F4U-1D, FG-1D Blueprints

Tue May 17, 2005 3:30 am

I was wondering if anybody out there could give me a source for purchasing a microfilmed copy of blueprints for the Corsair. I've tried the Smithsonian, but they don't have them. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Jim

Tue May 17, 2005 4:19 pm

NASM has them... I helped a friend of mine get his there a couple of years ago. I can't understand why they gave you the impression they didn't have them. Perhaps they no longer have someone who can duplicate them. There were 58 rolls, costing roughly $20US a piece.

Cheers,
Richard

PM me if you need more help. Cheers. R.

Tue May 17, 2005 5:13 pm

National Archives and Records Administration *** 8601 Adelphi Road *** College Park, Maryland 20704-6001 USA. Phone: 301-713-6625. Expect to pay from $30.00 to $35.00 per roll. If you have problems contact me! Good Luck!

Tue May 17, 2005 9:01 pm

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Tue May 17, 2005 10:17 pm

Jim,

you might want to touch base with Bob Odegaard if you are planning on using them for restoration. Several years ago at one of our Air Racing Symposiums, Bob mentioned that he made replacement formers for his -5 from prints and that they did not fit correctly. He said something like that they were the most expensive pieces of junk that he ever built.

Kenn

Tue May 17, 2005 10:49 pm

Hi Jim,

It's possible you might luck out and find a cheaper source, but I can confirm John Lane's information to be correct. I just sent my check to NARA last month for microfilm copies for engineering drawings of a different Vought design. Current cost is $34 per roll (includes shipping).

NASM no longer maintains any aircraft engineering drawings in house--everything now maintained by NARA.

Happy hunting!

Wed May 18, 2005 1:03 am

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I'm stationed in Japan, so I'm kind of out of the warbird loop. I live vicariously through the WIX postings.

Thanks again,

Jim

Wed May 18, 2005 9:54 am

Hi Rob,

I'm in Northern Honshu, pretty near the tip of the island. I just passed through Tokyo on my way back from Kuwait, I've lived in Japan for 12 years (all at Misawa) & have never made it down to Tokyo other than passing through. If you send me any info you have on the prototype I'll ask a friend to do some research for me. I've looked for anything remaining from the war around here, but haven't found anything. Not even as much as an old jeep carcass. Up in this neck of the woods they seemed to have gotten rid of anything from the war. I do have some WWII Navy maps & intel bulletins that have all the fields in the area & will see what I can locate one of these days. Also, created a database on all the ships and A/C shot up by the Navy in this area, got this info from microfilm combat reports. This is another one of those "one of these days" projects to see if any of the pieces remain. I retire in two more years so maybe it won't be to far off when I finally get off my butt & go looking. The three large A/Fs that were in the area are still operating, one is now a Japanese Ground Defence Force base, one is now the main airport for the prefecture & the other is the base I'm at. All the other fields in the immediate vicinity were small grass or dirt strips that I'm sure have been turned in to rice fields. All that remains here at my base from the war is two hangars (complete with bullet holes) & a prop hanging behind a Japanese Air Self Defense Force bldg near where I work.

In regards to my original question. I got a surprise email from the NASM saying that the realized the had given me the wrong info on the Corsair blueprints & that the had three different sets available. They're going to send me the info next week. Strange coincedence. One of you guys out there have some pull that you're not letting anybody know about?

Sorry I've been so long winded.

Later,

Jim