Were F4U-1 Marine's Dream Rear Windows Fared Over?

jollyrogerf14 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:55 am **Posts:** 50

Hi guys,
I was going through some pics on my computer for reference to a kit I'm building and thought I noticed something that I had not notice before. This may be old news, but it's new to me if I'm correct... Were the rear quarter windows on Ed Olander's F4U-1 fared over? I was looking at a picture of it being hoisted out of a ditch along a runway in theater, and thought that's was I saw. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but from the photo I have, that's what it looks like.

Thanks,
V.C.

51fixer · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:54 pm

Unaware they had the rear windows.
The earliest F4U I'm a little unsure of but the ones I've seen and worked on have had a big chunk of steel behind the pilots head running down covering the back of the seat as well. It was bolted to the structure on the bulkhead at the rear of the cockpit.
Turning your head around didn't give anything to see as the armor was there.
Unsure if that only applied to the redesign they did to raise the pilot seat and extend the tail gear to improve visibility.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:27 pm

Early Corsairs did have a rear cut out set-up similar to the P-40, only not as large. They were quickly deleted from the production aircraft. I can't answer what they did in the field or whether it was plated over I'm not even 100% sure they had plexi in there. It may have been just a cut out for rear visibility.
Check this image out:
http://navypilotoverseas.wordpress.com/ ... unda-1943/
Jerry

Cherrybomber13 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:55 am

The F4U-1 "Birdcage" had a window panel. VS-14926 consisting of a Window, seal, trim and screws in the assembly.

Corsair Windows by Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr

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

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:33 pm

IIRC there was a mod program for -1 corsairs that incorporated a taller canopy and moving the seat higher to improve pilot visibility. This was a concern in the Corsair particularly involving Carrier ops.
The close ups above suggest the rear view panel was metalized and a taller skin panel to fair with the taller canopy trailing edge was installed as well. This is visible at the very top of the fus just aft of the canopy. It overlaps the top edge of the metal that covers the rear window.

Digger · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:00 pm

Popped into Classic Jets here in Adelaide this morning, the Corsair they are working on retains the rear window and they have remains

from another cockpit section that has the manufactured rear window but with a field mod added to it as per some of the comments above.

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:40 pm

Digger,

If you get the chance to drop back by the shop with a camera and take some detailed shots of the areas you mentioned, I'm sure a lot of enthusiasts here would LOVE to have a look. Its not often you cross paths with two F4U-1 cockpit sections, each with different variations of the scalloped rear window area! Actually, there's only one other authentic F4U-1 on Earth that could be readily accessed for examination. That puts you in the unique position to do some very unique documentation for the "hive" here at WIX.

Could we influence you to take some detailed photos of those items?

Digger · **Posted:** Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:17 pm

Yep, will do this weekend and I'll send to you for posting as I still have no clue on how to do that.

Interestingly, the second section that had the cover placed over it, has what appears to be factory fitted access panels as well, but all will be explained when I get the pics.

cheers

shepsair · **Posted:** Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:26 pm

So another photo showing the unusual fall 1943 markings of the star/field and just white bars. No red outline or light blue. Possibly they had no red paint on the islands. I have seen this now on F4's, F6''s and not the F4U. It seems to have been around for a few weeks. Not an official marking so all I can assume is there was no red paint??

Any other reason unless they just had no time to mask off of add the red/light blue?

regards

Mark

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

shepsair wrote:

So another photo showing the unusual fall 1943 markings of the star/field and just white bars. No red outline or light blue. Possibly they had no red paint on the islands. I have seen this now on F4's, F6''s and not the F4U. It seems to have been around for a few weeks. Not an official marking so all I can assume is there was no red paint??

Any other reason unless they just had no time to mask off of add the red/light blue?

regards

Mark

Not that it disproves your theory, but other aircraft on the island did have the red outline. The "Marines Dream" photos and these below are all dated Dec. 43 Bougainville.

JohnTerrell · **Posted:** Thu Jan 23, 2014 7:03 pm

If anyone hasn't seen this set of photos yet, and may be interested, here is walk-around of the F4U-1 that was pulled up from Lake Michigan a few years ago, prior to it entering the restoration stage: http://www.largescaleplanes.com/walkaro ... hp?wid=119

AG pilot · **Joined:** Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:13 am **Posts:** 553

All these photos are excellent! Thanks for sharing with us.

Can anyone shed light on the red paint/and or primer on the interior surfaces? I always thought it would be zinc chromate.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Thu Jan 23, 2014 9:45 pm

Vought did use red primer on many aircraft. This proves it.

Michel Lemieux · **Posted:** Thu Jan 23, 2014 10:39 pm

Speaking of the original birdcage corsair that was in NZ a few years ago....where is it now?

Warbird Information Exchange

Were F4U-1 Marine's Dream Rear Windows Fared Over?

Who is online