What became of Hugh Wheelless' sprayers? (Dothan, AL)

[K5DH]

In the 1960s and 1970s, a man by the name of Hugh Wheelless operated a very busy aerial spraying operation out of Dothan, Alabama. His fleet included three B-17s, several B-25s, several PV-2s, three Martin 4-0-4 airliners, and a large number of Stearmans, Ag-Cats, and similar singles. They did crop dusting, mosquito and fire ant control, and so on. I was looking at some mid-1960s photos of Wheelless Airport and wondering what became of the fleet. I know where the B-17s ended up: VFM has one (Chuckie), the EAA has one (Aluminum Overcast), and the third is not flying but is on display in California. Does anyone have any information on what happened to the Mitchells, Harpoons, and Martinliners?

Here is a link to the page that I was looking at... interesting stuff!

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/AL/Airfields_AL_SE.htm

Cheers!

[planeoldsteve]

I seem to remember a Topic on WIX that one crashed in Rochelle Ga in the mid 70's. I did a WIX search and cant find a thing.

Found this on the NTSB site.

N3701G http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=55156&key=0 Chuckie

N4710C http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=54414&key=0 44-85812.

Steve

[Stoney]

Neil Rose restored one of the PV-2s, its now with Jack Ericson. I got to fly it once for all of 15 minutes. N83L

[DiggerWW2]

Is THAT what that was?? Ha! Ha! I remember My parents & I were on Our way down South to Disneyworld in the early 70's.
I was just a little kid. We stayed in a Holiday Inn along the way... One morning 2 or 3 BIG WW2 Bombers flew over & accidentally sprayed the Hotel. They were LOUD as Hell & woke everyone up. I thought it was terrible, but My Dad (a WW2 AAF Vet) flipped out!! He went nuts & couldn't believe that WW2 Bombers were actually buzzing the Hotel. They were flying LOW too & the Pilots were CRAZY.

It was just like that Steve McQueen B-17 scene from "THE WAR LOVER"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewi-bPXFo_M

I was only 6 years old or so & could swear they were either B-17's or B-25's.
I just knew it couldn't be true & kept the story quiet... until now.
Thanks for solving this mystery!! ... Digger

Last edited by DiggerWW2 on Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:10 am, edited 5 times in total.

[b29flteng]

One of the B25s is under restoration by the Arizona wing of the CAF. I helped to ferry that plane from San Marcos Texas to Minnesota in the late 70s and remember reading in the log book that it was from Dothan.

[Lynn Allen]

One of the B25s is under restoration by the Arizona wing of the CAF. I helped to ferry that plane from San Marcos Texas to Minnesota in the late 70s and remember reading in the log book that it was from Dothan.

And the other is the "Yellow Rose"

Lynn

[John Kerr]

Below are five photos, 3 from Dothan, AL by Bob Leader and 2 from San Marcos, TX by me.
1. N9077Z 43-27868 San Marcos, TX, Jan 76. Now Yellow Rose.
2. N9462Z 44-30535 Dothan, AL. Jul 73, Now Iron Liaden Maiden
3. N9443Z 44-28765 Dothan, AL. Jul 73, status unknow
4. N9463Z 44-31004 Dothan, AL. Jul 73, Now on display USS Alabama
5. N9552Z 43-35972, San Marcos, TX, Jan 76. Now U/R in AZ. Note old makings from Dotan just barely visable.

[John Kerr]

Corretion to Photo Number 3. Thanks to Boeing299B who sent me e mail stateing that photo 3 is most likely N9077Z at Dothan. I just listed as they wer marked on my slides.