Need help with Corsair ID.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:44 pm

JCW and his brother went there a few years back to look them over but passed due to the bad condition and high asking price. Oh well Staggerwings are nice too :shock:

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:38 pm

Rob Mears wrote:

The other plane is the same one Jowitt was marketing all throughout the 1990's as "BuNo.50000". I had actually worked with him for some time around 1991-92 to try and identify the center section by cross referencing 'VS' (Vought Sikorsky) and 'WO' (Willis Overland) numbers found on the center section. In the end we weren't able to cross reference them with a Bureau Number, so it was a deadend.

He did have bits and parts from at least three different ex-RNZAF Corsairs that he had found scattered all over New Zealand and beyond, and those pieces included at least one marked component from the real BuNo.50000. I suppose that was the most identifiable piece he could find, so he used that to signify the plane's ID. My best guess is that it's in fact an F4U-1A center section.

WOW... if it is indeed a F4U-1A, that means it could actually be a combat veteran, as none of the FG's arrived until after the war.

I thought that Mark Noah ended up with the one with the F4U-1 rear fuse... so they are at the same place then? Interesting! Would love to hear more if you can talk about it.

Cheers,
Richard

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:38 pm

Rob Mears wrote:

The other plane is the same one Jowitt was marketing all throughout the 1990's as "BuNo.50000". I had actually worked with him for some time around 1991-92 to try and identify the center section by cross referencing 'VS' (Vought Sikorsky) and 'WO' (Willis Overland) numbers found on the center section. In the end we weren't able to cross reference them with a Bureau Number, so it was a deadend.

He did have bits and parts from at least three different ex-RNZAF Corsairs that he had found scattered all over New Zealand and beyond, and those pieces included at least one marked component from the real BuNo.50000. I suppose that was the most identifiable piece he could find, so he used that to signify the plane's ID. My best guess is that it's in fact an F4U-1A center section.

WOW... if it is indeed a F4U-1A, that means it could actually be a combat veteran, as none of the FG's arrived until after the war.

I thought that Mark Noah ended up with the one with the F4U-1 rear fuse... so they are at the same place then? Interesting! Would love to hear more if you can talk about it.

Cheers,
Richard

hairy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:41 am

BuNo.88090 was NZ5612 and is actually a FG-1D.

Here is its potted history from..........

http://www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/

NZ5612 c/n2904 FG-1D

" Bu88090. Shipped from USA on 29 April 1945 aboard "USS Benjamin William". Assembled at Corsair Assembly Unit, Los Negros and BOC Los Negros on 15 June 1945. To No.17 Squadron, Los Negros on 25 July 1945. With No.14 Squadron July-August 1945. Ferried to New Zealand September-October 1945. Ferried to Aircraft Storage Unit, Rukuhia in October 1945. Advertised for sale by WARB tender number 9207 dated 09 May 1949 and sold from Rukuhia to J. Asplin on 26 May 1949. Rescued from Rukuhia aircraft graveyard and transported to Auckland in 1972. Believed to be now held by Ross Jowitt in Auckland along with parts from NZ5503 and NZ5527. "

Cheers

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:17 pm

hairy wrote:

BuNo.88090 was NZ5612 and is actually a FG-1D.

Here is its potted history from..........

http://www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/

NZ5612 c/n2904 FG-1D

" Bu88090. Shipped from USA on 29 April 1945 aboard "USS Benjamin William". Assembled at Corsair Assembly Unit, Los Negros and BOC Los Negros on 15 June 1945. To No.17 Squadron, Los Negros on 25 July 1945. With No.14 Squadron July-August 1945. Ferried to New Zealand September-October 1945. Ferried to Aircraft Storage Unit, Rukuhia in October 1945. Advertised for sale by WARB tender number 9207 dated 09 May 1949 and sold from Rukuhia to J. Asplin on 26 May 1949. Rescued from Rukuhia aircraft graveyard and transported to Auckland in 1972. Believed to be now held by Ross Jowitt in Auckland along with parts from NZ5503 and NZ5527. "

Cheers

That's the complete airframe, as shown in the photos first posted. The one which Rob was referring to the center section as possibly coming from an F4U-1A is the bitsa plane with the F4U-1 birdcage rear fuselage... at least, that's how I interpreted it.... otherwise that would mean that three different projects came out of Ross's collection, which would be news to me (very good news though).

Cheers,
Richard

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:17 pm

... sorry... double post!

avenger2504 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:41 pm

Shame she has left our shores but then we have an airworthy ex RNZAF Corsair based here. At least she will go back to the skies she was built under

.
Doubt it will happen but it would be nice to see her in RNZAF markings but then he who pays the bills chooses the paint!!

avenger2504 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2009 2:09 am

For those who don't know this our Corsairs didn't get any air to air action when they replaced the P40s as by then the Japanese air power had been severely reduced so there role was air to ground. Post war we had 14 squadron based in Japan as part of the British Commonwealth occupation force and they were FG-1D models. Sadly (you might want to look away now!) once the occupation ended and 14 squadron was recalled to New Zealand the aircraft were parked together, office furniture and goodness knows what else was heaped on them and they were burnt.
Interestingly a three ship aerobatic team performed while they were there and may indeed be the first RNZAF aerobatic team! I think our neighbours the RAAF were the inspiration saying hullo with their Mustangs at low level!!

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