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Mystery B-23/UC-67 in 1946 movie A Stolen Life

Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:07 pm

I was watching this movie on TCM and got a surprise when "Pan American Flight 7" landed:
B-23 stolen life (5).JPG


B-23 stolen life (6).JPG


B-23 stolen life (7).JPG


B-23 stolen life (8).JPG


B-23 stolen life (9).JPG


So... any guesses to the ID? I've read through the Hagedorns' B-18/B-23 book and haven't found a match. Note the freshly-removed star and bar, but it still has the data block below the cockpit. Most intriguing is that nose art: "Hoboken Stud"? "Broken Stud"? "Hookem Stud"? The painted side hatch may be another clue.

Over to the WIXperts...

Re: Mystery B-23/UC-67 in 1946 movie A Stolen Life

Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:41 pm

I've noticed different window configurations on original period B-23 photos. In your photos, the window just forward of the left side entry door is unlike other B-23/UC-67 photos that I've found. Perhaps that may be a clue as too which one this is? You would think it hadn't been modified too much by 1945.

The airport used was Long Beach, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038984/lo ... f_=tt_sa_4

Here's a few with either Pan Am or movie connections.

Pan Am
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390030.html
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390031.html
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390057.html
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390059.html
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390062.html

Paul Mantz (No credits for A Stolen Life) https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0544206/
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390036.html

Howard Hughes
http://warbirdregistry.org/b23registry/b23-390044.html

Re: Mystery B-23/UC-67 in 1946 movie A Stolen Life

Sun Mar 22, 2020 12:52 am

It's not this one, but Pan Am did have at least one B-23; it was used as Juan Trippe's personal transport. It is mentioned in Horace Brock's "Flying the Oceans".
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