A-26 info needed

[RickH]

Does anyone have any lnowledge or pictures of an A-26 with the name Kankakee Queen. The nose art is on a six gun hardnose.

TIA

[retroaviation]

Unrelated to your request, Rick (sorry), but check your PMs.

Gary

[Old SAR pilot]

Might check these out...
http://napoleon130.tripod.com/id286.html

[RickH]

Bob, I tried that one first. To my surprise the site owner has some of my stuff regarding 43-5696 "My Mary Lou ". The google search shows that the In Flight magazine may have had something in a 1996 issue but haven't been able to find it.

[51fixer]

Does anyone have any lnowledge or pictures of an A-26 with the name Kankakee Queen. The nose art is on a six gun hardnose.

TIA

I worked on it a bit when it was in Kankakee IL. Then it was ferried to Chino where it sat many years. I got to work on it some more when John Muszala bought it since I was working for him.
I thought I might have a few pictures but I haven't seen them for years.
Rich

[RickH]

Rich, do you know when the nose art was done ? It is signed Bruce 45. Was the aircraft carrying the gun nose during the time you worked it or the glass nose ?

Last edited by RickH on Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[BigGrey]

Scrolling down the page of the site linked above I came across this:
In Flight USA
-26B civ "Vegas Vixen" 439120 N9682C to fly air shows PA if
-26C civ "Kankakee Queen" & hist PA IFUSA Feb 96 if

It would appear the magazine In Flight USA at least has a picture. I may have that issue but it is packed away.

Les

[RickH]

Les, I saw that entry but got no further. Tried the In Flight website, but no joy.

[51fixer]

Rich, do you know when the nose art was done ? It is signed Bruce 45. Was the aircraft carrying the gun nose during the time you worked it or the glass nose ?

In IL it had been abandoned after an engine failure and sat for years. Then it had a fiberglass executive nose.
I believe Bruce refers to Bruce Crandal (?) hung was a fixture at Chino and an artist. After John did a good bit of restoring work he sold it and Aero Traders finished the restoration. It was bare metal at that point IIRC. I believe John had a solid gun nose he put on it but I'm not completely sure on that.
My guess would be the art came at Aero Trader.
Rich

[bdk]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/a26regis ... 35710.html

[hang the expense]

51Fixer is right.Rats crandel did the art and always signed Bruce44 or 45.Is he still around or did someone kill him? Im kidding.

[T J Johansen]

Bruce Crandall, now that's a name from earlier days. I remember him well from Chino when I used to hang out with the Pioneer Aero crew. During my first visit to Chino I got to know him and a guy named Todd Merchant who seemed to run the MARC shop hangar. Another of the guys by the name Tom who lived in Santa Monica (I think) got me an A2 jacket from a local store. They used to drive a beat-up old Karmann Ghia around the airport. Bruce was a painter/ artist who decorated jacets, aircraft, etc. at the time. Haven't seen him in years though.

As far as photos of "Kankakee Queen" goes, I think I might have a couple stashed away somewhere. Will look for them during the weekend.

T J

[BigGrey]

I decided to open a box marked "aviation magazines" and to my surprise the 2nd and 3rd magazines down had cover shots of the Invader "Hard to Get" on them.
Warbirds Worldwide-Journal 47 has a cover shot, but inside it said that the plane was covered in the previous issue. I haven't found Journal 46. Warbirds International Volume 17, Number 7 from November 1998 has a story on the restoration but the pictures are of post-restoration except for a couple vintage shots of other Invaders.

When they mentioned In Flight USA, I was thinking Flight Journal. In Flight USA is that paper rag isn't it? I think all those got tossed in the move.

Les

[retroaviation]

51Fixer is right.Rats crandel did the art and always signed Bruce44 or 45.Is he still around or did someone kill him? Im kidding.

Nope, nobody's killed him yet. As a matter of fact, just this past February, I purchased an old truck from him. It's off topic, but you can see some of the Crandall artwork on the doors and fenders.....



Gary

[T J Johansen]

And here she is...






T J

P.S. If these are any good for the registry, feel free!