Cavanaugh Museum Photos

[bdk]

http://community.webshots.com/album/339154335AEdnBN?728

Took these Wednesday afternoon. Corsair looks great. Engine due soon, they hope to have it flying by Memorial Day.

CASA/Heinkel moved to another hangar so it is much more viewable than it was in the maintenance/restoration hangar.

Photos ae unlabeled, but youse guys can figure out what this stuff is on your own.

[Dan K]

Any idea on how the P-47N is progressing?

TIA

[bdk]

Any idea on how the P-47N is progressing?

Didn't think to ask...

[spookyboss]

The HE-111 still looks good, on the day Jim came up to Topeka to take it home flew up in the P-51D it was awesome when they made a couple passes in the 111 with the mustang peeling around to shoot it down. Great stuff !!!

[TimAPNY]

I really like that they are making the corsair really look like a -1C with the long barrel 20mm canons. It’s a really nice touch.

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi All,

I know that this may seem like a REALLY stupid question, but it the Corsair that is getting the work done on it, possibly the one that was damamged in the accident at Oshkosh several years ago. And, if it is not the same bird, could some one tell me if that particular Corsair was written off after the accident ?

[corsairboss]

The remains of the Cav. Corsair is being put with one other -4, that use to belong to Howard Pardue to make one complete flying -4 by a private owner. Look forwrd to seeing it fly one day again.

[corsair166b]

Looking at the NEW photo of the new Cavanaugh Corsair (the former Paul Morgan machine), I notice what has been mentioned before, the cannon barrels ARE longer than they used to be, the fuselage number has changed from '17' to '19', and the stars and bars now have no blue borders around them and the fuselage one has been moved further aft...looks to me like they are going for the WWII F4U-1C cannon armed motif, which will be interesting to see when it is completed and back up and flying! Wish it were going to make the Corsair show in Connecticut this June....

Mark

Last edited by corsair166b on Wed May 11, 2005 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Rob Mears]

I'd be curious to know if the new paint scheme depicts that of an actual F4U-1C, or if they are continuing on with a variation of the "Jolly Rogers" theme. With the new gun arrangement I figured they would go whole hog to take advantage of the new image. The only F4U-1C I recall seeing wearing the tri-tone paint scheme was the early prototype #277.

This particular plane has always been unique because of the cannon wings IMO. Charles Osborne originally didn't know he had cannon wings when he first bought the plane out of Louisiana, and was not to keen on the fact when he found out. I always thought the mix-matched components were an asset to the project, and were just begging to be restored into -1C configuration. Glad to see Cavenaugh finally did it. There'll be nothing else like it in the sky.

...now for some non-specular paint and a big white '277' on the nose.

[RickH]

From what I understand, the new paint scheme is supposed to represent the airplane that Archie Donahue flew.

I agree with you Rob. The cannons always made it one very unique airplane. This was always my favorite Corsair in the old paint.

[Jack Cook]

Rob,
The simple answer on the paint scheme is no.
Archie Donahue flew the F4F-4 and the F4U-1 (birdcage) in combat from Guadalcanal with VMF-112.
The restored Corsair in question is a tri-colored FG-1D (F4U-1D) which VMF-112 ( meaning Donahue) never flew in combat.
When he returned to combat with VMF-451 has XO they flew Solid glossy blue F4U-1Ds and a few 1Cs. Whether or not Col Donahue flew any of the 1Cs or scored kills in them is unknown to me.
So, I guess if you took the markings of all the Corsairs he flew and put them in a blender what you get maybe something like this scheme minus the glossy paint of course.

[Rob Mears]

That's a cool way to approach a scheme I guess I'm just glad Archie is finally getting his share of the good fortune shared by all of the guys who have had active warbirds painted in their honor. My uncle flew alongside him with VMF-221 aboard the Bunker Hill. VF-84, VMF-451 and VMF-221 all shared the same Corsairs. It goes without saying that seeing a -1C Corsair in those markings would be the cream of the scene for me. Not sure why no Corsair owners have chosen that paint scheme to use on their planes. Always thought it was pretty bold.

[FG1D Pilot]

I thought I posted a reply, but it doesn't show. So, The Cavanaugh Corsair is a FG1D with F4U-5 wings. I never liked the way it looked that way, so as we rebuilt, we added the 20mm guns and extended them out in the way of a FG-1C. That makes it different than any other F4U. We had already started to repaint it in the tri color of the "Jolly Rogers" when it was decided to honor Archie Donahue and his time with VMF-112. I have known Archie for a long time and have had many discussions with he and Mary on the idea. He sent pictures and I looked through as many books and internet sites as I could in a limited time. Archie sent a picture of him in front of a F4U in either two color or tricolor. It's hard to tell from the shot. But it does show the # 19 on the gear legs. I picked a scheme during the transition of markings in the summer of '43 when Archie had his first "Ace in a Day" combat . I have several pictures of F4Us in the pacific in tricolor markings with the earlier markings of the large star farther back on the fuselage. Just to be different we decided to add the bars without the surround. This was prevolent in the islands as units just added bars to the insignia as a quick fix rather than repainting the whole insignia. I have pictures of that too. It's hard to say if VMF-112 had 1C's or tricolor, but the idea is to honor Archie and make the FG a little different. It doesn't have a birdcage and truth be known it never actually flew in the pacific war. And to the horror of some, it has a GPS and HSI in it also. I'll wear a helmet when I fly it too. But it's all in the fun of the Corsair restoration, and besides it's not going in the NASM anyway. Hope to bring it to an airshow near you in the future. Blue Skies, Doug

[Rob Mears]

VERY much looking forward to it Doug.

[Tim Landers]

Any news (or pics) on the Memorial Day events at Cavanaugh Flight Museum and the Corsair?

Tim Landers