Bob Bean F4U Collection

[zorro9]

Shuck:

Good day!

Tks for the info & data. So, those mountains in the background are definitively S. Calif Blythe area?

p.s Rob: yes! there is another F4U-4 in the background of Mr. V. Archer FB pic. You could see the little tail wheel & a bit of the the letter "K"
in pages at the end of the Aero-Series Inc, F4U book c. 1967. (Sorry, I has no pg numbers but it does have some interesting B/w pics). Including another angle of the previous FB pic.

[zorro9]

F4U Folks:

Some other angles of the Bob Bean F4U farm. Poss Az c.1970s. The "tail code R" is unid for now. Via CTF4U/AEC

[Rob Mears]

F4U-4, BuNo.97330.

[whistlingdeath77]

Man if only I had the money and was there!

[zorro9]

F4U-4 Folks:

Tks Rob. That's most like it!

p.s The sample at the following link is poss FAH 617 Buno 97059, recently painted poss Hawthorne Calif c. 1960s. More details later.


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... =1&theater

[RobC]

Was reading through this. Recognize that Hereford is across the state from Phoenix and Blythe, and most definitely did not have any Corsairs! So much for that myth.

[Rob Mears]

On the contrary, Bob Bean established a private airstrip at Hereford and actually relocated the two or three Corsairs he had left at the time to Hereford in the late 1970s, just prior to his death. He also had a couple of HU-16 Albatrosses there, and a Beech 18 among others. I think it's true that Bob died at the Hereford airstrip, though I think people have taken a few liberties over the years in describing the details of the event! He was quite eccentric, so as it goes, people naturally want to project an eccentric demise. A certain editor at a popular warbird magazine during that time had a lot to do with disseminating some of those rumors in his articles.

[RobC]

Hi Rob,

I can confirm the Albatross. The folks who ferried it out of there are acquaintances. I have never seen anything to confirm Corsairs there, and am pretty surprised to hear that there were. I would love to see a picture or two of that. Got any? Hereford is about 10 miles from here. The airfield is long gone, unfortunately.

[zorro9]

RobC:

The HU-16 Albatross is confirmed X USCG I think. However it appears at Tucson, AZ with some F4U around c. 1970s.

p.s Where exactly was Moseley field and the nearest town to it?? It was according to the AC folks a crop duster field.

[Rob Mears]

Here's kind of a crap shot the two Corsairs (BuNo.97142 & 97302) out at Hereford with the Albatrosses and the Beech. BuNo.97302 is the one with the prop attached.

[Rob Mears]

Zorro9, Moseley Airfield was located at 91st Avenue and Indian School Road, about 10 miles west northwest of Phoenix, AZ. It used to be the boondocks, but looking at the latest Google Earth image, it looks like the suburbs have finally caught up with the place. Interestingly enough, all of the property at that immediate intersection is still somewhat undeveloped though. Wonder if a guy with a metal detector might find some F4U goodies buried in that soil.

Coordinates:
33°29'38.60"N
112°15'18.21"W

[shuck]

On the contrary, Bob Bean established a private airstrip at Hereford and actually relocated the two or three Corsairs he had left at the time to Hereford in the late 1970s, just prior to his death. He also had a couple of HU-16 Albatrosses there, and a Beech 18 among others. I think it's true that Bob died at the Hereford airstrip, though I think people have taken a few liberties over the years in describing the details of the event! He was quite eccentric, so as it goes, people naturally want to project an eccentric demise. A certain editor at a popular warbird magazine during that time had a lot to do with disseminating some of those rumors in his articles.

Hi Rob

Have you been able to identify the third Corsair that was relocated to Hereford along with BuNo.97142 & BuNo.97302.

[Rob Mears]

I'll look through all of my records again, but I think these were the only two left in Bean's inventory by the time he relocated everything from Tucson, sometime around 1976-77 would be my best guess.

[Matt Gunsch]

I live near 91st and Indian school and there is no sign of where the airport was. I used to work for the Moseley's in 91, and helped clean out a back storage room, I found a tail hook with mount, that had been cut in two and a gear door actuator, that was all the Corsair parts around.

[shuck]

I'll look through all of my records again, but I think these were the only two left in Bean's inventory by the time he relocated everything from Tucson, sometime around 1976-77 would be my best guess.

Thanks, so were BuNo.97142 to Wally McDonnell and BuNo.97302 to Howard Pardue acquired after Bob Bean had passed away in 1980.