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Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (57-6032)
This poor looking airplane is parked on a little square plot of land in a small town just outside of Ft. Huachuca, AZ (KFHU). I've seen it for a very long time just parked there along the highway in this sorry state of repair. The lady living next door thinks it belongs to a former mayor, and that he flew VIPs around in it, I guess while he was active duty. Anyway, I'm not 100% sure of the serial number, but this is the closest I could get with Joe Baugher's info:
Beechcraft L-23 (U-8) Seminole, 57-6032 Beech L-23D-DH Seminole to MASDC as UB061 Mar 1, 1979, to 3U0018 (Navy) Feb 13, 1981.
The number on the left side of the tail (missing the rudder) shows: 0-76 (I think it's a 6) and on the right side it shows: 032. I believe it is actually 57- based on some pics of other L-23/U-8s that also show a 0- but have the serial number actually start with the year. If I can find out more info I'll post it. And if anyone knows more about it please let me know. Also, I have more pics if anyone is interested.
Comments
https://www.flickr.com/photos/17670376@N02/albums
https://www.facebook.com/138thAviationCompanyMemorialInc/
http://138thavnco.org
(Click RU-21A project tab)
Here is another photo from the Air-Britain Photographic Images Collection site, attributed to and copyrighted by its photographer John Sullivan and taken in July 1991 at Cochise Community College in Arizona...
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1087487/
The rudder is present, but appears to have a coat of paint primer applied, obscuring any original markings.
http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=5315
So, after its service (probably in the NG up in New England after Vietnam) it found its way to the aircraft boneyard in Tucson. Then, at some point it found its way down to the Douglas and Sierra Vista, AZ areas.
My co-worker called city hall in Huachuca City and found out that the bird is currently owned by George Nerhan who is a former HC mayor. His facebook page is here:
https://www.facebook.com/george.nerhan
We don't know why he obtained it and why its parked where it is, but if I can find a way to contact him, maybe I can find that out.
I also sent an email to the aviation dept. at Cochise College to see if anyone there might have knowledge of this bird. I'll let you know if/when I get a response. That's about it for now.
http://users.rcn.com/jeremy.k/serialSearch.html
...you find the following:
57-6029 ... 57-6076 (EXACT MATCH)
Beech L-23D-DH Seminole
MSN RLH.1/48. Remanufactured from L-23A/B serials 52-6161/6216 and 53-6153/6192.
6030,6032,6044,6046,6049/6053,6057,6059,6060,
6063,6069,6075,6076 converted to RL-23D.
Redesignated U-8D and RU-8D in 1962.
6030 to MASDC as UB104 Aug 28, 1980.
6032 to MASDC as UB061 Mar 1, 1979, to 3U0018 (Navy) Feb 13, 1981.
So, if I'm reading this correctly, this bird was originally an L-23 (in 1952?), and redesignated as an (R)U-8D in 1962. Based on Andrew's info we know it was in Vietnam for some period, then came back to the US and eventually went to the boneyard in Tucson in 1979. (The Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) is now the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group.) The MASDC number - UB061 - can be seen on the airplane now. Then it went to the Navy in 1981.
Hmmm... Still don't know how/when it got to the NG in New England and how/when it came back south to AZ. Anyway, still checking.
http://flightaware.com/photos/view/729112-57a638e79f4f9e396383bc9408188a7d2eeddf96/all/sort/date/page/1
http://www.svherald.com/free_access/nerhan-s-plane-controversy-lands-in-county-territory/article_5eb7b82a-0b7c-11e7-8f22-c347881ecb53.html
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