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Image location on the ramp at the National Naval Air Museum before restoration
See Robert Fiacco's painting at the bottom of this page.
The Endowment

    November 14, 1910 is considered by many to be the birth date of Naval Aviation.  On that date, Eugene Ely made the first take-off from the USS BIRMINGHAM, landing ashore minutes later near the future site of Naval Air Station Norfolk, VA.  Exactly 100 years later, to the day, the Patrol Squadron Two Association informed the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL of its intention to sponsor the most historically significant patrol aircraft ever flown…the museum’s P2V-1... the Truculent Turtle.  Sponsorship of the Truculent Turtle entails funding for restoration and future upkeep of this historic aircraft, which was destined from the production line at Lockheed, Burbank for assignment with VP-ML-2, a forerunner designation of  Patrol Squadron Two (VP-2).  When P2V-1, BuNo 89082, became The Turtle, its intended service with the Navy changed forever.

An endowment for the continued restoration and maintenance of the Truculent Turtle in excess of $52000 was donated to the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation at the the Fort Worth Patrol Squadron Two Association reunion in October 2012. The Foundation   was represented by its Vice President for Development and Corporate Secretary, Capt Charles E. "Ed" Ellis, Jr., JAGC, USN(Ret).  In addition to thanking the members of the Patrol Squadron Two Assn and others who contributed to the Truculent Turtle endowment, he remarked that the funds raised in this effort are dedicated solely to the support of this singularly historic aircraft.

    What makes this a singularly historic aircraft.  In short, this aircraft eclipsed the best heavy load distance record for a non-stop non-refueled flight set by the USAF by more than 2000 miles.  OK - so what?  1946 was a time when the USAF was about to become a separate service, and they were actively pursuing the control of all land based aviation platforms with plenty of support in Congress.  Thus the flight of the Truculent Turtle amply demonstrated for all to see that land-based multi-engine Naval Aviation was superbly capable of performing naval oriented missions requiring long ranges and heavy loads; leading to the continued existence of our ocean reconnaisance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
          
Sponsors
(as of 02Nov2012)

