Very early Aero Commander for sale in Tulsa...non-flying

[JohnB]

I saw this in Trade-A-Plane..
A tech school is selling a very, very early Aero Commander. It's non-airworthy but I can't imagine there is much value in the parts.

It would be nice to see it saved...is there an Oklahoma aero museum? Aero Commander was a big player in the state's air history.
http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/1664172.html

[bombadier29]

That's not the one that used to be displayed on the pole at the Oklahoma City fairgrounds is it? I think it was a pretty early model as well but it might have been blue. I know it was taken off the pole a few years ago but I have no idea what ever happened to it.

[JohnB]

That's not the one that used to be displayed on the pole at the Oklahoma City fairgrounds is it? I think it was a pretty early model as well but it might have been blue. I know it was taken off the pole a few years ago but I have no idea what ever happened to it.

I think that one may have been a prototype. Not sure.
Aero Commander would make an interesting book, coming as it did from Ted Smith, formerly of Douglas A-26 fame, and later Aerostar.

At any rate, it sounds like an interesting aircraft. As a fan of old business aircraft, I've always like the Aero Commander with its mini-airliner looks. I even had the Aurora plastic kit of and early 520 with the rounded nacelles. I saw a beautiful old one (pre-Shrike which had a pointed nose and flat nacelles) at a fly-in a couple of years back, so some restored ones are out here.

Last edited by JohnB on Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Tiger Tim]

Aero Commander would make an interesting book, coming as it did from Ted Smith, formerly of Douglas A-26 fame

I've always meant to ask the WIX brain trust about that, the family resemblance is there for sure.

-Tim

[JohnB]

Smith and or the media frequently mentioned it when promoting his later aircraft, but he's not mentioned in Thompson's A-26 book, or Francillon's Douglas Aircraft Since 1920. So he must have been a junior designer on the project.

[K5DH]

Wasn't Smith involved in the design of the A-20 Havoc? If you squint a little when you look at one, the Aero Commander sort of resembles the A-20.

[Chris Brame]

Any guesses as to the ID of this plane? I cross-referenced the 1953-built examples and came up with around seven or eight based in Oklahoma but no info on the owners.

[tulsaboy]

I volunteer at the Tulsa museum. I will make sure the curator knows.

[JohnB]

I volunteer at the Tulsa museum. I will make sure the curator knows.

That would be great. I'd sure like to see it saved.

[Stephan Wilkinson]

I used to fly a Shrike Commander. Lots of Commander twins in the weeds all over the U. S. It costs way more to overhaul their run-out engines than the airplanes are worth.

[Chris Brame]

Listing is gone. Tulsaboy, did your museum get it?

[tulsaboy]

I know the curator talked with them about it. Past that I don't know. I will find out!

kevin

[JohnB]

Kevin...what did you find out?

[slinky]

That is not the prototype "Blue Goose" that was on the pole at the OKC Fairgrounds....It is under restoration here at the Vo-tec. Not sure where it will be going when they finish it. I have pix somewhere.....

[JohnCFord]

There is one sitting on the ramp at OUN that seems to be looking for a new owner. It is a complete airplane in need of some TLC. ~J~