Warbird Information Exchange

Hi all,

I noticed that lower down in the thread responses, folks were touting the Speed of the F2G "Super Corsair". My question is a simple one. How many of those airframes were ever built. If my memory recalls it correctly (and sometimes I REALLY doubt it <grin>) I thought that there were only a very few of the F2G variants ever built. And, perhaps more importantly, how many of those few airframes survive to present day ?

I can think of two that Mr. Odegarrd has and has been restoring, the one down at Pensacola NAS Museum, and I think that Mr. Soplata may have one additional one in storage. I have heard of a couple others via the rumor mill. Can anyone else add anything to this ??

Paul

As far as I know there are 3 surviving F2Gs. Bob Odegaard's Race 57, the restoration project at Odegaard's(the name of the museum this belongs to escapes me), and one at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

The number most often quoted for F2G production is 10.

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Dan Johnson

According to "The Great Book Of WWII Airplanes (great photos) p.234-5 the F2G was fast at low altitude-399mph, not bad up high 431 0r 435. It never went into production due to engine problems with 5 built and of course no combat. Being tall, dark, and handsome, I only fly those sleek, pointy nose fighters(would make an excetion for Bearcat). I did get a ride with Howard Pardue in his Corsair and it was a kick, except 106 degrees outside and about twice that inside.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Bill,

then my supposition about the F2G airframes is essentially correct and that all five production birds survive to this day. The one that Mr. Odegarrd has, the other he is restoring, the one at Pensacola, the one at the Museum of Flight, and the last one being still in the hands of Mr. Soplata.

Interesting to know that the entire production run of a World War II type still exists to present day. Even though the aircraft never saw combat, it is still kinda neat to think that an entire production run of ANY particular aircraft still exisits intacts, wouldn't you say ??

Paul

Ummmm....don't think 5 survive...think it is really only 3....Odegaard's, the Seattle museum's, and the one supposedly being rebuilt by Odegaard for the Cleveland museum of air racing or something like that? As far as total number built, I have also heard varying numbers...from 5 to 12 to 17...I believe it to be nearer the higher numbers....WHERE'S ROB MEARS WHEN YOU NEED HIM??

Bill...though you disliked Corsairs...on the phone with you one time you were stating your definite preference for Spitfires and Mustangs over the Corsair...never knew you had such a good time in one!

"Come over to the Dark Blue side Bill....come over to the Dark Blue side.....!"

M

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Mark Morris

Mark,

I have seen the one at the Seattle Museum of Flight, Mr. Odegarrd's, and the one at Pensacola. The main reason I asked the question about the production run was it was my understanding reading from an Old Jane's book that only 6 airframes were ever built. I guess I was just testing the waters to see how well my curiousity staked up against reality. Also....and this completely slipped my mind. But I know Doug Champlin had one as well. I have photo's of it somewhere.

Paul

Paul....

Okay, now, the Pensacola one escapes me...unless it is the one Odegaard is supposed to be restoring for the Cleveland guys...the Champlin one IS the Seattle museum example...#454, dark blue, postwar markings...remember, Champlin sold his collection to the Seattle museum? Same bird. Got any pics of the Pensacola bird? Would love to see what kinda shape she's in...

Mark

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Mark Morris

Mark,

I was working temp vacation relief for my company where some of our "new" aircraft were being overhauled prior to being brought into our fleet. But I managed to make a quick day trip over to Pensacola. The F2G they have is inside and when I saw it it was pristine. The museum, that day was not busy at all and I felt like I had the run of the place. I met the Curator of Restorations and explained to him what I did for a living and my hobby of maintaing flyable, restored Warbirds and he took me on a tour of the ramp area out back, and the restoration shops. I have some photo's of the Vultee Vindicator as they were working on it after it was raised out of Lake Michigan, as well as the "ramp treasures" out back that are not on public display. They have some rather neat stuff out back.

As for my photo's, having made a long distance move recently, I am still living out of cardboard in a single bedroom apartment where as I came out of my 5 bedroom house....so you can imagine the mess I am living in. I need to hook my scanner up and find the pic's but I'll see what I can find. Besides....I've been wanting to scan and digitize my photo's for a long while now, and with winter coming up, that seems like an excellent project to work on. And believe me...I have a TON of 35 mm shots that need to be scanned from the late 1970's to present day. LOL.....so I think I have my work cut out for me.

