corsair question

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 9:08 am

I was wondering if Chance-Vought, Goodyear or Brewster ever made a historical mark plane while production was going on. I know Boeing made the 5 grand B-17 and everybody signed it, but was that ever done with the Corsair? Making over 12k of them i wonder if they did, and if they did, what number did they celebrate? If there's a pic i'd love to see it, thanks

Mike Halbrook · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:42 am **Posts:** 106

If I remember correctly, Brewster made only a few hundred Corsairs with considerable difficulty. In the early 1980's I talked to a fellow that lived near their plant, the rumors were that they were infiltrated by foreign elements. Also read an article by a Navy enlisted pilot that mentioned the Buffalo was the only aircraft he flew that had problems with factory sabotage.

corsair166b · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:40 am

In all of my perusing of Vought literature and related documents and photographs over the years, I have NEVER seen any 'monumental' Corsair from any of the three producers of the plane (and Brewster built just over 700 of them) that commemorated #5000, 4000, or 250 or anything for that matter....but then we should ask the master of the Corsair, the king of the world, the man on Guitar, Mr. Robert Mears, everybody....ever seen any kind of a 'monumental' Corsair , Robert?

Mark

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 12:55 pm

interesting

John Dupre · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 4:28 pm

Mike Halbrook wrote:

If I remember correctly, Brewster made only a few hundred Corsairs with considerable difficulty. In the early 1980's I talked to a fellow that lived near their plant, the rumors were that they were infiltrated by foreign elements. Also read an article by a Navy enlisted pilot that mentioned the Buffalo was the only aircraft he flew that had problems with factory sabotage.

I suppose it was possible though I would think by now we would know for sure if there was actual foriegn sponsored sabotage at any plant in WW2. We know that it was true of a couple of ammunition plants in WW1. I have always heard that Brewster's problems were really one of adminstration and worker training. In the early days the F2A was built at a multi story plant in Queens where components had to move up and down freight elevators. The aircraft was assembled then disassembled and transported by road to an airfield where it was reassembled and test flown. With that scenario you are just begging for foul ups.

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 9:29 pm

John Dupre wrote:

Mike Halbrook wrote:

If I remember correctly, Brewster made only a few hundred Corsairs with considerable difficulty. In the early 1980's I talked to a fellow that lived near their plant, the rumors were that they were infiltrated by foreign elements. Also read an article by a Navy enlisted pilot that mentioned the Buffalo was the only aircraft he flew that had problems with factory sabotage.

I suppose it was possible though I would think by now we would know for sure if there was actual foriegn sponsored sabotage at any plant in WW2. We know that it was true of a couple of ammunition plants in WW1. I have always heard that Brewster's problems were really one of adminstration and worker training. In the early days the F2A was built at a multi story plant in Queens where components had to move up and down freight elevators. The aircraft was assembled then disassembled and transported by road to an airfield where it was reassembled and test flown. With that scenario you are just begging for foul ups.

is that why Chance-Vought basically fired Brewster from making the corsair any longer? I know the stated reason was that they were not making the quota of corsairs per month and hense were dropped even before the end of ww2. Never heard of sabotage at any of the corsair plants. Not even a whisper of that.

Jimmaas · **Joined:** Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:54 pm **Posts:** 5

As far as I know, the 'sabotage' was poor workmanship and carelessness, probably part of the union-management problems that affected Brewster. For example, tools were sometimes left inside wings and fuselages when they were closed up, which could foul control lines and seriously annoy pilots at altititude. At one point, the president of Brewster asked the chief designer to fabricate a gantry at the end of the SB2A production line that could pick up the completed aircraft, invert it, and shake it out. The designer, MacCart, asked "like you'd shake your pants out at the end of the day for loose change". "Exactly". The gantry was never built. Instead, the union (UAW local 365) suggested that they could find some 'young women' in the Philadelphia area who could get into the tight areas of the aircraft to check for errant tools. Management bought the idea until, during a visit by a Navy inspector, it was discovered that the union had pulled in a bunch of local hookers who were providing services inside the fuselages for union favorites.

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:47 pm

never heard about that. I know some companies used "little people" to crawl into tight spaces of aircraft and rivet.

Jimmaas · **Joined:** Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:54 pm **Posts:** 5

The use of little people applied to a number of aircraft companies. The Brewster variant, though, was probably unique. Both items (the gantry and the hookers) surfaced during the House of Representatives subcommittee hearing on Brewster in 1943, which itself was in response to the infamous labor troubles at Brewster.

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:18 pm

incredible

Mike Halbrook · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:42 am **Posts:** 106

I can understand how people might believe you couldn't screw up that much with out foreign help.

PhantomAce08 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:33 am

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

never heard about that. I know some companies used "little people" to crawl into tight spaces of aircraft and rivet.

Goodyear "Little Person"

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