OT: Birdcage F4U-1 Corsair Photos

[Bomber_12th]

 

[Bomber_12th]

 

[Bomber_12th]

 

[Bomber_12th]

 

[Bomber_12th]

 

[Bomber_12th]

Note the significance of the original wartime description in these first two photos, as it pertained to the early F4U-1's.

An original 2,000 hp R-2800 powered F4U-1 going nose-to-nose with the 3,000 hp R-4360 powered F4U-1M:

 

[Butcherbird17]

Thanks John for the pics. Looks like Spirit of 76 has the straight line tri colour scheme looking at the nose back towards the wings. The stars-n-bars could be the red outline depending on when the pic was taken. If it was mid 43 then its red, late 43 would be the over painted dark blue. I will just paint them both ways and let people have a choice. I still like the over all Light blue scheme though.

Some good pics of VF-17. I'm planing on doing a few of these birds so people can fly the same squadron online. Looks like 17-F-25 was before it had the Jolly Rogers painted on the nose. I have a profile pic with it on there so mine will have it.

Joe

 

[Ian Warren]

I really do like the selection here , the last one tho that is a goodie comparing the shear size of the power-plant.

 

[Bomber_12th]

Joe, as far as I'm concerned (and as some Corsair experts have weighed in), there was never such a thing as the "straight line" tri-color scheme - the Planes of Fame Corsair is painted this way, as at the time they thought they had discovered that there was such a thing (and they'd be unique), based on photos like these, but it has since been stated to not be true/accurate (no document points to there being such a method of painting Corsairs that way). All of the tri-color scheme applications had the non-specular sea blue (upper most/darkest value paint) transition down to the wings - the reason why it doesn't always look this way on some war-weary Corsairs is because of weathering causing this transition to become obscured. When factory fresh, the aircraft would have looked like the one in the third photo I posted, featuring non-specular sea blue (top), non-specular intermediate blue (middle), and non-specular insignia white (bottom).

The border of the stars is definitely red (field-applied/hand brushed).

I think this depiction is just about perfect: http://www.largescaleplanes.com/articles/article.php?aid=1225

 

[Bomber_12th]

In November 2010, one of the last few known surviving original F4U-1's was recovered from Lake Michigan, and has been under restoration to museum-quality static display by the US Navy. The aircraft, BuNo.02465, based at NAS Glenview, crashed on June 12, 1943, while practicing landings on the USS Wolverine. It is a remarkable time capsule, having been so well preserved.

The aircraft was found to be primered throughout with the "salmom" pink-colored zinc chromate primer, as it has been known that Vought used on early Corsair production (all F4U-1's through to F4U-1A's). The primer was made by mixing red pigment with raw zinc chromate (which, in its natural form, will show as yellow). It was also found that, on many parts, they primered the parts with raw zinc chromate first, showing as yellow, and then primered the parts again with the pink zinc chromate (likely to ensure complete coverage). Outwardly, without opening up panels, or poking your head up inside the tailwheel well, one would never see this pink primer, as the main wheel wells and interior of the cowling were painted the same color as the lower surfaces of the aircraft, and the cockpit was painted green (dark dull green/bronze green on F4U-1's, and interior green on later models).

http://www.largescaleplanes.com/walkaround/wk.php?wid=119
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=413049

(Although not shown in these photos below, the tail section, which had broken off, was also recovered.)

 

[Butcherbird17]

Joe, as far as I'm concerned (and as some Corsair experts have weighed in), there was never such a thing as the "straight line" tri-color scheme - the Planes of Fame Corsair is painted this way, as at the time they thought they had discovered that there was such a thing (and they'd be unique), based on photos like these, but it has since been stated to not be true/accurate (no document points to there being such a method of painting Corsairs that way). All of the tri-color scheme applications had the medium blue (upper most/darkest value paint) transition down to the wings - the reason why it doesn't look this way on some war-weary Corsairs is because of weathering. The spray patterns of the coral/dust/dirt/water from taxiing/takeoffs/landings, cause this transition area, where the medium blue transitioned to the wings, to become obscured in b&w photos.

I think this depiction is just about perfect: http://www.largescaleplanes.com/articles/article.php?aid=1225

John, that link is also one I came across while doing some research for VMF-215. The PoF corsair is the one that was stuck in my mine about the straight line scheme. I wonder if they used the Myth Busters to find out the truth. I already got the standard tri scheme painted on her so I will finish up that one, but keep the different stars as an option for mid or late 43 time frame. Thanks for the help.

Joe

 

[Smashing Time]

Test pilot Boone T. Guyton, 1st production F4U-1 circa 1942

 

[bazzar]

Thanks for the pics John, as usual, a veritable gold-mine of stuff you have. I noted the descriptions on those two early wartime shots, and yes it is interesting that although the F4U was designed for carrier work, it was so bad originally, that it was not given carrier clearance until the British mods had been applied. Obviously they thought strongly enough to make it clear on the official release photos that this was a "land-plane" ! The training videos show carrier training but on land strips.

 

[hairyspin]

Cracking photos John, thanks!

 

[stansdds]

I must disagree on the concept that there never was a "straight line" 3-color scheme. The USN did not authorize nor did any Corsairs leave the factory with such a scheme, but some F4U-1 Corsairs were repainted in such a manner by field repair units.

 

[stansdds]