Warbird Information Exchange

Just found these two photos of what appear to be FG-1D Bu92690 in bogus markings as FAES 220. As I understand it the plane ventured North not too long after these photos were shot. Goodall's directory has it as being restored in Santa Rosa, CA by 1995, although it was struck off the USCAR in 2011. Current status please...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90518936@ ... 65/sizes/l

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90518936@ ... 44/sizes/l

T J

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Make my day, punk!

Mr. Johansen:

Good Day!

Nice find!! What an excellent set of pics fm across the pond!! Thank you very much!!

That is the famous "FAS 207" sample of the July '69 War. It was pulled out of the hat (boneyard) to attempt to get it airborne during critical days!! ...It takes $$$$, it takes knowhow & it takes time to get an FG-1D airborne. As FAS later realized it later on. It's still showing its original canopy & a peak of the inst panel as a bonus!! Looks like it migrated to S. Florida. Our next find the real story of FAS 201!!

In response to your inquire regarding the fate of Goodyear FG-1D 92690. My brother and I purchase the project in about 1996 from a fellow named Raphel Zur.
We have worked on the restoration over the years as time and money permitted. Realizing that time was ticking if we were ever going to get it flying I have
referred out major components to some outstanding restoration facilities of which there are many. The wings are being restored at John Lane's shop in Idaho
and should be finished through fabric in about a year and a half. They will have complete compliment of mock .50 Cal guns with all gun chargers, chutes,etc.
We had to go so far as have Mike Breshears make replica chargers and clamps to attach them to the .50 receiver form the few examples we could find. All those types
of items are pretty much none existent now days. We are having the badly dented, bullet ridden tail section from the headrest back reskinned by Brent at Odeggard Wings
in North Dakota. He does an outstanding job using the original spot welding which Corsair is known for ( just one of the hurdles of restoring a corsair). He has recently completed
a scratch built tail section for another client and mine is next in a line up of approx. four. My brother and I are restoring the Center section. We have replaced the upper and lower
spar caps which were fabricated from scratch by a friend in California. My goal is to have the major components structurally rebuilt in a year and a half. That will leave lots of
work still needed to get the plane finished. The aircraft is in Northern California where we have a thriving community of Corsair restorations. There are between 8-9 projects in
various stages of restoration and completeness. We are able to help one another with parts and deferring costs by having needed items produced in quantity. My brother and
I are fortunate that #92690 was relatively complete and retained its original major components. I have spent the last 20 years sourcing original items to make the restoration
as complete an example as possible. I will try and down load some photos for you all at some point if I can elicit the help of my computer savvy daughter. Hope this clears up
some of the present history of the aircraft. I have been reluctant to post because of some of the contentious nature of the forum at times. Regards Dave

Thanks David. It's so refreshing to have somebody post status information such as this. There are too many Corsair mysteries out there, IMO. Best wishes for your rebuild progress!

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Life's a Pitts

Well, hello Dave.

Thanks for taking the time to talk about your FG-1D. In just how bad shape was it when you got the airframe? Was corrosion prevalent after sitting like this?

The idea of a co- op for making parts in numbers rather than one sounds like a brilliant idea. Seems to have read back in the 80s that this was how the B-17 owners got some of the rarer parts made. Build ten or a dozen, and it gets cheaper for everyone. Am I mistaken or was the Corsair spar one of those "hen's teeth" type parts a few years back? IIRC that was a concern at the time...

T J

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Make my day, punk!

Hi TJ,

When we acquired the project in Florida in 1996 it was stored disassembled in a hanger in Ft. Lauderdale. The center section was sitting on tires with the gear retracted
and the gear doors closed. We looked it over pretty well but were under the gun to finalize the sale so we didn't open the gear doors and drop the gear til we got it back to
California. Well you could imagine our delight when we got it home and did this only to find significant intergranular corrosion in the spar caps! We also replace the center section
longeron on one side for the same reason. There were other damage issues as well. From what I understand the aircraft had been on display at a park and then moved to the military air
field at some point. The wings had been covered with metal stripped off the side of some other aircraft and pop riveted on ruining the wing ribs. All the control surfaces had the same thing
done to them. Apparently the military security at the base would get bored and use #92690 for small arms target practice. I would estimate that we have had to repair 30-40 holes as a result.
Unfortunately those bullets penetrate everything they come in contact with until they run out of steam. As a result one round would result in 1-5 hole repairs! Most of that is behind us know. We
have maintained as much of the original structures as possible. The only skins we replaced on the fuelbay and cockpit were the bottom two. We were able to work with a great guy named Duane
Dowl in California that had the means and money to have a batch of spar caps and other wing spar extrusions made. They worked out fantastic and he is responsible for eventually making it
possible for an additional 5-6 Corsairs to become airworthy. From what I have been able to figure out #92690 was one of the last 10 or so built by Goodyear. What you may find of interest was
upon removing the wing spar we found it was stenciled in read paint F2G-1D which I have photos of somewhere. We surmised that right or wrong that they where using up the F2G components
possibly because of the cancelation of that project. Maybe someone would be able to shed light on this. What we found the further we pulled apart the spar was a forging stamped with a Brewster
inspection stamp! I have photos of that to record this also. Time permitting this fall and winter I'll display some photos before and after etc. If you have any questions feel free to fire away.

