XF4U-1 Buno 1443

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

F4U Folks:

Good day!

Few of us F4U buffs are following up the historical data of the 1st F4U sample Buno 1443. Its origens, the design engineers, folks that built it, the test pilots/pilots that flew it, other folks that maintain it, accidents, NATC era Flight testing & its final days. Our colleague Nick Veronico in his fine book "The F4U Corsair" place it at the Naval Tech Tng Ctr at Norman, OK c. Dec, 1943. It was striken off the Navy inventory & presumed scrapped.

If you live in the area or attended Norman Navy Tech Tng Ctr or remember taking some pics or know other details of it of it plz post. It may have had a diff scheme by this time or prob it was placed in hangar corner at Norman. If you have pics of the main instrument panels or cockpit areas plz post also. Photo via AEC/IPMS, Tamiya 1/48. Tks in advance.

Snake45 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:49 pm **Posts:** 864

That's a nice model! Any details on it?

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

S45:

Good day!

You may google IPMS/ XF4U-1 for other pics details. These folks are pretty good with them.

p.s Have you seen any LIFE color pics of this bird?? tks

Jesse C. · **Posted:** Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:36 am

Snake45 wrote:

That's a nice model! Any details on it?

Built by David Weeks of IPMS San Diego

http://www.ipmssd.org/images/Gallery-Ai ... F4U-1.html

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2637

if you scroll down this page there is a pic of the XF4U with radar pod and landing accident.

http://www.dmairfield.org/people/trapnell_fm/index.html

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

Mike:

Good day!

Tks for the great link & info!! Some of the other pilots & Test Ctrs may have some other shots also!! I'll send some letters!! Tks

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

mike furline wrote:

if you scroll down this page there is a pic of the XF4U with radar pod and landing accident.

http://www.dmairfield.org/people/trapnell_fm/index.html

Could it be the wooden radar pod used in the wind tunnel?

Dan K · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:04 pm

bdk wrote:

mike furline wrote:

if you scroll down this page there is a pic of the XF4U with radar pod and landing accident.

http://www.dmairfield.org/people/trapnell_fm/index.html

Could it be the wooden radar pod used in the wind tunnel?

More than likely. Mark posted some close-ups in this thread...about 8 pics or so down.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51854

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7831

zorro9 wrote:

If you have pics of the main instrument panels or cockpit areas plz post also.

Senor zorro9 here's some 'stuff' for ya ... Tommy Thomason's Blog has some nice research below. (photos: Tailhook Topics)

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013 ... rsair.html

marine air · **Posted:** Sat Jul 12, 2014 1:03 pm

Many years ago at Oshkosh, a guy had a single place BT-13 painted as a FW-190. IT looked a lot like that XF4U. Anyone know if that aircraft is still around?
Thanks

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

Marine Air:

Good day!

Tks for the info/data! Any poss pics/yr of this rare sample???

p.s Nice B/Ws Mark. Tks

marine air · **Posted:** Sat Jul 12, 2014 11:35 pm

I will look for a picture of it.It was light colored with darker green camo on the top. Maybe it was supposed to look like a TA-152. I don't know the story, but I always imagined it to be some bored farmer that rounded up a bunch of BT parts and built himself a fighter to terrorize the skies of his small town somewhere.

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

Marine Air:

Good day!

Plz do! I intend like to follow any photo(s) that leads to the whereabouts of the prototype XF4U-1. an N number will be good to find!!

So far we know it was on display at one time c.1943 at the Navy Tech Tng Ctr at Norman OK. It was SOC off the navy inventory during Dec 1943. From here it poss went to the RFC at Clinton NAS Storage Area Facility for final disposition with some other 435 F4Us & others c. 1945.

It was prob sold in a lot of 10-12 units to a recycling Co named "Sherman Iron Works" of OK who won the disposal contract for the area.

...and the digging cont for this "old warrior" !

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

MarineAir:

Good day!

Does this sample looks similar to what you saw at Oshkosh a few yrs ago?? I also remember a few BT-13 shots with wings folded (yellow wings) for sale in the country side in the Midwest. Still digging!! Tks in advance.

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XF4U-1 Buno 1443

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