Paul

The production number is a bit confusing and misleading. There were pre-production F2G,s converted from F4U stock. then -1 and -2 production models. The total F2G production is about 18-29.

Hi All,

There is conflicting information about Super Corsair production numbers (five F2G-1, 8-10 F2G-2), however, based on their BuNos. this is what I have disclosed so far:

Goodyear F2G-1:
88454 c/n 6163 - at the Seattle Museum of Flight
88455 c/n 6164 - soc 8/46
88456 c/n 6165 - soc 5/47
88457 c/n 6166 - soc 5/47
88458 c/n 6167 - in flying condition (Robert Odegaard, North Dakota)

Goodyear F2G-2:
88459 c/n 6168 - used as ground target
88460 c/n 6169 - soc 5/48
88461 c/n 6170 - soc 5/47
88462 c/n 6171 - soc 5/47
88463 c/n 6172 - being restored (Robert Odegaard, North Dakota)
88466 c/n ???? - destroyed at NAS Alameda 2/49
Have no record of presumed 88464 and 88465 (perhaps one of such could be at Pensacola, Fla. ?)

Interestingly, the Seattle Museum of Flight's website shows the serial number (BuNo.) of their F2G-1 as "none".
http://www.museumofflight.org/Collectio ... 2E95AEC233

Cheers,

Amado

For all you fans of fat blue airplanes, I went back to the book and read more carefully p.235. I seems to say 5 of each type were built, so 10??? There's a lot of great info and detailed illustrations in this big book. You could hang a large assortmant of ironmongery on the bottom of a Corsair. See the photos of Joe and Jim Tobul's at Oskosh. Having a fighter that could go 400 mph level in 1940 is good. How impressive is Supermarine 9 years earlier having a plane that went faster than that, and at sea level with floats? Years later the all new high tech plastic Toyota Pond Racer could not turn a single lap at Reno that fast. Please see the new posting for Best Fighters.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Bill Greenwood wrote:


Impresive indeed for a floatplane in 1931!
The Supermarine S.6B set a record speed of 407 mph at sea level, had a 2,350 hp powerplant, and weighed 5,668 lb.

But on the other hand, the Vought F4U-1 developed a max speed of 425 mph at sea level, with a 2,000 hp powerplant, and 14,000 lb gross weight. Not bad at all for an aircraft in 1940, having a less powerfull engine and weighing almost three times more than the S.6B!

Cheers,

Amado

Hi Paul... sorry to say but there is no F2G at the US Naval Aviation Museum, nor did they ever own one. They do have an FG-1 and an F4U-4. Currently there are just three survivors.

F2G-1D - Bu. 88454 (Seattle Museum of Flight)
F2G-1 - Bu. 88458 (Bob Odegaard)
F2G-2 - Bu. 88463 (Crawford Museum - Cleveland under restoration by Bob Odegaard)

Bu.88454 is the only aircraft which could possibly have been at Pennsacola at some point (though I seriously doubt it), as it was once owned by the USMC Museum, but was with Doug Champlin's museum in Mesa Arizona by 1977 (ferried there by Ron Pucket of Cleveland Air Race fame).

Perhaps there was some confusion over the FG-1D at Pennsacola? I doubt it, but memories can be tricky things.

Cheers.Richard

Is it possible that you mistook the Mauler for the F-2G ?

http://www.pdkairport.org/Past%20Events%20and%20Photo%20Albums/Mauler.htm

My searches in previous years show a total of 10 production models (5 with folding wings, 5 without), the BU#'s 88454 through 88463 (same as listed above by Amado), but I do not show any 88466 ?

I also have a total of 7 airframes that were Goodyear FG-1's that were modified with a 4360 during the pre-production time - BU's 13471, 13472, 14691, 14692, 14693, 14694, 14695. There is also a possibilty of a Vought F4U-1 that was modified, BU 02460.

I feel fortunate to have seen all 3 remaining airframes in person.

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Life's a Pitts