Warbird Information Exchange

I see it has a new paint scheme. it's now John Glenn's VMF-155 Corsair? Is this old news or something recent? temporary? Sold yet?
Had to crawl out from under my rock to see what the story is here.


Rhode Island Air Show (John Lott photo) via a facebook post.


John Glenn flying his VMF-155 'N51' Corsair, 1943

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Well, Skyboss has needed new paint for a while, but some unfortunate liberties were taken with that one.

I heard that Mark Murphy, owner of P-51 "Never Miss," now has the plane?

August

Hey!
Get back under your rock!!

Good to hear from you Mark

Andy

They sure didn't re-paint it using that B&W photo as a reference. They're way different....

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Ah, finally, a highly accurate paint scheme on that airplane!

That first photo shows -4 Corsairs so no way it is 1943 despite what the caption says.

As purely a tribute to John Glenn, as it is, I think it is a very nice scheme, and I don't see anything wrong with it at all (though I had hoped that it was going to be repainted blue all over, rather than keeping the white under-surfaces as it has). I know the new owner must be having, rightfully, an absolute blast with the aircraft. From a historical standpoint, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the "buzz" codes/numbers on the sides of the aircraft were done in the Navy's "yellow-orange" paint, rather than white (in some of the black & white photos, even though the numbers/codes are done in fresher paint than the stars & bars, they appear darker than the white of the stars & bars). https://airandspace.si.edu/sites/defaul ... /3913h.jpg

I believe you're right John. Adding to your comments, take a look at the spinner and hub. The hub looks to be the same shade as buzz code numbers (yellow?). Not to mention the spinner, to me it doesn't look like the blue on the aircraft, but maybe it's a red.

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Second photo is of -4s as well.

That type and style of "N51" lettering generally would be typical of a training or other non-operational stateside unit. That's what VMF-913 (note tail marking and nose numerals), was at Cherry Point when Glenn was with them at the end of WWII. That presentation of the unit number on the cowling would not be standard.

As for the other markings on the restoration, of course "Godspeed" became associated with Glenn in 1962, during the Mercury launch, and of course the tail initials are ahistorical. So a nice tribute to Glenn, not exactly subtle or accurate though.

I vote for yellow as the likely original color of the N51 as well.

August

Mark is only flying it for the owners... I am not sure how "public" the new owners want to be about it, but Mark did not buy it.

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Ryan Keough...is this thing on? Haha!

I saw mark fly it this past Quonset point air show. Did some very nice passes with it. Many warbird enthusiasts in the crowd questioned if this was a new restoration etc as they did not know it was skyboss. As far the paint scheme, all I look at it as it's a flying breathing real life corsair in the sky. I'm thankful mark brought it and we were able to see it

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

A temp scheme

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]