Steve McQueen's Aircraft

davidhcrocker

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/612747.html

I was told that this aircraft once was owned by Steve McQueen, but all the documentation on display at the Western Museum of Flight lists this aircraft as N98040. So, were the numbers transposed, or did the current owner ask for a new set of numbers?

One of the "docents" at the museum told me that after his death, McQueen's ashes were taken aloft and scattered from this airplane. Only problem was there was a gust of wind and some of the ashes were blown back into the plane, where they sit to this day. The docent told me that "part of Steve still goes up every time the plane flies."

L-5jockey

AFAIK

McQueen's Stearman was N3188 c/n 75-2599 (actually a modified Boeing N2S-3 ex. USN BuNo 4269).

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/320364L.html

I can find no ties to N90840 (c/n 75-1619)

BTW McQueen's reform school 'inmate' number was 3188, hence the Boeing's N-Number.

Also acording to his widow, McQueen's ashes were scattered from N3188.

I beleive she has recently written a book about Steve.

John

davidhcrocker

http://www.airport-data.com/airport/photo/021583.html

Here is a photo of the documentation that the Western Museum of Flight has placed in front of the Boeing/Stearman N90840 on display. As you can see, they list the aircraft as having been N98040 when McQueen supposedly owned this aircraft. They've even reproduced the Department of Transportation application McQueen signed for c/n 75-1619, but with a tail number of N98040.

I didn't post this photo originally because of this discrepancy. Now I'm thinking maybe the original application had a typo on it, so everything else that has been produced about this plane afterwards has perpetuated this mistake. For N98040 is registered as a 1946 Piper.

I was just hoping someone out there could explain this discrepancy.

L-5jockey

Dave

Here's a previous thread on A-D.com, about the same subject McQueen and his Stearman.

http://www.airport-data.com/forums/post-2645.html

Will have to do some more digging.

I know, that after McQueen's death, his estate was auctioned (1984)

including 210 motorcyles, 55 cars, and five airplanes, and thousands of other 'stuff'.

John

davidhcrocker

Well, since five airplanes of his were auctioned off back in '84, this plane now sitting in Torrance could be one of them. As for whether McQueen's ashes were scattered from this plane or another, who knows? It seems everyone wants to be able to tell a good story -- fishermen or pilots. My guess is Doug Robertson would know the real poop since he was in Santa Paula at the time McQueen moved in. Am I correct, Doug?

L-5jockey

Here's a shot from 1979 - Note the partial registration visible

John

davidhcrocker

Damn, the only visible number in your photo is an "8" so I'm totally confused. Could Steve's arm be obscuring the last two digits? Can someone please tell me if the current N90840 was once owned by Steve McQueen? Personally, I don't care one way or another, but the folks at the Western Museum of Flight at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California might want to know if they're lying to the public or not.

BTW, great to see the "Six Million Dollar Man" with a can of Coors.

L-5jockey

Another shot, same day, different angle. (looks like N90840)

Read somewhere that Steve owned two stearmans, hence the conflicting data. (N3188 and N90840)...

further research required. Most reports indicate, he soloed in N3188 (same bird ashes were dispersed from).

These two photos point towards N90840 as solo aircraft? (1979)

Couple of other aircraft, once owned by McQueen.

J-3

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N87826.html

PA-8 Mailwing

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N10753.html

Also reports of a Cessna Citation 501SP

: John

davidhcrocker

Well, from the two photos you've posted, shot by his widow, I'm now convinced that N90840 was once owned by Steve McQueen.

On a related thread, remember a few years back when Steve McQueen was considered by advertising people to be the epitome of "cool." There was an ad for Absolut vodka which proclaimed McQueen as the "Absolut Man."

Too bad McQueen died of a heart attack at age 50. But then, if he had lived to be age 80, maybe he wouldn't be as revered.