John Ahle vp2Assn
Neil and Linnea Kosbab vp2Assn
William and Sondra Amos vp2Assn
William Kraper vp2Assn
David and Eunice Au vp2Assn
Richard Kure vp4Assn
Bill and Sally Bacus vp2Assn
Sam and Marianne Lancaster vp4Assn
William and Charlotte Barker vp2Assn
Richard and Eva Lanning vp2Assn
Donald and Kay Barthel vp2Assn
Ira and Ellen Lee vp2Assn
Robert and Carol Bender vp2Assn
Robert and Raye Lenson vp2Assn
George Bernard unk
James and Beverly Loberger vp2Assn
Dave and Connie Bowen vp2Assn
Richard and Lona Manning vp2Assn
Wayne and Arlene Bowman vp2Assn
Jerry and Marlene Marr vp2Assn
Max and Patsy Branscomb vp2Assn
Dave Martin vp17; 91
Betty Brown vp2Assn
Luther and Linda Massey, Jr vp2Assn
Joe and Esther Brown vp2Assn
Ed McIntosh vp2Assn
Terry Browne III vo67Assn
Vince McManus vp2Assn
Thomas and Bernadine Bryerton, Sr vp2Assn
Jerry and Carol McOlgan vp24
John and Emma Buckley vp2Assn
Ted McPherson vp2Assn
John and Doris Burrell vp2Assn
Charles McVey vp4Assn
William and Carol Caefer vp8
Dave and Dottie Michel vp2Assn
Leigh and Happy Callaway vp2Assn
Doug and Anne Millar vp2Assn
Bruce and Trudy Campbell vp2Assn
Bob Miyagawa vp2Assn
Charles Carl unk
Jim and Jeanette Moody vp2Assn
Robert and Susan Casey vp2Assn
Charles Moose vp3Assn
Bob and Myrna Champoux vp2Assn
JT Morgan vp2Assn
Dennis and Ann Christ vp2Assn
Dan and Madeleine O'Donnell vp2Assn
Bob and Judith Coker vp2Assn
Mike and Barbara O'Gara vp2Assn
Ken and Diana Covey vp2Assn
N_Whidbey Old Fogies various
Wayne Crawford vp2Assn
Lloyd and Bonnie Olds vp2Assn
Jim and Jo Ann Crippen vp2Assn
Frank and Rose Marie Orr vp2Assn
Duane and Carol Cronn vp2Assn
Oak Osborn vp17,19,40
Dave and Carole Crouse vp2Assn
Wilfred and Melba Oswald vp4Assn
Bruce and Donna Darsey vp2Assn
Ron Painter vp2Assn
Dan and Juana Davey vp2Assn
Floyd and Lois Palmer vp2Assn
Milt and June De Buhr vp2Assn
Patrol Squadron Two Assn vp2Assn
Kenneth and Catherine DeBoer vp2Assn
Lee Porter unk
Richard and Sue Dombrowski vp2Assn
Gary and Lynda Porterfield vp2Assn
Doug Donohue vp2Assn
Bill and Heidi Pruett vp2Assn
Lawrence and Lorraine Doyle vp2Assn
Mary Purdy vp2Assn
Neil and Pat Ericksen vp2Assn
Larry and Sally Radics vp2Assn
Dan and Heather Esposito vp2Assn
Patron NW unk
Bob and Susan Fiacco vp24,62,64
Allen and Shirley Rogstad vp2Assn
Lowell and Jean Fisher vp2Assn
James and Anita Rundlett vp8
William and Lorraine Foster vp2Assn
Ed and Jane Schneider vp2Assn
Richard Francis vp2Assn
John and Suzanne Seebald vp2Assn
Charles and Pat Gerhan vp18
David and Arline Sevener vp2Assn
Jim and Mary Goheen vp2Assn
Charles Sexton vp2Assn
Gus and Betty Goldenpenny vp1
VPunk4Assn; Sidney Spector, Treas vp4Assn
Lee and Beverly Goplin vp8
Al and Patricia Smith vp2Assn
Jim and Carolyn Gordon vp2Assn
B. M. Smith, Jr vp3Assn
Dick and Shirley Gregory vp2Assn
John R Smith, Jr unk
Ralph Griffiths vp2Assn
Marv and Carolyn Sommer vp2Assn
Don and Ellen Grove vp2Assn
Bob Spielman 36TFS
Vic and Pat Gulliver vp2Assn
Dave and Anne St John vp2Assn
Anne Gulliver vp2Assn
Richard and Candace Stark vp2Assn
Dick and Barbara Guter vp2Assn
Bill and Kay Stepp vp2Assn
Bill and Pam Haeckler vp2Assn
Jim and Eileen Summitt vp2Assn
Roger and Margaret Hakari vp11Assn
Jim and Danne Swartwood vp2Assn
Al and Mary Lou Hall vp2Assn
CT_”Bud” and Sheila Sweet vp2Assn
Arley and Ann Hamilton vp2Assn
Levi and Tamra Tarr vp2Assn
Ed and Darlene Hammond vp69
Tom and Juanita Tate vp2Assn
Ed Hanson va(hm)13
Joe and Nellie Turner vp2Assn
Fay Hanson vp2Assn
Kenneth and Rebecca Vaughan vp2Assn
Keith Harmon vp3Assn
John and Mary Vavrek vp2Assn
James Hays vp4Assn
Stephen and Mary Vavrick vp2Assn
Harry and Merly Herman vp2Assn
Phil and Ruth Veatch vp2Assn
Ray Honey vp2Assn
C. G. Vlahakis vp2Assn
Bert and Mary Ann Howard vp2Assn
Bruce and Mary Jo Walker vp2Assn
Roger Hunt vp4Assn
J Harold Walker vp2Assn
Don and Florence Ingle vp2Assn
Russ and Peggy Walsh vp2Assn
Bill and Pat Johnson vp2Assn
Bruce and Larissa Webb vp2Assn
Gregory and Molly Karl vp2Assn
Jim and Pat Welch vp2Assn
Robert and Laura Keith vp2Assn
Bob and Bev Westlake vp46
Greg and Susan Kelley vp2Assn
Otis and Virginia Wheeler vp2Assn
Max and Joan Kelso (via Ron Wolf) vp2Assn
George and Shirley Will vp2Assn
Robert and Jeri Kessler vp4Assn
Ron and Helen Wolf vp2Assn
Bill and Julie Klett vp2Assn
Bob and Pat Wolfe vp2Assn
Arthur and Carol Kochman vp65
John R Wright unk
Robert and Rosemary Kosakoski vp2Assn
Norman and Adriene Zimmerman vp2Assn




Image of the Truculent Turtle Painting, donated by Robert Fiacco 2011
(click on the image for a larger version)


The artist in his element
http://www.robertfiacco.com/