A New F4U Project Downunder

[shelldrake]

Hi all

visited Classic Jets in Adelaide over the weekend and tucked away in the corner of the display hangar is the significant remains of an F4U Corsair. Numerous other parts are stored in the workshop hangar next door. Does anyone have any leads on this aircraft? ID etc?


Shelldrake

[Lightning]

Howdy

This came through Murray Griffiths of Wangaratta

Lightning

[oz rb fan]

is this the same aircraft the murray was restoring for him self or are there now three f4u's in oz?

[RMAllnutt]

I doubt that his is the Murray Griffiths (ex-Gerry Yagen/Fighter Factory) corsair. Murray was in the process of building new spars for that airframe, and for several others.

Do you have any photos, or at least, do you recall what kind of condition the aircraft appeared to be in (crash damaged/corroded) or more or less straight. The Griffith's corsair was more or less straight, but had one of its wings sawn off close to the fuselage... that would be a giveaway as well.

Interesting news!

Cheers,
Richard

[shelldrake]

Good question regarding condition and I was amiss not to describe it before.

The Corsair on display at Classic Jets is in a 'as recovered' condition. I would even say its been near salt water although its condition is very good. Consists of outer wings, centre spar, undercarriage, wing folding mechanisms and both sides to cockpit area plus numerous other bits and pieces. Its not the Wangaratta Corsair as its quite rightly be stated to be in better and more complete condition. I maybe in a position to post an image later this week - see how that goes. One of the staff indicated it had recently been imported into Australia by Classic Jets from a remote Pacific location, it may even be a former NZ bird but that would need confirmation.

Shelldrake

[BenG]

What is the status of the P-39 Airacobra under rebuild to static condition?

[RMAllnutt]

This sounds very like the wreck which was advertised for sale on Vanuatu some years ago! Really cool if they managed to get her out.

Cheers,
Richard

Did she look like this???









taken from http://www.flyingcircuits.com.au/galleryVanuatu.html




taken from http://journals.worldnomads.com/stowaway/gallery/1423/27713.aspx

[croweater]

Wow thats great news- they like to keep themselves busy out there thats for sure. Always lining up more projects before completing what their working on.

What is the status of the P-39 Airacobra under rebuild to static condition?

Little bit on the P39 here:
http://www.classicjets.com/p39.html

and here:
http://www.classicjets.com/blog.html

Regards Croweater

[shelldrake]

Hi RMAllnutt,

you are correct, that is the remains I saw at Classic Jets, although in real life the aircraft appears to be in better condition that the pictures make out.

My preliminary research (from AAIR website) indicates it can be either of the following;

2/3/1944 F4U-1 02540 VMF-321 EFATE QUOIN HILL SOPAC 2NDLT C.B. SELVEY or

2/3/1944 F4U-1 03840 VMF-321 EFATE QUOIN HILL SOPAC 2NDLT D.B. POLLOM

which is an interesting coincidence because if my memory serves me correctly this is the same location where another Adelaide warbird collector got (via 3rd party) a P-39D from - Quoin Hill Efate.

Shelldrake

[RMAllnutt]

That's marvelous news. I have seen photographs of this aircraft at low tide, where more of it is visible, and the metal looked to be in remarkable condition, which I found kind of bizarre, considering it was clearly in salt water. Perhaps the local conditions made this different. It is certainly a terrific find, and I am excited to see it has been recovered. The steel parts seem to have survived less well.

Cheers,
Richard

[paulmcmillan]

So is it this one:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/f4u/02270.html

?

[RMAllnutt]

So is it this one:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/f4u/02270.html

?

Yup... that was the one I was thinking of.

Cheers. R.