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Air tankers - Main page
One of several other smaller ( aviation ) companies that undertook modifications
to the Invader, Stahmann Farms of Las Cruces NM. also modified and converted 44-34524 ( N558, N58Y and HK-999E ) and was a one-off, modified in 1964, for extra long-range using a Marksmans wing with tip tanks and
flew from Minnesota to Prestwick, with routing from Madrid to Iceland.
Spares for this aircraft were salvaged from an unidentified Marksman badly damaged
by fire at Phoenix AZ.
It actually looked like a Marketeer but was not and is an airframe that has caused
some confusion over the years.
There is evidence that Stahmann Farmes Inc, also undertook modification work
for Rock Island, to upgrade Invaders to the Monarch 26 and was possibly involved in Air tanker conversions in order to maintain
their vast operating portfolio of farming.
Stahmann Farms Inc. Las Cruces, NM. used Harpoon N6655D (15-1600)
between 1961 - 1984 for frost control flights over Stahmann's 4000 acre (16188 hectares) pecan nut plantation in New Mexico.
The aircraft would be dispatched usually between 3 and 4 a.m and would be directed from the ground to areas that were in danger
of freezing. It was flown at between 75-100ft (22.8-30.4m) above tree top level to deflect the warmer air downwards. To increase
the down wash the aircraft was flown with its spray tanks full of water. This aircraft was to have been converted to a long
range transport for Dean Stahmann and his family to transport them to Peru in case of war - this was at the time of the Cuban
Missile Crisis. However, there was the possibility of a proprietary conflict with the Howard 500 and therefore Stahmann chose
a A-26B for this role.
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Serial #: 44-34607
Construction #:
27886
Civil Registration:
N8395H
CF-FBV
Model(s):
A-26B
TA-26B
TB-26B-61-DL
Name: None
Status: Destroyed
Last info: 1974
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History:
Delivered to USAAF as 44-34607.
- To Davis-Monthan
AFB, AZ for storage, Feb. 1957-1958.
Hamilton Aircraft Co, Tucson, AZ, June 1958.
Stahmann Farms Inc, Las Cruces, NM,
1966-1969
- Registered as N8395H.
- Open storage, unconverted, Tucson, AZ, 1958-1968.
Convair Aviation Ltd, Abbotsford,
BC, May 1971
- Registered as CF-FBV
- Flew as tanker #23.
- Crashed & destroyed, Mt. Bowman, near Clinton, BC,
Aug. 7, 1974.
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Serial #: 44-35581
Construction #:
28860
Civ. Registration:
N3485G
C-GWJG
Model(s):
A-26C
B-26C
Name:
None
Status: Destroyed
Last info: 1982
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History:
Delivered to USAAF as 44-35581.
- Sold
as surplus, June 11, 1958.
Stahmann Farms Inc, Las Cruces, NM, 1963-1964.
- Registered as N3485G.
M. S. Jovenich,
New York, NY, 1966.
Hamilton Aircraft Co., Tucson, AZ, 1969.
Aircraft Surplus Co., Tucson, AZ, 1970-1972.
Air Spray Ltd, Red Deer,
Alberta< June 1976-1982
- Registered as C-GWJG
- Flew as tanker #9
- Crashed near Watson Lake, Yukon Territory,
July 1, 1982.
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Serial #: 44-34423
Construction #: 27702
Civil
Registration:
N9594Z
C-GHLI
Model(s):
A-26B
B-26B
B-26C
On Mark (See History)
Name: None
Status: Display
Last info: 2002
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History:
Built as A-26B-56-DL,
44-34423, by the Douglas Aircraft Company at Long Beach, California.
Jun 4, 1945. Delivered to the USAAF.
