B-23 Dragon on ebay recently

[airnutz]

The irony had not escaped me, Ober.

[NorthernCACFI]

Good day:

This is an old thread of activity. However, if the person interested in purchasing the Douglas B-23 (N747M), is in fact still interested, please contact me. You do not have to deal with the pain in the ass broker. My step-sisters currently own the dragon, and are very interested in selling. They are not aviation folks, and I would really like someone that loves warbirds to buy and care for her. Serious inquiries only....do not waste my time. @Wayne....love and miss you my friend!! Call me buddy

Sincerely...Mike Bogue's Step-son,
Chad Anderson 559.283.4000

[Randy Wilson]

Is that the only surviving B-23 restored with a bomber nose? I know the NMUSAF eventually plans to put theirs back in military configuration.SN

Yes, the McChord(39-036) bird appears to be the most complete appearing. The Castle(-045) B-23, retains
her side nose glazing, but has a metal nose bowl. Kermit's(-057) Dragon has a UC-67 nose rather than the
"executive-mod" nose.

The former NMUSAF curator at one time planned to combine, the one they have at Dayton, some parts from the
McChord bird and some of the bits recovered from the Loon Lake bird and assemble it all into one
"benchmark" B-23...dunno if that's still the plan.

A tale I've heard of the years, is that years ago a retired Douglas engineer donated the engineering
lofts for the recreation of the bomber nose to the CAF..dunno if it's true, but would be interesting
to see if they're archived somewhere in the Airpower museum.

If you can provide me with a name of the donor or any other information and dates of the donation, I will be happy to see if we can locate any information in the archives of the CAF Airpower Museum. When you say that he donated the info to the CAF, I have to wonder if he gave it to a CAF unit vs. the CAF museum. If that's the case, I may not be able to help. Tales are hard to research from the other end. Feel free to PM me if you like.

Randy

[warbird51]

The B-23, N747M has been sold and resoration to fly will commence shortly. It will be great to see her in the air again.

[Robbie Stuart]

The B-23, N747M has been sold and resoration to fly will commence shortly. It will be great to see her in the air again.

That is great news. Did you see the new name on the registration?

From The FAA

Serial Number 2719 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name DOUGLAS Certificate Issue Date 01/28/2011
Model B-23 Expiration Date 01/31/2014
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Status Valid
Pending Number Change None Type Engine Reciprocating
Date Change Authorized None Dealer No
MFR Year 1940 Mode S Code 52406636
Fractional Owner NO
Registered Owner

Name PISSED AWAY N747M LLC
Street C/O AERO LAW GROUP LLC
11120 NE 2ND ST STE 100
City BELLEVUE State WASHINGTON
County KING Zip Code 98004-5848
Country UNITED STATES

What a name. LMAO

[Chris Brame]

Maybe suggested by the new owner's wife?

(Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like a B-23... )

[Project Condor]

Gentlemen,

With regard to the late Mike Bogues B-23 N474M I am the fellow that sold the airplane last month for the owners. When your selling an airplane like the B-23 you will get a lot of individules that would like to own the airplane but really don't have the means to buy the airplane. It took me just short of two years to sell the airplane during that time you have know idea of how many scams I turned away. I also had people that came right out and said they would like to have the airplane but couldn't afford it. But they were interested in the history or condition or something. I was more than happy to and did send those individules a set of photos on the airplane and some data I had on the airplane.

To answer a couple of questions, Hughes bought several B-23s if you check registrations in 1945/46 I think you'll find at least five. N747m was purchased in 1945 via a US Gov assets sale Hughes sold it pretty quickly to Gar Wood the famous racing boat designer/builder. He bought it back in 1946 and flew it for a couple of years and then sold again. Hughes and Airesearch converted the B-23s to corporate configuration and sold them in some kind of partnership deal. The statement here in the blog that is would take somebody with some money to get the airplane flying again was absoultly correct. N747M was not in bad shape at all but it had not flown in over twelve years. It had been almost thirty years since the engines were overhauled even though they were mid-time engines. Props needed AD's notes complied with and the interior was from the 1950's. All that being said it was a hell of a nice airplane. The airframe only had 10,000 hours since new and the airplane had been hangerd most of it's life.

