Ok.. that sent me surfing around looking for any proof..
Looking at the pics, I have a hard time believing this.. UNLESS it was based on the DC-3 originally having a 2 bladed prop and it could be feathered in position that would be parallel to the wing.
ALSO.. just because the wheel is exposed and would be between the aircraft and the ground, does not mean that there was enough load bearing capacity on the gear in the retracted position to prevent the wheel from getting shoved up through the nacelle.
But, an interesting conjecture, certainly.
Got the documentation for that?