most original or best survivng Corsair

Hello Jaldo thanks for posting and welcome to the forum!.
She looks in excellent shape considering she is outdoors!

Well,one of the best Corsair examples in existence is the F4U-5 FAH-609 from Honduras.This is an unrestored (except for paint) bird and it’s currently sitting at the museum in Tegucigalpa.This aircraft,flown by Cap. Fernando Soto (recently deceased),shot down 3 salvadoran aircraft in a single day (1 Mustang Cavalier and 2 FG-1Ds) during the conflict in 1969 (the 100-hour War).This marked the last fight between two piston-powered aircraft ever.

A little info on the Tri-state warbird museums corsair. Work has commenced on it. When I saw it last Wednesday they had just taken the gear off and put it on a jig. The engine still on the mount came off two weeks ago. Interesting to note Vought used bolts to hold the corsair together. They have spent a few days taking out hundreds of bolts holding the production break right behind the pilot. I have pictures from last week, but they have probably removed the aft fuselage section by now. It should be an award winner when it comes out. The staff there is top notch.

Rob,

I was speaking of the second airframe. I know it is just in storage, but it would be nice to see it become an active project someday.

🙂

Jim

The ex-Butch Schroeder Corsair previously on site was the plane now with the Tri-State Warbird Museum mentioned above. There is another partial fuselage elsewhere on the airport, but it’s not a permanent fixture there and not currently scheduled for restoration.

I for one am waiting for Mike VadeBonCoeur (Midwest Aero Restorations) to get his hands on a Corsair. His P-51 restorations are legendary, and he’s been biting at the bit to get an F4U in his clutches. When that day comes – look out. 😎

Then he should get to work on the one already on site. (Or has it moved on…)

🙂

Jim

Of all the corsair survivors worldwide, which one is the best original example and why (piccies welcome) and also which one would be the best for restoration to fly?

The RNFAA Museum most definitely has the most original and complete Corsair in existence.

The XF4U-4 at the New England Air Museum is extremely original, but I believe it’s been mildly refurbished (paint anyway) at some point for display.

The ex-Tallichet FG-1D now owned by David O’Malley (Tri-State Warbird Museum) was used in the Blacksheep TV series, and is VERY original minus the addition of a modern (at the time) radio, etc at one point. It’s essentially been in storage since the TV series was cancelled. It’s sister ship is the infamous and insanely original “Kohs Corsair” now oned by Tony Raftis. The Tri-State machine should emerge in a few years as one of the top original restorations if the owners stick to their published plans.

Pending a thorough inspection for corrosion, the Soplata machine would definitely be a prime candidate for a supremely original restoration. Walter has been dumping waste oil over his airframes for decades, so they are reportedly in good shape considering the circumstances.

As mentioned above, anything coming out of John Lane, John Muszala, or Nelson Ezell’s shops is destined to be pristine (*depending on the aircraft owner’s penchant for originality of course). I for one am waiting for Mike VadeBonCoeur (Midwest Aero Restorations) to get his hands on a Corsair. His P-51 restorations are legendary, and he’s been biting at the bit to get an F4U in his clutches. When that day comes – look out. 😎

I visited Mike George’s hangar in Springfield, Illinois not long ago, and his F4U-5 is one of the unsung heros of laudable originality. I was caught by suprise at how completely stock his plane was.

There is an unrestored stock F4U-5 on display in Argentina that was offered for sale back in the mid-1990s for $150,000!!! I directed one warbird collector down there from Florida, but he decided to pass on the opportunity because of the symantics of the recovery and some mild corrosion he spotted on the bottome skins of the plane. It’s a shame, because now it’s been repainted and put on outdoor display, and the museum has revoked the idea of selling it. That would have been an excellent score for restoration to flying condition.

Walter Soplata has an original NAS Akron Corsair in his yard. Its an FG-1D that has never been restored. I would also venture to say that the current restoration coming out of John Lane’s Airpower Unlimited will be pretty exacting.

jim harley

The Fleet Air Arm Museum’s Corsair has got to be high up any list of original survivors. Read the recent book to show just how original it it is.

Washington Navy Yard museum Corsair

I don’t know anything about this one, but I bet it doesn’t get photographed very often! I visited in 2003 and it was the only aircraft I could find in the Navy Yard!