Warbird Information Exchange

FG-1D Folks:

Good day!





p.s Photo via AEC

FG-1D Folks:

Good day!

#1. Pictured below is the famous & elusive FG-1D FAS 201 sunbathing at El Paso, TX after suffering a ground loop accident c. May '57 during its ferry flight to S. of the Border. According to FAS Forums records the PIC was Lt. Sanchez.



Contrary to popular belief, aircraft just don't go puff & disappear into the thin air. The FAS folks paid for it some $8700 (+/-) to the NAVY MAP Program at Litchfield Park, NAS c. May '57 or earlier and were not about to just abandon their fine pre-selected "gull grey" flying machine in the TX desert! If you look closely FAS 201 received quite bit of damage,... furthermore, if you look at the properties of this B/W photograph, it was originally ID fm someone S.of the border c.2002 as Buno 92460 & then the ball began rolling fm there. 2 B Cont....Photo Peter Bowers.

Must have been an interesting ground loop to bugger the tail like that without harming the wing or collapsing the gear. I wonder if this was a case of something else happening but 'ground loop' being recorded to save face.

_________________
Keep 'em Flying.

Tiger Tim:

Good day! Tks for the info & data!

Hi! Welcome to the FAS 201 whereabouts thread! You have a very interesting point. Are you a pilot?? So, according to your observations the damage at the elevator/H/stab area on the R/S is questionable?? There is some damage to the R/wing not visible in this picture.

p.s are you an A&P folk? how much $$ we are talking in 1957 Dollars will cost to fix this aircraft?? It did cost the FAS folks some $8,700 +/- to buy it, at Litchfield Pk, NAS Navy Depot area in c. 1957.

p.s2 ..are crosswinds landings or high winds common in the El Paso area??

I'm no expert and no very little about the FAS birds, but is it too far out there thinking, to have repaired this aircraft as long as the engine, gear and structure were not tweeked? A new outer wing panel, flap, horizontal stab, elevator, and rudder could have easily been changed and the aircraft back to flying from what can be seen in this picture.
Having recently cut open the fabric on the flight controls of Corsair #92050, the fabric on the rudder and aileron appear to have been cut open and not from deterioration.
David

I remember some discussion years back about FAS-202 being magically reborn after crashing in the early 1960s. Perhaps FAS-201 replaced the original FAS-202 after the accident? Still, in my mind, I don't what sense there would be in changing 201's identity at all, seeing that it represents the very first FAS Corsair in the Salvadoran squadron. Stranger things have happened with numbering conventions south of the border though!

With all of this said, shouldn't it be worth someone's time to go directly to the source and inquire with the veterans of the FAS? There couldn't have been that many people involved with the management of these Corsairs. If I spoke the language, that would be the first place I'd go for information! IMO the idea of chasing the facts with photos and presumptions at this point is just about all played out.

As for FAS-201 being 67087, the much respected Frank Arrufat shared his personal hand written notes from his many visits to the Ilopango boneyard during the recovery effort of his own Corsair. "67087" is the Bureau Number that was present on the cockpit data plate of FAS-211. That's all the evidence I need to tell me the true identity of 67087.

_________________
Rob Mears
'Surviving Corsairs' Historian
robcmears@yahoo.com
http://www.robmears.com

Sabremech:

Hi! Tks for the info & data provided! Wishing you the very best in your restoration to flight project!!

Happy Holidays & the very best for the brand new yr to come!!

FG-1D FAS 201 Folks/Rob:

Good day!

The best news I heard all day! So we do agree that the FAS# on FAS 211 on the V/stab was changed somehow!! I also agree with you that FAS FG-1D best pictures are still in little boxes & in the attic of some X FAS pilots S. of the border. We do need more data & do a bit more of research in this area. We'll get to the bottom of this bit by bit!! ...in this millennium!! -)

For instance, not one single picture has ever surfaced of Cpt Salvador C. Amaya a/c or details of his whereabouts after the crash on July '69. BTW this guy is still alive I heard!!

p.s Yess the late Frank Arrufat seems to be the only person that recorded in notes & with pics those ID plates. If you can confirm that Buno 67087 in pics plz post! Tks in advance.

Carlos, Rob is telling you that FAS 211 was 67087! Nobody has agreed with you about a change in tail number, man what is going on with you? Summarizing for you what is known:

1. FAS 201 (unknown BuNr) damaged at El Paso, Texas, that's it, no more info
2. FAS 211 (67087) delivered to E.S. In 1957, operational, junkyard, sold beginning of the 70s

The rest, and until something new comes up, is pure SPECULATION.

Marco

Rob, FAS 202 had a mishap but this was late during the 60s (Pilot Liut. Conde Vasquez), after a hard breaking it ended tail up resting on the main gear and propeller. Damage was very light and it was recovered without further consequences.

Marco

FAS FG-ID Folks:

Good Day!

MAL: (g): I'm sorry but we now have solid evidence (Dec 2014) that things may be otherwise. Rob got some inaccurate info/data fm someone S. of the border!

p.s It's almost pavo time around here! 2 B cont... hand tight!

That's precisely the opposite of what I said Carlos. I'm not sure if it's the language barrier, or if you're trolling me at this point. Either way, I believe I've reached the point where I can no longer dignify these threads with a rational response. The facts are becoming a casualty to unsubstantiated speculation and plain old wishful thinking, if not purposeful disinformation fabricated to suit a predetermined narrative.

_________________
Rob Mears
'Surviving Corsairs' Historian
robcmears@yahoo.com
http://www.robmears.com

FG-1D FAS 201 Folks:

Good day!

...just one question come to into play on the saga of FAS 201:

Do the current aircraft N11Y exhibits a cockpit ID data plate?? if it does. will someone post a picture of it??? Tks in advance.

FG-1D FAS 201 Folks:

Good day!

#9:

This pic info & caption seems to follow the same path about the real id of FAS 201. We sent the Euro colleagues a request about their info & data & see how they arrived at the Buno 67087 fm the all the a/c at the FAS boneyard c.'69!! ..2 B cont. Photo via AEC.

FG-1D
Unit: Escuadrilla 2, Escuadron Caza Bombardeo, Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena
Serial: FAS-201 (BuNo.67087)
Circa 1965. Earlier in the 1960s, the FAS FG-1 Corsairs were painted in Gull Gray overall, and had the large service title applied on the sides of the rear fuselage, as well as national colours on the rudder and wingtips. This aircraft was not operational in 1969.