FAS FG-1D on display El Salvador Intl. Airport 1991

[T J Johansen]

Dave:

...and talking about wings;... if there any way to contact J. Lane & ask him what's the Buno shown on the id plates on your wings?? Tks in advance.

p.s Photos will be welcome also!!

http://www.airpowerunlimited.net/contact

T J

[Cherrybomber13]

I will have to look on our wings. I was not aware of that number being on there. We do have 2 separate wings with totally different gun mounting setups. We are plugging along. The guys have been busy trying to get the tail section patched up. Were still missing so many parts its not funny. But progress is very evident.
IMG_9297

Yea I was going to go with the hole possibly being 45 ACP close range, hence my plinking statement. Its abbout a 1/2 in + hole. I agree that you wouldn't go Gopher hunting around the airstrip with a 50BMG unless you live in Texas. They gots some big gophers down here.

So do you have the engine panels with the FAS nose art still intact?
Ours were intact until 1970 when there stripped the AC for display and made new panels...
Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña Corsair FAS 217 1970 Bridgeport CT




Drew

Hi Drew,

I was aware of the .50 Cal hole in the wing spar but was puzzled by the position. Not the kind of round you would normally fire on a busy military airfield. As I
mentioned earlier it was peppered with 9mm, 45 auto or maybe .223. The wings are stamped on the inboard with the aircraft number on a spacer forging between
the upper and lower attach fittings. They both are stamped 92690 and appear to be done at manufacturing date. So I believe they are correct to the airframe. How
is your project coming along?

Regards
Dave

[David Etchell]

I saw the original panels at John Lane's shop about 3 years ago. They looked like the ones in your photos with original art work. I'll dig up
some photos I took when I get to Calif. in 3-4 weeks. Let me know items you need for the restoration and I'll see what I can do.

I have photos of the wing restoration progress but am not computer literate enough to down load them. I have some shots of the
bu.# on the wing root also.

Dave

[zorro9]

Drew:

Good Day!

..Plz do take a look at those 2 wings & let us know the Mod Id plates of your bird. There is one mode plate per wing poss by the folding area device.

p.s You may find some interesting Bunos after all these years!! -)

[zorro9]

Dave:

Hi!

if you have the wing restoration pics fm J. Lane with you are you able to read the Buno of both wings?? Additionally, Plz ck the F4U link below, it's everything that you always wanted to know about F4Us but were afraid to ask. Plz ask you daughter to open up a FB (Facebook Acc) for you & we'll go fm there. Tks in advance.. Currently some 6205 savy F4U members!!

p.s pic below a nice drawing of your bird fm the former USSR!!




https://www.facebook.com/groups/570146806355342/

[Marco Lavagnino]

I hadn't seen this thread before, thank you for posting the pictures of FAS 207 (false 220) while exhibited at Comalapa airport in El Salvador. I had the chance to see 207 shortly before it was sold, stripped off its Dk Sea Blue paint, in aluminum finish. With the exception of the seat, it seemed pretty complete to me.
Some history about FAS 207: arrived to El Salvador sometime during 1958, remained operational for a few years only, probably until 1960-61, reason for w/o unknown. Was already pasturing when the remaining operational Corsairs were overhauled around 1962. No role during the July 1969 war with Honduras, derelict. It was probably during the 60s that it was used as target at the Ilopango junkyard. Part of the Corsairs put to sale beginning of the 70s, got parts from other Corsairs to make it look complete (including some cowl & fuselage panels from FAS 209, easily recognizable because of their white color) and a propeller from one of the acrobatic era Corsairs (white as well). For some reason, it was not sold with the rest of the Corsairs, and was put to display at the entrance of an amusement park, " Teleferico San Jacinto" for several years, even wearing a sharkmouth for a while. As children, we would play and try to climb to the cockpit. Then it was brought back to Ilopango airport, was painted in a spurious navy blue scheme with "FAES" markings (FAES was used during the 80s instead of "FAS" to differentiate between Nicaraguan "Sandinista Air Force" (FAS in Spanish) and salvadoran Air Force (same thing, FAS), hence the "FAES" = "El Salvador Air Force"), with the false tailnumber "220" on the tail (supposedly in memory of Capt. Reynaldo Cortez, KIA during the 1969 war,whose favorite Corsair was FAS 220), display. During the second half of the 80s, It was moved to Comalapa International Airport where it spent its final FAS days on display, until being sold.
About the 0.50" bullet in the wing, where was it exactly located? These derelict Corsairs at the junkyard had sometimes the wings folded, or the wings were detached and simply piled up separate from the a/c, trying to find an explanation. Strafing damage during July 15, 1969 honduran atrack to Ilopango is a possibility as well, although the attack reports don't provide the detail, FAS 207 was at the junkyard, away from the ramps, who knows.
Hope to see ex-FAS 207 flying again one if these days, good luck!

Marco

[Marco Lavagnino]

Checking about the wings, they were attached to FAS 207 while at the junkyard (Ilopango Airport, 1970). What it was missing were the engine cowl and accessory compartment panels (hence the white replacement ones), propeller, rudder and canopy., as far as I can see. Necessary to clarify, this is BEFORE the "make-up" effort to sell it, around 1972-73.

Marco

[fah619]

...the poss FAS 207 (foreground) at pasture at the FAS boneyard #1. c. '66. Photo DP Hagedorn via 619.

[fah619]

FAS 207, Buno 92690 out of the boneyard at Ilopango, in semi-restoration status. Jul '69. Photo Archie Baldochie via D.P. Hagedorn.

[Marco Lavagnino]

The picture above was taken much later than 1969, when the Corsairs were being sold, around 1972-73. Prepared to sell, not prepared to fly. FAS 207 was pasturing in the junkyard in July 1969, no effort to make it flyable (that would have proven impossible).

Marco

[fah619]

Grasshopper:

..are you sure about these dates???

[Marco Lavagnino]

Of course. FAS 207 was in the junkyard, as I described before, without propeller, cowl panels, accessory compartment panels, canopy, rudder, and the small triangular shaped panel to the right below the windscreen. Can't see tail planes because of the tall grass. A-26 Invaders in the background, so that dates it after the war. Aaaand the guy who took the picture dates it (should have started there...).
The picture of FAS 207 that has been mistakenly dated July 1969, belongs to a set of pictures where FAS 207 is shown, together with other a/c types being sold, including Invaders, SNJs, Mustangs, even a Stuart tank, and that was for what we know, not sooner than 1972 (this initiative was implemented to gather funds in order to buy combat aircraft from Israel, materializing couple years later with the arrival of the first Fouga Magisters that FAS would operate, and then the 20 MD450 Ouragans).
The reason why FAS 207 was not sold? No idea. Or maybe it was sold, after all, to the amusement park, or maybe somebody really wanted to preserve part of our history (as curiously, the number "220" was painted on the tail when displayed at the entrance of the park). Who knows.


Marco

[fah619]

"G" :... interesting!

Any idea of how FAS 220 ended-up with that particular FAS #?? Any other angles of FAS 207 showing FAS 220 at the tail??

[Marco Lavagnino]

What is your intention with the "G" thing? Please stop it, doesn´t contribute to your image of "serious investigation".

Marco

[fah619]

M.A :

...no, nothing serious! Life's short. Hang tight.