Dates

Event

1943

Constructed as a PV-1.

1943

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 33369.

From 17 July 1943 to 11 August 1950

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Canadian Air Force with s/n 2221.

21 March 1945

To Defense Plant Corp, Washington, DC with new c/r N33328 (18-50, 2221).

4 May 1948

Civil registration, N33328, cancelled.

1 December 1953

To Universal Trading Co., NYC with new c/r N1590V.
At Spartan Aircraft in Tulsa, OK for executive conversion, Dec 1953 to August 1955.

November 1961

To Spartan Aircraft Company with new c/r N159V.

August 1964

To Spartan Aircraft Company with new c/r N159U.
Modified for aerial seeding.

25 February 1969

To Clarks Aerial Service of Brownfield, TX keeping c/r N159U.

October 1979

Photographer: Geoff Goodall
Notes: At Ft.Lauderdale International - Retired executive Lockheed PV-1 Venturas found new roles as agricultural dusters. N159U was fitted with a hopper in the cabin and loading hatch in the roof and dropping chute through the bomb bay doors in 1968 for Clarks Aerial Service at Brownfield, Texas.

2 July 1985

To Jim Ricketts, Aero Nostalgia Inc keeping c/r N159U.

From September 1986 to November 1987

Restored.
Restored at Stockton, CA to military configuration.

From 11 June 1988 to 13 July 1988

Ferry flight.
Ferried Oakland CA - Honolulu - Majuro - Tarawa - Brisbane - Port Cook.

13 July 1988

The Ventura received by the RAAF Museum in exchange for Canberra A84-229.

13 July 1988

To RAAF Museum, Point Cook, Victoria with new c/r VH-SFF.

28 September 1988

Civil registration, N159U, cancelled.

October 1988

Photographer: Arthur Scarf
Notes: At the Australian Bicentennial Air Show at RAAF Richmond in 1988.

October 1988

Photographer: Arthur Scarf
Notes: At the Australian Bicentennial Air Show at RAAF Richmond in 1988.

6 November 1991

Photographer: Jon Wickenden
Notes: Lockheed Harpoon VH-SFF / A59-67 of the RAAF Historic Flight seen outside Winrye Aviations Hangar at Sydney - Bankstown in November 1991

Markings Applied: A59-67, SF-F
The aircraft was flown by the RAAFs Historic Flight using Serial A59-67.

By 18 November 1996

To RAAF Museum with new c/r VH-SFF.

18 November 1996

Crashed.
Summary: The airframe was a loss. It was a local demonstration flight from Richmond RAAF Base, NSW (YSRI), Australia. The accident occurred at 3 km (1. 9 mls) SE of Richmond RAAF Base, NSW (Australia) while on approach. Narrative: The aircraft was approaching to land after completing a handling display during an Open Day at RAAF Richmond. At an altitude of about 800ft, on the base leg for runway 28, both engines stopped simultaneously and without warning. As there was insufficient altitude to reach the field for a power off landing, the flaps and landing gear were retracted and a successful forced landing carried out into a cleared field short of the airfield...
For a complete description of the event read the Aviation Safety Network Report.

19 November 1996

Involved in an incident.
Belly landed in a field after double engine failure whilst at 1996 Richmond Air Show.

18 June 2002

Civil registration, VH-SFF, cancelled.

Based at Royal Australian Air Force Museum, RAAF Point Cook, Melborne, Victoria.
To be restored for Static Display.
View the Location Dossier