N500LN
Howard 500
N500LN
The Aircraft
Registration
N500LN
Manufacturer
Howard Aero
Model
Howard 500
Engines
2× Pratt & Whitney R-2800
Engine Type
Twin Piston, Radial
Configuration
Low-wing monoplane
Pressurized
Yes
Livery
Blue and gray
Category
Executive transport
Origin
United States
Overview
A rare executive transport of the jet age's dawn
The Howard 500 was conceived as the ultimate piston-powered executive aircraft — a pressurized, twin-engine transport built in very limited numbers by Howard Aero of San Antonio, Texas. Derived from the Lockheed Ventura airframe and powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines, the Howard 500 offered range, speed, and cabin comfort that rivaled early jet transports.
N500LN is presented in its distinctive blue-and-gray livery. The aircraft has been maintained to the highest standard and represents one of the finest surviving examples of this rare type.
Fewer than 20 Howard 500s were built. Fewer still survive in airworthy condition. This is an opportunity of genuine rarity for the serious collector or aviation professional.
Pedigree
Howard Aero produced the 500 series in the late 1950s and early 1960s, converting surplus Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon airframes into bespoke executive transports. The conversion was extensive — new pressurized fuselage, upgraded powerplants, and a custom interior finished to the standards of the era's finest business aviation.
The R-2800 engines — the same powerplant that drove the F4U Corsair and P-47 Thunderbolt — deliver authoritative performance and a sound that is unmistakable on any ramp.
