Pappy's Corsair

[Jack Cook]

I'll keep my big mouth closed and just say here's a shot of
F4U-1A pictured in the title photo of the original book.

[mustangdriver]

That is cool. I seem to remember another number as well. I know that the famous photo of him in #86 was a plnae that the never took into combat. I seem to remember reading that they didn't have personal aircraft. Is that right. That the crews would drive down the flight line, and the crew chiefs would give a thumbs up or down. and then someone would just jump off and take that aircraft.

[Jack Cook]

OK, I tried. #86 was a fantasy a/c with the name of the women (Lucybelle for Lucy Malcomson) he abandoned his wife and kids for.

[mustangdriver]

I remember yet another number like #810 or something.

[oscardeuce]

He flew 883 896 I think 915 was his "fini flight"

[Jack Cook]

Boyington went down in B/N 17915 but this is the a/c he is usually connected with except of course the bogis #86.
Maybe my next auction should be VMF-214?

[mustangdriver]

That is it, #883. That is the one that I was thinking of. Was the #86 Corsair even with VMF-214?

[oscardeuce]

The PR #86 photo was taken November 26 1943 at Turtle Bay. From my reading 86 was not a 214 bird, but 214 shared aircraft with other squadrons due to the long supply lines. 86 "officially" belonged to VMF 217 if my CRS is not too bad. I'll try to find out.

I've read that Boyington would fly planes that were not mechanically 100% to give his men better aircraft.

As to the type of person, at the Gathering of Corsair in 2002, all Blacksheep persent freely noted Boyinton's shortcomings;however, to a man, the 10 I spoke to would fly with him today into combat. Yes Boyinton drank too much, and it ruined his life. My Mother died at 55 from alcoholism. Should I not love her? I still love and miss my mom. I wish I could lead in the way Boyinton lead at his best. People look down on Boyinton for being a brawler and fighter, but isn't that what we wanted out fighter pilots to do?

He would have never survived a peacetime Corps as his record clearly shows. He rose up when he was needed.

A fallen angel? Yes
In his own words, he was a hero and a bum.

Last edited by oscardeuce on Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mustangdriver]

Thank you. What ever became of the famous PR bird?

[Jack Cook]

86 "officially" belonged to VMF 217 if my CRS is not too bad.

I don't believe VMF-217 was there yet but I've been wrong before. Also they didn't enter combat until well after Boyington ran out of gas and ditched on 1-3-44 (he wasn't really shot down he was heard calling dumbo said he was ditching out of gas and gave his position-oops ).

CRS

[mustangdriver]

Hey Jack, that would be cool to see a VMF 214 auction. Are there any photos of marines Dream during the war? Another VMF-214 bird.

[Jack Cook]

I've got 2 or 3 of that one

[mustangdriver]

I have been trying to research the original aircraft for a while, but turned up no pictures.

[oscardeuce]

[quote="Jack Cook"][q(he wasn't really shot down he was heard calling dumbo said he was ditching out of gas and gave his position"

Jack,

Where do you get that info? According to Bruce Gamble's " Blacksheep One" Boyington did ditch, but he ditched due to damage/injuries from enemy action.

"Wounded,bleeding profusely, with his plane in bad shape, Boyington had the presence of mind to pick the one location that maximized his chances for a Dumbo pickup."


"Whatever happened, he (Boyington) was brought down by enemy gunfireat approximately 8:45 on the morning of January 3, 1944"

Unless you have a better source than Mr. Gamble, I think you got the facts a bit off.

[Jack Cook]

Blacksheep One" Boyington did ditch, but he ditched due to damage/injuries from enemy action.

Has I stated he wasn't shot down in flames and bailed out with massive burns has he recounted
many times and in his book. Nor was he straffed.
He purposely chose to ditch and picked the location off New Ireland over 50 miles where he had said
he and Ashman were shot down in flames. He was heard calling dumbo and clearly giving his
position and stated that he was ditching.
A good quote from Gamble is
of the struggle thatfolowed after he came down he wrote an equally implossible account of being straffed
by Zeros and treading water for over 4 hours with a shot up mae west but still wearing his harness with
heavy survival pack and raft.
how he stripped off all his cloths while wounded, trading water and wearing all his gear is a mystery to me
I will give the devil his due though. He was a good leader in the air and
has inspired a lot of people through the years with his book. Even though it's mostly bull.
Contrary to what he said, I can name many heros who defently weren't bums and I can prove it!