Looking for the current status of an F4U-4 Corsair

[famvburg]

Sorry, folks, but I don't have its BuNo or N #. Back in the early '70s, there was an F4U-4, owned by Robbie Jones of Mississippi. At the time, it was painted in post WWII USMC markings, overall blue, black or blue & white checkerboard cowl, #22 & WR. At the time, Monogram Models had a 1/48 scale model of the F4U-4 in those same markings, whether the model was based on this a/c or the other way, I don't know. Later, in the late '70s, when "Black Sheep Squadron" was on TV & Pappy Boyington was popular at airshows as well, it was painted in Pappy's "Lulu Belle" markings (even tho it was a -4). The last I recall hearing of it was an airshow in Pine Bluff, Ark., in late Summer '78, it blew an engine & was left up there & that's the last I know. I believe it was a close sister of N5215V, "Angel of Okinawa", #5, BuNo 97286, IIRC, previously owned & flown by the late (great?) Merle Gustafson, as they ran together pretty regularly then. Anyway, just curious as to where the a/c is now & what it's been through. Thanks.

[B-29 Super Fort]

Don't know if this could be it but this Corsair was owned by Ray Jones at one time:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/corsairr ... 92629.html

From the Warbird Registry:

Ba Ba Black Sheep TV Series Aircraft:

Bu. 17799 (A-02)
Bu. 92132 (R-02)
Bu. 92433 (D-95)
Bu. 92436 (A-01)
Bu. 92629 (A-03)
Bu. 97359 (A-02)
Bu. 133714 (A-02)

[Rob Mears]

Most people don't know that Robbie Jones and Merle Gustafson flew virtually identical Corsairs, one named "Angel of Okinawa" and the other named "Whistling Death". "Angel of Okinawa" seems to have gotten the lion's share of the publicity during those early years with Merle Gustafson being as active on the circuit as he was.

As you mentioned, Robbie sold "Whistling Death" to Joe Arnold in 1977, after which it soon suffered the blown engine. Good ol' Terry Randall (aircraft dealer from Tulsa) picked it up a couple years later, threw on a new engine, and sold it on to John MacGuire in Ft. Hancock, Texas. MacGuire formed the War Eagles Air Museum a couple years later, and that's where the plane still sits today.

MacGuire passed away in 2001, and today the collection sits pretty much stagnant in the hangar. The Corsair had not flown for many years even before John's death. I hate to see a good privately owned warbird become a permanent static display by some default (ie: War Eagles Museum, Kalamazoo Air Zoo, Palm Springs Museum, etc.), but that's how the card fall sometimes. Hopefully one day the curators now in charge of MacGuire's collection will find a way to fly at least a couple of his planes at a time. There are LOTS of great birds in there including two or three Mustangs, a P-38, etc. Because of its remote location, it's a very obscure collection in the overall scheme of things. Well worth a visit if you're in the El Paso area.

[RickH]

I sat in that Corsair, once. The story goes that McGuire was landing at Santa Thersa and when he hit the brakes a wheel locked up. It sripped the rubber off of the tire down into the cord. McGuire parked the Corsair and never flew it again.

[Tulio]

Santa Teresa, NM June 04, 2006.

Photo by Tulio Soto.



Saludos,


Tulio

[famvburg]

Hey! I forgot that Robbie's did have "Whistling Death" painted on her! Thanks for the info.

Most people don't know that Robbie Jones and Merle Gustafson flew virtually identical Corsairs, one named "Angel of Okinawa" and the other named "Whistling Death". "Angel of Okinawa" seems to have gotten the lion's share of the publicity during those early years with Merle Gustafson being as active on the circuit as he was.

As you mentioned, Robbie sold "Whistling Death" to Joe Arnold in 1977, after which it soon suffered the blown engine. Good ol' Terry Randall (aircraft dealer from Tulsa) picked it up a couple years later, threw on a new engine, and sold it on to John MacGuire in Ft. Hancock, Texas. MacGuire formed the War Eagles Air Museum a couple years later, and that's where the plane still sits today.

MacGuire passed away in 2001, and today the collection sits pretty much stagnant in the hangar. The Corsair had not flown for many years even before John's death. I hate to see a good privately owned warbird become a permanent static display by some default (ie: War Eagles Museum, Kalamazoo Air Zoo, Palm Springs Museum, etc.), but that's how the card fall sometimes. Hopefully one day the curators now in charge of MacGuire's collection will find a way to fly at least a couple of his planes at a time. There are LOTS of great birds in there including two or three Mustangs, a P-38, etc. Because of its remote location, it's a very obscure collection in the overall scheme of things. Well worth a visit if you're in the El Paso area.

[wls3]

famvburg,

Is this the #22 Corsair in question?
This photo shows WA not WR.
Knew I had a pic of this somewhere.
Just found the negative yesterday.
Pretty sure I took this in Scranton, Pa.

Think I e-mailed Mint about this a/c a while back.
As I remember he knew where it was.
Mint?

Bill

[Jerry O'Neill]

Bill;
I think that is a different Corsair. "WA", I believe, was owned by Ed Shipley during the Mid 90's. He was the one who flew it off the USS Carl Vinson. I think he sold it in the late 90's to someone on the west coast.
Jerry

[wls3]

Jerry,

You are right again of course.
Thanks for jogging my memory.
I checked the N# on this # 22 and it comes back
to and owner in Seattle. Care to guess who?
He has a large collection. Yep, listed owner is an
affiliate of Flying Heritage Collection.

Bill