WIX Archives
Re: Perfect timing :)
Posted by Rob Mears on Tue Apr 22, 2003 05:29:54 PM
In reply top Re: Perfect timing :) posted by Richard Allnutt on Mon Apr 21, 2003 02:58:49 PM
So what's it going to take to get a peek at those photos? ;)
I suppose there's a chance that the tail gear and horizontal stabs could have been retrofitted later on in the plane's service life. Goodyear Aerospace bought the plane from US surplus stocks in 1952. The fact that a -1A model lasted that long in service (even in storage) is pretty amazing in itself!
The most likely reason for the mismatched parts might well be traced to the mid-1970's when this plane was sharing space with a number of other Corsairs at Wally McDonnell's place at Chino. He was put in charge of restoring a number of planes for the USMC, including some of the -4's that had come out of Bob Bean's makeshift dester graveyard near Phoenix. As I have it, the USMC reappropriated the majority of these projects before they were completed. With the surplus of -4 parts on hand I can see how some bits could have been mixmatched here and there, although the FG-1A was supposed to have arrived at McDonnell's from the Goodyear Plant (circa 1975) in complete condition.
Hell of a rare airplane. I hope it gets the respect it deserves at Quonset. I haven't had the privelege of seeing it in person yet.