In 1969 Peter M. Bowers, the creative communicator who originated the Of Wings & Things column in General Aviation News, was on the hunt for a pair of rare pre-war Boeing Model 203 biplanes. The two elusive machines dropped out of sight somewhere around Bakersfield, California, in 1947 and 1951 after serving as trainers, and then crop dusters.
Pete shared a couple photos of the 203s as dusters to accompany articles he wrote in which he solicited help from readers who might know where these airframes could be found.
Pete figured a Boeing 203 would be just the quirky and rare machine to spice up a museum collection.
Five of the Model 203s served with the Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland, California, starting in 1929. Two more were built by the school’s students in 1935 and 1937.
During World War II, the Boeing School 203s, now under the stewardship of United Airlines, went to United’s facility in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Into the stream of surplus biplanes after the war at least two of the Boeing 203s, registered NR-977H and NR-13392, became crop dusters around Bakersfield, California, Pete said.
An online search of records shows registration N-13392 assigned to a Boeing 203B was deregistered on Feb. 14, 1951.
A footnote in aviation history, the converted crop duster Boeing 203s remain elusive.