To 4127th AAF Base Unit (Air Materiel Command) at McClellan AAF, California ¾ storage
Feb 1949.... To Sacramento Air Materiel
Command at McClellan AAF ¾ storage (redesignated as a B-26B)
Feb 1951.... To Douglas Aircraft at Long
Beach ¾ overhaul
Apr 1951.... To Ogden Air Materiel Area,
Hill AFB, Utah ¾ converted to B-26C and prepared for delivery to the Far East Air Force for the Korean
War
May 1951... To 3rd Bombardment
Wing (Light), FEAF, Iwakuni AB, Japan
Jul 1951...... To 13th Aircraft
Repair Station, FEAF, Tachikawa AB, Japan
Aug 1951... To 452nd Bombardment
Wing (Light), FEAF, Pusan AB, Korea and Miho AB, Japan
May 1952... To 17th Bombardment
Wing (Light), FEAF, Pusan AB, Korea and Miho AB, Japan
Mar 1953... To 6408th Maintenance
Support Group, FEAF, Kisarazu AB, Japan
May 1953... To San Francisco, California
Jul 1953...... To Ogden Materiel Area,
Hill AFB, Utah ¾ converted back to B-26B
Apr 1954.... To 184th Reconnaissance
(Tactical) Squadron (Air National Guard), Fort Smith MAP, Arizona
Nov 1956... To 184th Bomber (Tactical)
Squadron (ANG), Rosecrans MAP, St. Joseph, Montana
Jul 1957...... To Arizona Aircraft Storage
Branch (AMC), Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
Jan 1958..... Dropped from inventory
Oct 1960.... To Stahmann Farms, Las Cruces,
New Mexico as N9594Z. Initially delivered to Hamilton Aircraft at Tucson, Arizona for removal of military equipment
Jan 1961..... To new airfield at Stahmann
Farms. Used as a corporate transport and to protect pecan crops from spring and fall frosts. Converted as a long-range Cold
War escape vehicle to Peru with addition of nose fuel cell, On Mark tip tanks, spar and leading edge reinforcements, cabin
seats, toilet and lighting and ventilation systems. Little used after 1965
1972........... Sold to Victor Newman
of El Paso, Texas ¾ two in-flight engine failures.
1974........... Sold to Conair Aviation, Abbotsford,
British Columbia, Canada as C-GHLI and converted to a forest fire control airtanker for the 1975 fire season
Jul 1, 1984.. Damaged by fire Jul 1,
1984 at Williams Lake air tanker base during a fuel pump change ¾ to local scrap yard
1990........... To Aero Nostalgia, Stockton,
California for static rebuild as a B-26C for Fairchild Heritage Foundation, Fairchild AFB, Washington.
Researched by: Robert Stitt,
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Serial #: 44-34602
Construction #: 27881
Civil
Registration:
N8392H
N167B
Model(s):
A-26B
TA-26B
TB-26B
VB-26B
Rock Island Monarch 26
Name: Sugarland Express
Status: Airworthy
Last info:
2002
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History:
Delivered to USAF as 44-34602.
- SOC: July
1, 1958.
- Stored at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ.
Jack Lysdale Flying Service, St. Paul, MN, 1964.
- Registered as N8392H.
Stahmann
Farms Inc., Las Cruces, NM, 1966-1987.
- Conversion to Rock Island Monarch 26 configuration started, Hutchinson, KS.
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Finished by Hamilton Aircraft, Tucson, AZ.
RLS 51 Ltd, San Francisco, CA, 1987-2001.
- Restored to military configuration
with 8 Gun nose, Grand Junction, CO, 1987.
- Delivered Oslo, Norway, May 1988
- Registered as N167B, Feb. 1989
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Operated by Scandinavian Historical Flight, Oslo, Norway
- Flies as 434602/BC-602 Sugarland Express.
Joda LLC,
Town And Country, MO, Feb. 8, 2001-2002.
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Serial #: 44-35262
Construction #: 28541
Civil
Registration:
N72404
Model(s):
A-26C
RB-26C
Name: None
Status:
Unknown
Last info: 1970
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History:
Stahmann Farms Inc, Las Cruces, NM, 1964-1970.
-
Registered as N72404.
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