A US Air Force retiree from Nashville, Michigan has dreamt of converting an airplane into an RV since he was eight years old. And now, Gino Lucci has successfully converted the derelict fuselage of a 1943 ‘Douglas R4D’ aircraft into a fully functioning motorhome he’s named ‘The Fabulous Flamingo’.
image: Barcroft Cars
It was originally flown by the Navy in South America, and had been on the ground for over 30 years when Gino’s son found it in poor conditions.Gino and his sons took three months just to fuse the plane with the chassis of an old delivery truck he owned.
image: Barcroft Cars
The plane was in rough shape, being grounded for about 30 years, but soon they had it on their property, back in Michigan, and began work.They used the plane’s engine cowlings as fenders and got the mirrors off of a ’70s Ford pickup. Floor it past the break and check it out.
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The cockpit now has a repopulated overhead panel and even a working intercom that goes into the main cabin. Back in the main cabin, the Douglas now has beds, kitchen facilities, and everything else you need to go on vacation in fine style.
Gino told Ridiculous Rides: “The process we used to merge the two was very hillbilly scientific – it was exciting the challenge of it, every day it was just fun.” It took a whole year to get the vehicle road-worthy and another two years to fine tune the detail – costing Gino $20,000 in total.
