Aero Commander 520 - Mobil Oil Pegasus


Serial 520-46, N2649.
The aircraft left the factory unpainted, so I do not know if the white top to
the fuselage was added later, or not. Note that the leading edges of the wings &
tailplane are also white.

Manufacturer's Production Flight Check was on December 17th 1952, and it was
Certificated same day.
Engines were Lycoming GO-435-C2B, originally with Hartzell HC-82X20-2 propeller
hubs with 9333C-2 blades, being a two-blade item.

December 17th saw it sold and delivered to the distributor, the Aero Sales
Division of Houston Transportation Co., of Houston, Texas. Aero Design &
Engineering Co. sold 99% of their aircraft through distributors. Only people
like Arnie Palmer & Jack Nicklaus dealt directly with the factory.

December 18th saw it sold to Magnolia Pipe Line Co., in Dallas, Texas. When the
CofA was renewed on December 17th 1953, it had accrued 721:15 hours.

On November 6th 1954, the propellers were changed to 3-blade units, being
Hartzell HC-83X20-2A. Although the blade type wasn't mentioned, they would be
8433.

When the CofA was renewed on December 17th 1954, it had accrued 1,389:55 hours,
and when renewed the following year, on September 15th 1955, 1,884:15 hours.
Such renewals were no longer required to be submitted from 1956.

Shortly after the photo was taken (August 1961), the Commander was re-registered
as N264R on December 18th 1961, and the marks N2649 were applied to their new
Commander, a Model 680F, serial 1158-82. It was traded into distributor Brown
Aero Corp., on February 26th 1962.

However, this Commander is still on the US register as N264RW, with Dennis and
Antoinette DeNeve., of DeKalb, Texas.

Contributed by Barry Collman of the TCFG.