Bootstrap Aircraft???

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

Anyone have contact info for Bootstrap Aircraft or the current owner of the a/c?

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/corsairr ... 97330.html

Regards,
Mike

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:10 pm

I've seen pictures of the wreck. Not ever the data plate made it :shock:

Ryan Keough · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:09 pm

Craig McBurney is a member of WIX, but it looks like his domain name expired... perhaps try a PM, or the email -- in case it still works.

craig@connecticutcorsair.com

User Info for "Craig"
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=1135

262crew · **Joined:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 7:24 pm **Posts:** 877

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... rtxt=5222V

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... rtxt=912CM

t28pilot · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 5:22 pm **Posts:** 129

Jack Cook wrote:

I've seen pictures of the wreck. Not ever the data plate made it :shock:

what do you mean Jack?

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:48 pm

The 2800 blew up, pilot bailed out and the a/c crashed and exploded.
All that was relly left was the paperwork.
THE WW2 VINTAGE FIGHTER ACFT WAS IN A FLT OF 4 ACFT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, LOST OIL PRESSURE AND FAILED. THE PILOT PARACHUTED FROM THE ACFT, WHICH CAUGHT FIRE BEFORE HE COULD REACH THE NEAREST ARPT FOR AN EMERGENCY LDG. THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AND STARTED A FOREST FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. ++along with the rest of the airplane++

51fixer · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:07 pm

The late Art Vance was the pilot and attempted at first to find some where to put down. Engine blew up and caught fire. Vance baled out around 400' IIRC. Parachute barely opened in time. Vance suffered significant burns as a result.
Rich

t28pilot · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 5:22 pm **Posts:** 129

When? Where?

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:12 pm

8-2-91 southern Oregon.

mlenoch · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:25 pm

As Art would tell me (as best as I remember) .....a few items of the story.......Yes, he bailed out very, very low.
He bailed out of the Corsair at low altitude, departing the aircraft within the trailing smoke and thus hidden from his son, Dan, who was trailing in a Mustang. He also jumped away from view of the Mustang, on the other side from his son, the wingman. His son thought Art went in with the aircraft and perished in the crash.
Art also said, as he was walking back to civilization from the crash site along a dirt road, he was waved off the road to get out of the way of the rescue vehicles madly rushing to get to the 'lost' pilot. When they doubled back, the rescuers realized they almost ran over the 'lost' pilot. He was carrying the rolled up parachute in his arms to protect his bloodied hands. He did not wear gloves on this flight.
He occassionally showed me his burned scarred hands. He said he'd be happy to visit any warbird forums, to promote safety and the wear of nomex flight suits, gloves and not rolling up your flight suit sleeves.
As best as I recall. Some others may have some better info.
VL

t28pilot · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 5:22 pm **Posts:** 129

Jack are we talking Craig and the Corsair? The 5222V has a certificate issued date of jan 1995.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:21 pm

F4U-4 B/N 97330 N5222V owned by Jack Erickson at the time who sold the paperwork and fragments (?) afterwards.
I've heard reasons for the engine failure but will keep my big yap closed :!:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/corsairregistry/f4u-97330.html

Stoney · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:21 pm

Vlado
Art told me his hands were burned so bad he couldn't get out of the chute, he was hanging in a tree with his feet a couple of feet off the ground. I saw him when he got out of the K Fals hospital to go home with his wife. John Herhily pick him up in a C-310 and Dan flew in with the Mustang to help load him in it. I have never seen someone with the skin falling off their face like a real REAL bad sun burn.
He told a great story at NWOC about wearing the proper flight gear.

A2C · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:24 pm

What caused the engine failure?

old iron · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:57 pm

OK, perhaps I am being naive, but can someone please explain to me how an airplane so utterly destroyed is now, at least according to the Warbird Registry, being restored again to airworthy?

If all of the original parts are at best being used for patterns, with the "restored" aircraft being essentially new construction mixed with some original parts of uncertain history, then how can the original aircraft still be considered to exist, and be flying no less!

There is the old joke about George Washington's original hatchet. The handle has been replaced six times and the head has been replaced four times but it is still George Washington's original hatchet.

Kevin

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