09/30/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Ordered by the USN under BuNo 2459 in December 1939, this aircraft was first flown on November 15, 1941. Coded "73-P-9" it was delivered to VP-73 in December 1941, and was used in anti-submarine warfare from Iceland. October 1942 VP-73 was replaced by VP-84 and BuNo 2459 was transferred to VP-84, coded "84-P-7".
On September 1, 1943, the aircraft was withdrawn from warfare duties and returned to the USA with three kills under its belt, the German submarines U-200, U-464, and U-582, while it had severely damaged U-528 (sunk by others near the French coast). Till it was struck off charge on October 31, 1945, it served in the transport role.
It came on the civil registry as NC18446 in 1945, operated by Rio Ten Airways, and in 1953 it was sold to Canada and was registered to Field Aviation as CF-HHR. In 1972 it was converted to a water bomber and served with Avalon Aviation as C-FHHR till 1988, and subsequently stored for seven years at Parry Sound, Ontario.
