Aircraft pics

[SS427]

I recently went to Tucson to help my brother on one of his many projects, a B23 bomber converted to a transporter that was previously owned by Howard Hughes. It is being restored back to the way it was when he flew it. He was also doing restoration work on a TBM but we did not get to work on that during my visit.

[Crush]

Originally Posted by SS427

I recently went to Tucson to help my brother on one of his many projects, a B23 bomber converted to a transporter that was previously owned by Howard Hughes. It is being restored back to the way it was when he flew it. He was also doing restoration work on a TBM but we did not get to work on that during my visit.

Wow! Is this a hobby for your brother or what he does full-time? Very impressive

[SS427]

Originally Posted by Crush

Wow! Is this a hobby for your brother or what he does full-time? Very impressive

He owns a few companies, one being a large guest service co, Starplex Corp, crowd and alcohol management, uniformed security, parking and traffic, and safety training services company. Another company that makes electronic management systems for large warehouse and office buildings. His last is Custom Connections AZ that rewires WWII warbirds and fighters as well as modern civilian and military contracts for customer such as Valkyrie Aero where he retrofits aircraft and vehicles with the latest technologies, radio, armament, and navigation items. He has quality people that run the other two companies while the airplane/vehicle wiring and retrofitting is his main focus and takes up 90% of his time. When I get bored working on muscle cars I often times fly out to work with him for a week at a time. He has some really cool projects that he is currently working on. A TBM, P40, B23 just to name a few that I saw when I was there.

The last 3 photos are an A4. He starts out with junk and turns them into flyable airplanes.

[Crush]

Incredible, thanks for sharing!

[427TJ]

Originally Posted by SS427

I recently went to Tucson to help my brother on one of his many projects, a B23 bomber converted to a transporter that was previously owned by Howard Hughes. It is being restored back to the way it was when he flew it. He was also doing restoration work on a TBM but we did not get to work on that during my visit.

I remember that B-23 very well. It was owned by Mike Bogue at Oakland for many years from the latter '70s until the widow sold it sometime in the last decade. Bogue was a very nice guy and let me sit in several Warbirds at Oakland's hangar 5 back in 1980. I remember the B-23 flying over my house several times.

[SS427]

Originally Posted by 427TJ

I remember that B-23 very well. It was owned by Mike Bogue at Oakland for many years from the latter '70s until the widow sold it sometime in the last decade. Bogue was a very nice guy and let me sit in several Warbirds at Oakland's hangar 5 back in 1980. I remember the B-23 flying over my house several times.

That's cool! We had dinner with Mike G and his wife (he owns the local P51, F4U Corsair, P40 and about 17 other warbirds) Saturday night and were discussing this B23. He informed me that he was a buyer when it came up for sale but passed on it due to the cost of restoring it. I am pretty sure it will far exceed $1m when completed. Small world.