Regards
Dave

Dave:

Nice story indeed! Were the wings dark blue or did they have some type of grey?? Tks in advance.

Hi Zorro,

The paint had been stripped but not completely in Salvador. The paint was the dark blue seen in the photos on the post. The original engine cowlings had been removed and replaced with
sheet metal wrapped around to mimic cowlings. Frank Arafat told me he had removed the original cowlings when he was there picking out his Corsair and that he had fabricated the replacements
so he could have a set of originals! I have pictures of the originals he removed with the Salvadorian markings. He had new ones fabricated and never used those removed from #92690. I hoped to\
acquire them and still may be able to but they are on loan for patterns to a friend of mine that I sold my first Corsair project to. One thing you may find of interest is that while rebuilding the wings
John Lane found a .50 Cal bullet hole in the left wing through the end of the spar. It is in either a down or up direction not sure which. I am understand this aircraft was not operational during the
Soccer War so would it be possible that it was from a strafing of the airfield? I'll ask John if he can tell if it appears to have come from above or below. I am presently in Las Vegas staying with my
daughter but will download some photos for you all in the fall and winter. I was in San Salvador about 15 years ago hunting down the cut up remains of the remaining Corsairs. It took about 4-5 days to locate them with a helpful tip from Lex Cralley. They had been purchased by a rebarb steel manufacturer and had been cut into chunks of practically worthless junk. I was attempting to
purchase the remains. I was told it was all or nothing by weight. Unfortunately I had two bad injuries back to back and was unable afford the project at that time. I believe it the steel company
was called Corinco Steel.

Regards
Dave

Hi Zorro,

On other thing regarding the paint. While stripping of what remained on the tail, there was a surface repair that had been done in the states. Underneath
the repair was some of the original Navy paint and the letters FG-1D. There was a gouge in the metal below the aircraft designation that they had covered over
using a surface patch. They hadn't bothered to even use a flush patch.

Dave

Dave,

Thank you so much for the in-depth (very much admired) responses to the inquiries.

Knowing that the plane has a ways to go I wonder if it will be viewable at some point in the general Santa Rosa area? Asking as we are up there frequently visiting family and I'm sure I could schedule a trip North if it were on display!

Best,

Greg
San Diego, CA

Dave,
I wonder if it is possible that you have one of our wings? Our center section had a what appears to be High Velocity .50 hole through the oil cooler panel. Did john find a hole or the bullet as well? I am more of the thought that some one was plinking in the junk yard, since the shot is on an upward angle and our bird was in the scrap-pile by 57/58.

Drew

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Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

Hi Greg,

I would be happy to have you come by to check it out. I won't be home until Aug. The center section and most of the items are in my hanger with the exception of the wings and tail section.
As I mentioned they are out of state being overhauled. You can contact me here when your going to be in the area and we can see about coordinating a visit. I am staying with my daughter who
is in dental school at the university of Nevada. I am a retired dentist and apparently the spoiled child thinks she needs an on site personal tutor.

Dave

Hi Drew,

I was aware of the .50 Cal hole in the wing spar but was puzzled by the position. Not the kind of round you would normally fire on a busy military airfield. As I
mentioned earlier it was peppered with 9mm, 45 auto or maybe .223. The wings are stamped on the inboard with the aircraft number on a spacer forging between
the upper and lower attach fittings. They both are stamped 92690 and appear to be done at manufacturing date. So I believe they are correct to the airframe. How
is your project coming along?

Regards
Dave

Dave:

...and talking about wings;... if there any way to contact J. Lane & ask him what's the Buno shown on the id plates on your wings?? Tks in advance.

p.s Photos will be welcome also!!

Dave:

Good day!

...somewhere in that stash of FAS FG-1Ds is your FAS 207! I'm digging for a poss pic of a FAS 217 or FAS 207. I believe it's your sample since it was taken during c. Jul '69 as one of the best looking of the pack. Photo Via D.P Hagedorn.