The good news is the new owner is having the airplane completely restored at Sanders Aeronautics which is a world class warbird aircraft restoration and maintainence facility. Keep and eye for news about N747M in Air Classics.

Fred Austin
Golden Age Aeroplanes
325 E. Sequim, WA 98382
360-457-6174
goldenageaeroplanes@gmail.com

[Steve Nelson]

Thanks for the info. Do you know if the new owners plan to have her restored back to military configuration, or just refurbished as an exec aircraft?

SN

[tom d. friedman]

the answer will be interesting. i know plenty of people who have been following the b -23 sale. it has a double history...... military / hughes ownership

[cwmc]

Thanks for note, Freddy. I never thought you were a pain in the a$$!
Chris...

[cwmc]

Thanks for the info. Do you know if the new owners plan to have her restored back to military configuration, or just refurbished as an exec aircraft?

SN

Or JUST refurbished into an exec aircraft; like that would be easy and bad?
Chris...

[warbird51]

Gentlemen,

With regard to the late Mike Bogues B-23 N474M I am the fellow that sold the airplane last month for the owners. When your selling an airplane like the B-23 you will get a lot of individules that would like to own the airplane but really don't have the means to buy the airplane. It took me just short of two years to sell the airplane during that time you have know idea of how many scams I turned away. I also had people that came right out and said they would like to have the airplane but couldn't afford it. But they were interested in the history or condition or something. I was more than happy to and did send those individules a set of photos on the airplane and some data I had on the airplane.

To answer a couple of questions, Hughes bought several B-23s if you check registrations in 1945/46 I think you'll find at least five. N747m was purchased in 1945 via a US Gov assets sale Hughes sold it pretty quickly to Gar Wood the famous racing boat designer/builder. He bought it back in 1946 and flew it for a couple of years and then sold again. Hughes and Airesearch converted the B-23s to corporate configuration and sold them in some kind of partnership deal. The statement here in the blog that is would take somebody with some money to get the airplane flying again was absoultly correct. N747M was not in bad shape at all but it had not flown in over twelve years. It had been almost thirty years since the engines were overhauled even though they were mid-time engines. Props needed AD's notes complied with and the interior was from the 1950's. All that being said it was a heck of a nice airplane. The airframe only had 10,000 hours since new and the airplane had been hangerd most of it's life.

The good news is the new owner is having the airplane completely restored at Sanders Aeronautics which is a world class warbird aircraft restoration and maintainence facility. Keep and eye for news about N747M in Air Classics.

Fred Austin
Golden Age Aeroplanes
325 E. Sequim, WA 98382
360-457-6174
goldenageaeroplanes@gmail.com

As I remember reading the log books for N747M when I was crew chief on her, The a/c was not converted to a 2 pilot corporate configuration until after FMC purchased the aircraft. The restoration could not be in better hands than Brian and Dennis Sanders.

[Steve Nelson]

Or JUST refurbished into an exec aircraft; like that would be easy and bad?

No and no. I never meant to imply as such. To be honest, the B-23's history as an exec aircraft is an equally important part of her history as her military service..which is why I asked the question. Seeing her restored in either configuration would be just fine with me.

SN

[T J Johansen]

I've kinda hoped that someone would put it back in the old blue colors with the large dragon on the tail. Seen here when owned by Ed Daly of World Airways.

http://www.pbase.com/zortek/image/94979709

I went by Pima in Oct. and really enjoyed their B-23 in the exec. colors. Cool to see them display it as such.

T J

[K5DH]

Restore it as a warbird. Restore it as an executive transport. Either way. . . COOL!!! A flying B-23, in any form, will be most welcomed by me and my fellow airplane geeks!