RMAllnutt wrote:
While the center section and wings are certainly from former RNZAF examples judging by the paint, the rear fuselage is from an F4U-1 birdcage variant (you can clearly see the scallops on the rear cockpit area, as well as the missing escape dinghy section on the turtle deck). The RNZAF never operated that variant. I'm guessing that section was picked up during the 1970s on one of the many wanderings around the South Pacific by several Kiwis of that era. I do remember this aircraft being offered for sale on Barnstormers for $160k in the late 1990s, but the current owner has picked up a good deal of extra material since then. I can't imagine it going for $850k, but like everything of this nature... the value is always, and only judged by the market. I do hope it finds a buyer who can put her back into flying condition again. It will be an enormous venture, but well worth it in the end!
Cheers,
Richard
Good observation on the scallops, I was looking at the images on my ipad and didn't notice them until you stated this.
Yeah, not 100% RNZAF from the looks of it but I would expect that on a potential build of this nature.
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