Interesting F4U Corsairs!

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:44 pm

Looks like a VBF-85 Corsair to me, with the lightning bolt on the tail.

The red Corsair is definitely the Beck's BuNo.97388 at Fargo Air Museum, with some Photoshop trickery!

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:47 pm

I'm told that this photo was taken at NAS Brunswick in late 1943. These are RNFAA FG-1D's flown by 738th Squadron.

zorro9 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm **Posts:** 671

F4U Folks:

Good day!

...and when there was time for a nap.... why not under the wing of your F4U! S.Pacific .c. WWII. Via Navy Archives.

p.s Ck the pillow!!

zorro9 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm **Posts:** 671

F4U Folks:

Good day!

..the Baa Baa Blacksheep F4Us! Calif coast. c. 1970s. Via AEC.

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 987

zorro9 wrote:

F4U Folks:

Good day!

..even w/o all the paint, they still look impressive in plain aluminum! F4U-7 Reg NX33433. C. 1980s. Place Ukn. Via AEC.

This is the late-Bob Guilford's F4U-7 BuNo 133693 just after it emerged from restoration in 1979. I interviewed Steve Rosenberg at length about this aircraft. In 1976 he had flown 3 sorties on Baa Baa Blacksheep. On August 19, 1976 he was on a short flight out of Van Nuys when the Corsair (named Blue Max) suffered a catastrophic engine failure. Fortunately Steve was able to deadstick it into Van Nuys and the engine change turned into a full fledged restoration.

This Corsair had the longest racing career of any Corsair and prior to that it had seen combat with the French Aeronavale. I've written a through history of this aircraft, but five magazines have turned it down. I guess no matter how good a story is nobody wants to use it because of the tragic ending.

BTW- at this time the Guilford's jokingly referred to the Corsair as 'Bare Metal Max'.

Chappie

Lastly, why do I see some pics as a "?"

zorro9 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm **Posts:** 671

Chappie:

Good day!

Thank you for the excellent info & data provided on this aircraft!

I like the "Bare Metal Max" story also. Did you try FlyPast magazine or any other in the UK? The French have also some excellent aviation magazines and so the Australian folks. The Sq/Signal Publications has a "Mini- Series" type aircraft that I found interesting couple of year ago, i.e P-26, P-35, H-13 to mention a few. All loaded with fine photographs & excellent data/info on each aircraft & model.

If the Sq Signal Folks accepts your work your F4U-7 133693 will sell like hotcakes. I'll be the 1st on line to buy it. Plz give 'em a try. I heard of similar stories on the Bell P-63 aircraft. Tks again & good luck!

p.s I use ?? when I'm not certain of a specific model or type of aircraft.

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 987

zorro9,

What I meant about where there are threads that have a lot of pictures I will sometimes see a white '?' inside a blue box.

Thanks for the comments on what I have gathered on Blue Max. I like the idea of sending the story to a French magazine. Alot of what I have comes from Steve Guilford and Steven Rosenberg about 133693's warbird history. I would really like to find more information on its French service. In a perfect world I'd really like to do is find some French Corsair veterans to speak to.

For a brief history of this Corsair and the other seven Corsairs that appeared in Baa Baa Blacksheep, pick up Issue #49 of Warbird Digest. I spent almost a year gathering the histories of those eight aircraft and interviewing Steve Hinton, Steve Rosenberg, Tom Friedkin, & the late-Bill Yoak.

Chappie

zorro9 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm **Posts:** 671

F4U Folks/Chappie:

Good Day!

Tks again for the info. I'm on my way to look for WB Digest issue #49! -)

Do you have pics/info on the Salvadorean FG-1D (FAS) as it came in to USA and later flew with the "Blacksheep' folks??

p.s You may also try to advertise for a test run in the UK "FlyPast Forum". The French have a couple of airworthy F4Us & restoration samples. I'm sure couple of French F4U drivers are still around. I think you have a very interesting sample & history to tell to the aviation/F4U world!! Good luck. Photo via AEC.

zorro9 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm **Posts:** 671

F4U Folks:

Good day!

.. F4U-1A/ FG-1A out there in a farm somewhere in the U.S, out to pasture near a DC-3. Place Ukn. c. 1950s? Buno Ukn for now! Photo via AEC

zorro9 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm **Posts:** 671

F4U Folks:

Good day!

A poss F4U-1A carrying/testing a jet pod at the centerline rack position. Poss Stratford c. 1944. Photo Navy Archives/ Duggy via FlyPast Forum.

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

zorro9 wrote:

F4U Folks:

Good day!

A poss F4U-1A carrying/testing a jet pod at the centerline rack position. Poss Stratford c. 1944. Photo Navy Archives/ Duggy via FlyPast Forum.

FG-1 at Pax River. http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/03/fr ... -zero.html

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

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Oct 21, 2013 12:15 pm

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Mon Oct 21, 2013 1:30 pm

Please tell me you have the story behind that photo Mike!

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

Rob Mears wrote:

Please tell me you have the story behind that photo Mike!

Something about the truck not going into reverse.

http://collections.naval.aviation.museu ... FQuery.php

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Interesting F4U Corsairs!

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