LTV Restorations

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings -

Al, you are so right about St. Louis - it sucks we don't have anywhere to call our own for a museum to reflect on some significant locally based aviation history.

As for the Vought gang, I have been going down for the past 6 or so years to do volunteer work in the summer. They are a GREAT bunch of people to be around and I doubt that there's anyone under 65 in the group today - that does not bode well for the future. Having said that, Dick Atkins and others down there recognize that and have and are making arrangements to see to it that the archives and artifacts are taken care of when or if that time comes. They have a great reputation within the company and amongst the employees and retirees - they see a lot of stuff dropped off from retirees and others that would likely just go into the trash can elsewhere. I remember my first visit down there inventorying some boxes that were dropped off which contained aircraft anf flight manuals dating back to WWII that were in excellent shape. Nothing quite like looking thru manuals in mint shape for British Corsairs, the F6U Pirate and the F7U-1 and -3 Cutlasses. Priceless....

They have two F7U-3 Cutlasses down there - the first one came from Fred Weisbrod Aviation Museum in Pueblo, CO and I'm not sure where the second airframe came from. The first airframe (BuNo 128451 - the first production F7U-3) had no landing gear and is missing some other bits and peices whereas the second airframe is considerably more whole. As noted by Airedales, the Regulus II (technically a MQM-15A serial # GM-3048) and F6U (BuNo. 122479) are from NEAM. It's great to hear that the NEAM Regulus I is being restored, too bad the Regulus I at the museum in Charlotte, NC isn't getting some attention as it is in fading shape. The Regulus I interests me a lot as my Father flew these as a drone controller with VU-1 back in the early '60s out of NAS Barber's Point, Oahu, Hawaii. These were used as target drones for fleet exercises with DF-8As which he flew along with the F-8B & C) being used as the drone control aircraft.



And here's a few pics of the Vought resotrations over the past few years and before some went to the new Frontiers of Flight Museum...

Enjoy the Day! Mark

F6U-1 Pirate -


F7U-3 Cutlass - 1st production airframe -


A-7B Corsair II -


YF-8C Crusader (rebuilt F-8A) -


RF-8G Crusader -


MQM-15A Regulus II -


F4U Corsair -


VE-7 Replica (1st production aircraft for Vought)


And I'll finish with an interesting find. The photo was found in a photo album my Father-in-Law had which came from his parents. He does not why it was in the album as no one in the family served in the Navy at that time. I did a bit of research and found this to be VE-7G A5693 and is likely in San Diego Harbor in early 1923 where the USS Oklahoma was participating in Pacfic Fleet exercises. This aircraft was lost later on October 26, 1923 while being launched off of the USS California.

[Ztex]

Mark,

Thanks for teh update on the Vought stuff. The VE-7 looks great.

When was the Corsair there? Was that the CAF bird or is that a more recent restoration?

[Mark Nankivil]

Hi Zane -

That photo is from late 2005 and is of the one they're restoring for their collection.

I'm hoping/planning on getting down there early summer and spend a week.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

[Jerry O'Neill]

That Corsair is a composite F4U-4. It had a spar built in Florida by the previous owner. Apparently it wasn't done correctly and the center section is not, and never will be, "airworthy". Wings were from another aircraft and the Vought Group acquired the Corsair for static display.
Jerry

[AirJimL2]

They have two F7U-3 Cutlasses down there - the first one came from Fred Weisbrod Aviation Museum in Pueblo, CO and I'm not sure where the second airframe came from. The first airframe (BuNo 128451 - the first production F7U-3) had no landing gear and is missing some other bits and peices whereas the second airframe is considerably more whole.

Two F7Us? Wow! Mark or anyone else know the ID of the second F7U? Pics?

Thanks,

Jim

[mustangdriver]

So what is the name of this Vought Museum? It looks awsome.

[bdk]

It isn't a museum open to the public, it is a workshop.

http://www.vought.com/heritage/

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

The second Cutlass is BuNo 129565/ Vought #49 and came from the USS Midway museum out in San Diego. My understanding it's going back to them at some point.

HTH! Mark

[mustangdriver]

It looks like the level of restoration is very high there! Great work by those guys for sure.

[HELLDIVERS]

Hi,

I recall a static restoration of a very early Phantom 1, Banshee, maybe one or two more early Mac jets that were used for a few publicity photos in the late 80s. They sat at Lambert for awhile and ended up at I think Creve Coeur airport left outside to turn back into scrap. Do they still exist?

Thanks Mike

[astixjr]

They never made it to Creve Coeur, they went from MD's Lambert Field plant to Spirit of St. Louis airport where the St. Louis Aviation Museum was going to build a large museum facility. The planes were allowed to go for a swim in the 1993 flood. The Navy took them back and as far as I know, they have been re-restored again and are on display at Pensacola.

[bdk]

Here are some recent photos:

Corsair




They want to sell the VE-7 replica to finance the purchase of more Corsair parts.



F6U-1




V-173



Anyone know where the Cutlass went? Didn't see it there.

[Mark Nankivil]

Thanks BDK for the photos - really gives me the itch to get back there this summer. A great bunch of people there and just being around them is special.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

[the330thbg]

Any updates on this! I just found out one of our ex-330thers, Norris Rogers, is hard at work on the V-173.

Thanks!

Would love to see some photos of progress!

[mustangdriver]

O are tehre plans to make a Vought Collection open to the public?