Excellent photos John. I guess that still leaves my earlier question regarding the plane's history before venturing to Colorado. The registry says the following:
History:
Delivered to Reconstruction Finance Corp as 44-34766, 19??.
- Immediately put up for dispossal, 1945.
Dianna Converse Cyrus Bixby, 1947-1949.
- Registered as N67807.
- Flown as Bendix Racer #91/Huntress.
- Fitted with bomb bay fuel tank for Bendix cross-country race, 1947.
Stanolind Oil & Gas Co, Tulsa, OK, 1954
- Registered as N67807.
Pan American Petroleum Corp, Tulsa, OK, 1961-1964
- Registered as N1243.
Standard Oil Co (Indiana), Chicago, IL, May 31, 1965.
Nine Ten Corp, Chicago, IL, Aug. 4, 1965-1966.
- Registered as N910G.
Paramount Trading Co., Vero Beach, CA 1968-1969
- Registered as N9150.
Miami Aircraft Ventures Inc., Miami, FL, 1970-1972.
Vicky Miller, Burbank, CA, 1977
USAF Museum, Castle AFB, CA, 1983
- Displayed as USN JD-1 "34766" port side.
- Displayed as USAF 34766/Mary Jo starboard side.
V. Mark Johnson, Lakewood, CO, Dec. 1984-1987
Donald Douglas Museum, Santa Monica, CA, 1987-1990
- Displayed as 434766/Pretty Patti/J
Larry Leaf, Willston, FL, 1990-1991.
David Brady, Cartersville, GA, 1991-1992
- Damage in mid-air collision with Brady's T-37.
- A-26 landed safetly, Cartersville, GA, June 7, 1991.
Reva J. Brady, Cartersville, GA, Feb. 1992.
Museum Of Flying, Santa Monica, CA, 1993.
- Restored to executive configuration, Mojave, CA, 1993-1995.
Howard B. Keck/Thermco Aviation, Thermal, CA & Coachella, CA, May 25, 1994-2002.
- Registered as N26BK.
Has anyone ever seen this a/c at Castle in the colors mentioned here?
I was looking through Mike O' Leary's "Bombing Twins" which has got some photos of 44-34766 in different stages of its career. Amongst the photos the author has written some captions about the a/c as it spent some time in the 70s at Van Nuys (where I believe the Challenge warbirds were based). Here is a part of it:
Bombing Twins wrote:
The a/c had passed to the Paramount Trading Co by 1968 as N9150, and is seen in that company's markings during May 1977 at Van Nuys Airport, with the name Amazones on the extended On Mark nose. By this time the machine had gone through several different owners and was operating rather questionable flights "down south". By Jan. 78, N9150 sported a "warbird" camouflage scheme, had its wing tip tanks removed, and was operating on fairly regular drug flights from Van Nuys and other locations in company with a few other tired B-25s and A-26s. This chancy occupation was being performed directly under the eyes of the local feds, who were either too stupid to notice, or were turning a blind eye for other reasons. By 1979, the bomber had been impounded and had become the property of the USAF museum, who displayed it at Castle AFB.
Unfortunately O' Leary put a photo of N6840D in its SEA colors next to this caption, which then leaves the question; did N9150 sport the camo paint job from this timeframe (77-79), until the mid 80s as seen in John's photos, or did it wear this strange scheme with different colors on the two sides around 1983? I have asked around, but not found anyone who can remember seeing this a/c at Castle AFB. The museum have also had the old John Crocker A-26 N26VC on display since 1980!
Any ideas...?
T J
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Thanks for sharing!
