furline on Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[P51Mstg]

N500HP is the green one in MN. Their site said they were getting the other one (N500LN based in UK) in late 2009.

It appears that 500LN is now in Austria.

Great.

Mark H

[Cubs]

Great airplane. Could this be a Howard/Lodestar or a Beech 18?
Google earth coordinates: 19.749427 -99.013868

[hercrat]

Just a quick look says to me this is one of 2 Howard modified PV-2 Harpoons. Reference library is in storage right now pending new office!

[Taigh Ramey]

Just a quick look says to me this is one of 2 Howard modified PV-2 Harpoons. Reference library is in storage right now pending new office!

I agree with you that it is a PV-2 with Howard mods. Definitely not a 500 as the cockpit glass is stock looking PV-2 glass that was curved. The pressurized Howard's I'm familiar with had flat glass presumable because it was thicker and stronger.

In this shot you can see the vertical stabilizer looks like Harpoon and does not have the stub fairing that Howard put where the horizontal stab tip was on the PV-1



From the video captures you can see the Lockheed factory construction number on the center section showing 1478 which according to my research files she should be PV-2 BuNo 35712



I am pretty sure this is the Howard at Thompson's Aviation Warehouse

[Proplinerbuff]

Hello Howard 500 buffs. I'm new to chat groups, so if I miss a protocol, kindly inform me.
I'm into Propliners and especially "Boardroom Bombers" (i.e. corporate conversions of WWII aircraft) namely, Howards, Leadstars, Onmarks, Daleros, Lodestars, etc.

Regarding "Lucky Lady" in tonight"s posts.
This is/was Dee Howard's one and only "Super Harpoon" conversion. For more details, visit Mike Zoeller's Lockheed Twins site and search for "Super Harpoon".

In 2005 I made a pilgrimage El Mirage Dry Lake (near Adelanto, CA) to an aircraft boneyard where Lucky Lady has been stored for years just to see this amazing aircraft. The giveaway are the two large extended picture windows towards the rear on both sides. Howard extended the fuselage an extra six feet or so, but ... no pressurization. Also, the larger Harpoon twin tail.

Hope that answers the question about Lucky Lady's true identity.

[zippyzoe]

My money is on it being N1448 (15-1478) a Howard Super Harpoon, at El Mirage. It was offered for sale on www.barnstormers.com Nov 2001 in very poor condition minus outer wings and engines, I beleive the asking price was $25,000.

MZ

[carlisle1926]

My money is on it being N1448 (15-1478) a Howard Super Harpoon, at El Mirage. It was offered for sale on http://www.barnstormers.com Nov 2001 in very poor condition minus outer wings and engines, I beleive the asking price was $25,000.

MZ

Is it just me or didn't $25,000 seem a bit excessive for what is left of the plane?