Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Corsair!
Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 pm
Father's Day weekend, 14-15 June 2014, the Olympic Flight Museum will host the 16th annual Olympic Airshow. This year we are hosting the CAF B-29 "FIFI" and the long awaited return of the Museum's Corsair. We will also be putting our own collection in the air, Bud Granley will be flying and the Cascade Warbirds group will be there too!
"FIFI" will be on static display during the airshow and will be selling rides. This event will also be the first public appearance of the Corsair. It has been under restoration for over ten years at Airpower Unlimited over in Idaho and is easily the most beautiful Corsair around today (if I do say so myself)!
Of course all this is weather and maintenance dependent but that's how it goes!
For further information, please search for us on facebook or go to:
http://www.olympicairshow.com/
http://www.olympicflightmuseum.com
http://www.airpowertour.com
"FIFI" will be on static display during the airshow and will be selling rides. This event will also be the first public appearance of the Corsair. It has been under restoration for over ten years at Airpower Unlimited over in Idaho and is easily the most beautiful Corsair around today (if I do say so myself)!
Of course all this is weather and maintenance dependent but that's how it goes!
For further information, please search for us on facebook or go to:
http://www.olympicairshow.com/
http://www.olympicflightmuseum.com
http://www.airpowertour.com
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:50 pm
Great choice of markings on the Corsair. I enjoyed your explanation on Facebook about your research.
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:55 pm
Excited that we will be up there during the show. Can't hardly wait to see the Corsair!
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:22 am
HOLY CRAP. I promised myself I'd pay for a ride on that B-29 the next time I was in the same area. It's the only major US bomber from WW2 flying in my lifetime I haven't ridden on yet.
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:16 am
That is a great looking Corsair!
Here's hoping for a great, safe, airshow season
Andy Scott
Here's hoping for a great, safe, airshow season
Andy Scott
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:52 am
Great Corsair! Is it the ex CWH's, if so, new markings (of course), Same aircraft ID # (115) ?, just wondering..
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:39 am
Yes it is the Corsair that was once owned by the Canadian Warplane Heritage museum (not to be confused with the FG-1D owned and flown by Vintage Wings of Canada, which sports Robert Gray markings today). This particular Corsair (http://www.warbirdregistry.org/corsairr ... 92436.html) has been through a ground-up restoration at Airpower Unlimited, as Brad mentioned - although the photos are rather small, these were recently taken at the Airpower Unlimited shop, with several photos of the Olympic Flight Museum's Corsair nearing completion: http://mtstandard.com/news/gallery-warp ... 6ac.html#0 (curious about which Mustang project that is, under wraps - looks like H-model prop blades)
It looks like a "typical" (beautiful, detailed, authentic) Airpower restoration. It will be fantastic to see it flying again!
Some more history of this particular Corsair: http://www.f4ucorsair.com/92436.html
The markings it is painted in are those of VMF-213 (USS Saidor) circa 1945, which this actual aircraft was assigned. A nice formation photograph from this squadron, from that time period, can be seen in the first post of this thread here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14392&view=previous
It looks like a "typical" (beautiful, detailed, authentic) Airpower restoration. It will be fantastic to see it flying again!
Some more history of this particular Corsair: http://www.f4ucorsair.com/92436.html
The markings it is painted in are those of VMF-213 (USS Saidor) circa 1945, which this actual aircraft was assigned. A nice formation photograph from this squadron, from that time period, can be seen in the first post of this thread here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14392&view=previous
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:08 am
I'm pretty sure that is, or was, Cloud Dancer. I had read somewhere awhile back that she was at Airpower. Looks like she's all masked up to paint the wings.
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:31 am
I just logged back in to this thread.
When I took another look at that Corsair I thought, "Hey, I wonder if this is the old CWH machine"
Wouldn't that be a really cool shout out to her old identity of Grays' 115 ?
Turns out, it is. If it is a coincidence it is a cool one
. If it is intentional, even classier.
Andy
When I took another look at that Corsair I thought, "Hey, I wonder if this is the old CWH machine"
Wouldn't that be a really cool shout out to her old identity of Grays' 115 ?
Turns out, it is. If it is a coincidence it is a cool one
. If it is intentional, even classier.Andy
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:36 pm
It's no coincidence that it has 115 on the side. Here is the story I wrote about the reasons behind the paint job and the picture I used to go by.
In October of 2002, Bud Granley flew the airplane to Idaho. In December of 2002, Brian Reynolds and I started talking about possible paint jobs.
I started researching paint schemes based on the following factors.
1. It had to be authentic to the FG-1D, F4U-1A, -1D model of Corsair
2. It had to be a scheme nobody else was currently using, or hadn’t used in at least 25yrs.
3. It had to be distinctive and unique
4. If possible it had to be authentic to this particular Corsair.
5. I had to get Brian to agree to it!
Originally Brian wanted to paint it tri color with the Jolly Rogers flag on the nose but I talked him out of it based on the fact that several Corsairs were painted in those colors. We also ruled out anything with a checkerboard cowling because they were pretty common on warbirds.
