Dragon in the Bayou

[Rocketeer]

Not to infringe upon the owner's privacy, but are there any recent photos floating around of Douglas B-23 Dragon N53253 (this airplane is registered in Franklin, Louisiana). Just curious.

[P51Mstg]

If you take it out of the locked hangar and onto a public airport, there isn't any privacy......

Sorry I don't have any pictures.

Mark H

[Rocketeer]

Yet another question: Does anyone know if this aircraft is under restoration to fly?

[airnutz]

Not to infringe upon the owner's privacy, but are there any recent photos floating around of Douglas B-23 Dragon N53253 (this airplane is registered in Franklin, Louisiana). Just curious.

Back in 2005 several of us compared our lists of Dragon survivors and this one(c/n 2732, 39-0046)wasn't on it IIRC. Dunno why.
Baugher's serials list has a note about it being sold in 1980 to someone in Oklahoma City, OK. attributed to a Landings.com report, but that report doesn't appear to be there anymore and when I reran a search there for that info..no joy.

[Rocketeer]

What is the known history of this aircraft? Wasn't it briefly owned by Howard Hughes?

[The Inspector]

According to ABCD list, l/n 2732 as a B-23, not UC-67, 39-0046 sold by RFC in 1945 to Gar Wood Ind. (Gold Cup winning boat racer in the 1930's) as NR 53253, in 1954 sold to Tennessee Gas Transmission Co., 1964 sold to Ammann Div., 1966 sold to Gulf & Western (movie studio?) another sale reported in 1980. current listed owner in Franklin La. registration expired.

Rumored to have belonged to H.R. Hughes @ one time, he did own a B-23 and frequently 'borrowed' REXALL Drugs' B-23 for personal trips causing the REXALL Chief Pilot to try and figure out where Howard may have gone and then make lots of expensive long distance phone calls to that area asking control towers to see if the airplane was on the field so the REXALL big shots could go somewhere in their missing airplane after it was ferried back to L.A.

TOOLCO owned at least 5 different B-23/UC-67's. The one most associated with Hughes personally was l/n 2719 39-0033 registered as NR 49548, last known regisration is current as N747M registered in Bellevue, WA. to Pissed Away LLC and reportedly under restoration.

[WallyB]

By no means a recent photo, but:

[The Inspector]

Love the 749 CONNIE head on between the B-23 elevator and the DC-4 fin in front of the TWA hanger.

[P51Mstg]

Ye inspect photos too closely....

Mark H

[The Inspector]

I also tend to look at whats in the background of airplane footage I've seen 1500 times to see what's sitting on the ramp.

[the330thbg]

Ye inspect photos too closely....

Mark H

Well HIS name is 'INSPECTOR'!

[P51Mstg]

As I approach the end of middle age, seeing the B-23 in the photo is an accomplishment..... You guys go too far. Besides it only excites me to no end to see a piece of an airplane on a ramp when I'd have loved to see the entire thing....

Mark H

[The Inspector]

Do you want all of us to drop the back story on photos? Because the background info makes the total story and brings out details from others and pretty soon we have an untold story laid out in front of us to fill in a tiny corner of the total story of aviation that might have gone to the grave without being aired. Like this photo, I'm speculating it's St. Louis but will look forward to a more knowledgeable individual to provide that little piece of the puzzle.

[P51Mstg]

and a little comment gets blown out of proportion.... Time for me to join other friends...

Have a great Holiday Season

Mark H

[Rocketeer]

That is a nice photo!
What year do you think it was taken?