OAKLAND Centaurus (N500HP)

Beautiful!!

An Oakland Centaurus was an early conversion of the Lockheed Ventura aircraft.

The website link as follows references the Oakland Centaurus along with a Spartan Ventura and the Howard 350 and 400 conversions; also including the "new build" Howard 500 aircraft - https://shortfinals.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/when-is-a-ventura-not-a-ventura-when-its-a-howard-500/

The aircraft in this photo, N500HP, is a Howard 500, manufactured in 1963, according to the FAA registry.

FlightAware shows eight (8) photos of an "Oakland Centaurus L37" aircraft. Six (6) are of N500HP, one (1) is of N7265C and one (1) is of N10PV.

The "Oakland Centaurus" must be FlightAware's association with the L37 aircraft identification.

Dee Howard Aircraft Company refurbished one of these and my company purchased one for its first corporate aircraft back in the mid- to late-70's at Addison (KADS). I heard rumors that it was later sold/donated to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was shot down over Mexico with a load of marijuana. Rumors said that some rogue pilots got the aircraft and used it for their own purposes. I really don't know if there's any truth to this or not, but when I heard the story from someone at the company it was a sad story to hear.

where is this picture. REally low!

Really great photo Rudy!

A Kentucky Corporation Flew 2 very nice Lockheed loadstars similar to this. N1000W and N1000F. In the 1960's they lost one of them in an accident somewhat the same as the Boeing mess going on now.The trim switch on the yoke stuck in down position and the airplane went down with 10 corporate excutives.