Speaking of B-23's...What's up with....

Michel Lemieux · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:34 pm

Speaking of B-23's...

Since it seems both K Week & the CAF bird have extensive corrosion & would require a lot of work to be flown again.

What ever happenned to the ex H Hughes bird & the one in Moses Lake that where up for sale ?

Seems these are better candidates ? No ????

ltdann · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:38 pm

In my quest for more info on the B-23, I found some inboard profile drawings which I am using to make my own. While I was checking them out, I noticed that the tailwheel is not on the aircraft's centerline....take a look at one of those posted shots, you can see it....

Rich

Robbie Stuart · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:55 pm

ltdann wrote:

In my quest for more info on the B-23, I found some inboard profile drawings which I am using to make my own. While I was checking them out, I noticed that the tailwheel is not on the aircraft's centerline....take a look at one of those posted shots, you can see it....

Rich

Not on centerline, to provide crawlspace to get to & from the tailgunners position. I been there, its pretty tight!

Robbie
(Former Crew Chief N62G)

Nathan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:14 am

I think it was for sale on ebay awhile back! :shock:

hairy · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:33 pm

Currently on Barnstormers, not the most informative of advertisments......................

http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_ ... ragon.html

Larry Kraus · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:37 am

I sent my friend Jeff Akridge a link to this thread.He runs Columbia Pacific Aviation in Moses Lake and is working to get their B-23 flying.Today I recieved an e-mail and some pictures.I'll include both the original pictures and the copies that I lightened up a bit using Photshop.Yes,I realize that some pictures look the same,but they have sequential numbers,so I have included them.

Jeff wrote:"B-23 is well.Moving along slowly,but working along."0" corrosion in this aircraft which is very incredible.We have just completed replacing every flexible hydraulic and fuel line in it.Yes indeed,the B-23 has an offset tailwheel."

The link to his business is:

http://www.columbiapacificaviation.com/

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:31 am

Will she be put to work, or will become one of the pampered? :wink:

Awesome to see a B-23 coming back to life! I don't think I've ever heard of a B-23 flying in my time! Now What needs to happen is a great ole' WWII American Bomber flight!

B-29
B-24
B-17
B-26
B-25
B-23 (Non- combat?)

What am i missing?

Russ Matthews · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:02 am

Warbird Kid wrote:

What am i missing?

A-20
A-26

PB4Y

B-18 (are there any likely candidates?)

Michel Lemieux · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:59 am

Tks for the info Larry.

Looking at the belly pic & seeing the bomb bay doors makes me wonder what type of commercial conversion this was ?

The bomb bay doors appear either sealed or gone. Was it changed into it a cargo plane ? Exec transport ?

Michel C-GNCJ · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:54 am

This one at Pima is pretty nice, although not a bomber anymore:

And then, this one at Castle Museum, which is more like it:

At 200lbs, I barely made it to the tail turret of Sentimental Journey, I bet I would not make it in a B-23 !

Cool plane, anyway !

I really like its lines.

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:19 pm

The one at Castle Museum....I like that version. Agreed, it would be awesome to see all the previously mentioned bombers in the air in formation as well as on the ramp.

kenlyco · **Joined:** Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:05 pm **Posts:** 656

Michel,the one from Pima, is the paint original from the Great Lakes Carbon corp.These are two other's that were GLC Aircraft based in Bridgeport back in the 80's.

Ken

warbird51 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:18 pm **Posts:** 263

Michel Lemieux wrote:

Tks for the info Larry.

Looking at the belly pic & seeing the bomb bay doors makes me wonder what type of commercial conversion this was ?

The bomb bay doors appear either sealed or gone. Was it changed into it a cargo plane ? Exec transport ?

When the a/c were converted to corporate aircraft, the fuel capicity was increased by adding a 200 gallon fuel tank in each wing outboard of the engines. This gave a total capicity of 1200 gallons. This also put the a/c over the maximum landing weight when full with fuel. So a fuel dump had to be installed to be able to get the B-23 down to the maximum landing weight. There is a pipe that runs down the belly that is for dumping the excess fuel. The bomb bay had to be sealed up to accomidate the dump pipe.

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:23 pm

Considering how few B-23s were built, it's surprising there are so many still around. What are the ultimate plans for the Moses Lake bird? Will she be put back into more-or-less military configuration, or left as an exec aircraft?

I'd like to see the NMUSAF get their B-23 finished..but of course right now they've got thier hands full with the Belle and Swoose.

SN

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:34 pm

The B-23 was wrapped up and placed in storage with the Douglas C-39 the last time I saw it. THey said after some of the heavy iron gets out of the shop, they wil come out. I think the plans are going to call for an expansion to the building that houses the WWII hangar.

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