Warbird Information Exchange

I was lucky enough to be at Paine Field in Everett, WA last weekend to watch the "SkyFair" warbird flights, one of which was two birds from the Planes of Fame: their P-38 "23 Skidoo" and F4U-1 Corsair.

Regarding the Corsair, it looks like an everyday workhorse Corsair in the mid-war timeframe; very cool to look at and contemplate! Is there any significance to the side numbers chosen for that plane?

http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Chino09 ... rsair.html

Thanks...

-Tom

Apparently, 799 is the "last three" of its actual BuAerNo:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/f4u/17799.html

It is thought that it might possibly be a Pacific Theatre combat-vet, but I believe to this day records haven't been found to prove whether this is true or not. What is known is that it was delivered to the Navy in early September 1943, and the records are void until it shows up in San Diego around a year later for repair and overhaul. Some F4U-1A's with BuNo's within a span of several above and below it are known to have served with the Navy and Marines in the Pacific. After it shows up in San Diego, it went onto serving in a training-role with various squadrons until it was bought by MGM Studios about a year after the war. This research comes from Mark Foster and I believe Rob Mears. In its closer technical term, it is a F4U-1A, and originally had the classic -1A three-piece braced canopy (which Planes of Fame still has stashed away I believe).

The fuselage numbers chosen for the mid-war tri-color paint scheme on the Texas Flying Legends Corsair also comes from the last three digits of its actual Bu.No. (which also isn't a historical scheme, but is done in a completely authentic/historical way).