I tracked down the record cards for the airplane through the Navy and made a list of all the assignments that the museum’s Corsair had and looked at the paint schemes. Most of the assignments were to Naval Reserve bases all over the country. She was in Dallas, Jacksonville, RI, Seattle and one or two others. Those paint jobs just weren’t very exciting at all and had very little color. The only specific unit that we know she was in for sure was VMF-213. I started looking into their airplanes and found the scheme for the squadron when it was on the USS Saidor. I have no proof that the airplane was actually one of the Corsairs painted in those colors as we don’t have the log books from her time in the service. However, based on the record cards, I do know that she was in the squadron, in Hawaii, during that time frame so there is a chance she was painted in those colors. It’s about 50/50, either she was or she wasn’t!
I also chose this particular paint scheme because of the number “115” on the side. When our Corsair was still in Canadian markings she had that same number. I thought it would be a neat tribute to her past warbird life. An added benefit of this paint scheme was that there were models, t shirts and coffee cups in production at the time with this VMF-213 airplane on it.
I now had a paint scheme that met four of my requirements. I submitted it and two other choices to Brian and let it stew for a while. This was early in 2003 and I continued to remind him of my choice on a regular basis for the next several years.
In September of 2005, the restoration was to the point that a choice of the base color had to be made. Some painting had to be done and the dark blue/tri color debate needed to be settled. Brian decided that the basic paint scheme would be all blue. This decision defiantly ruled out a lot of other paint choices but the three I liked were still safe. When I moved back out here in April of 2012 and got put in charge of completing the airplane, I went to John Lane’s shop for my first visit. I then told Brian that a final decision needed to be made on the markings and in June of 2012 the USS Saidor markings were finally chosen. This scheme was always my original first choice and I would have been happy with any of the final three choices I had. But I’m really happy with the choice we made.
In October of 2002, Bud Granley flew the airplane to Idaho. In December of 2002, Brian Reynolds and I started talking about possible paint jobs.
I started researching paint schemes based on the following factors.
1. It had to be authentic to the FG-1D, F4U-1A, -1D model of Corsair
2. It had to be a scheme nobody else was currently using, or hadn’t used in at least 25yrs.
3. It had to be distinctive and unique
4. If possible it had to be authentic to this particular Corsair.
5. I had to get Brian to agree to it!
Originally Brian wanted to paint it tri color with the Jolly Rogers flag on the nose but I talked him out of it based on the fact that several Corsairs were painted in those colors. We also ruled out anything with a checkerboard cowling because they were pretty common on warbirds.
I tracked down the record cards for the airplane through the Navy and made a list of all the assignments that the museum’s Corsair had and looked at the paint schemes. Most of the assignments were to Naval Reserve bases all over the country. She was in Dallas, Jacksonville, RI, Seattle and one or two others. Those paint jobs just weren’t very exciting at all and had very little color. The only specific unit that we know she was in for sure was VMF-213. I started looking into their airplanes and found the scheme for the squadron when it was on the USS Saidor. I have no proof that the airplane was actually one of the Corsairs painted in those colors as we don’t have the log books from her time in the service. However, based on the record cards, I do know that she was in the squadron, in Hawaii, during that time frame so there is a chance she was painted in those colors. It’s about 50/50, either she was or she wasn’t!
I also chose this particular paint scheme because of the number “115” on the side. When our Corsair was still in Canadian markings she had that same number. I thought it would be a neat tribute to her past warbird life. An added benefit of this paint scheme was that there were models, t shirts and coffee cups in production at the time with this VMF-213 airplane on it.
I now had a paint scheme that met four of my requirements. I submitted it and two other choices to Brian and let it stew for a while. This was early in 2003 and I continued to remind him of my choice on a regular basis for the next several years.
In September of 2005, the restoration was to the point that a choice of the base color had to be made. Some painting had to be done and the dark blue/tri color debate needed to be settled. Brian decided that the basic paint scheme would be all blue. This decision defiantly ruled out a lot of other paint choices but the three I liked were still safe. When I moved back out here in April of 2012 and got put in charge of completing the airplane, I went to John Lane’s shop for my first visit. I then told Brian that a final decision needed to be made on the markings and in June of 2012 the USS Saidor markings were finally chosen. This scheme was always my original first choice and I would have been happy with any of the final three choices I had. But I’m really happy with the choice we made.
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:53 pm
Thanks for that Brad. Awesome! 
You done good!
Andy
You done good!
Andy
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:11 pm
Thanks Brad, that's Great! I was hoping that was the case. Good luck! O/O.
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 4:45 pm
...and don't forget John Lane and his team doing an awesome job on doing it! Another WIX "Golden Wrench"!!!!!!
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:43 pm
Brad wrote:Father's Day weekend, 14-15 June 2014, the Olympic Flight Museum will host the 16th annual Olympic Airshow. This year we are hosting the CAF B-29 "FIFI" and the long awaited return of the Museum's Corsair. We will also be putting our own collection in the air, Bud Granley will be flying and the Cascade Warbirds group will be there too!
"FIFI" will be on static display during the airshow and will be selling rides. This event will also be the first public appearance of the Corsair. It has been under restoration for over ten years at Airpower Unlimited over in Idaho and is easily the most beautiful Corsair around today (if I do say so myself)!
Of course all this is weather and maintenance dependent but that's how it goes!
For further information, please search for us on facebook or go to:
http://www.olympicairshow.com/
http://www.olympicflightmuseum.com
http://www.airpowertour.com
I will be there for sure! John does fantastic work! And he's a real nice guy.
Re: Olympia Airshow 2014: "FIFI" and the museum's FG1-D Cors
Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:34 am
Just a reminder! The airshow is this coming weekend!