As I recall that aircraft was a Planes of Fame aircraft and was
originally an F4U-1, one of the earliest Corsairs built. It had been
used by a movie studio as a wind generator or a prop. When they were
stripping the paint they found some indications of combat service like
kill or mission markings but didn't bother to research it further
before clipping the wings and installing the R 4360 engine. Maybe the
original data plate was missing, and maybe the mission/kill markings
were bogus and maybe not all of the aircraft was intact when the
rebuild began but it was a -1 Corsair airframe. The same type that
Ira Kepford and Pappy Boyington flew. It seemed a waste to me a the
time and still does.

I don't buy the idea that every old airframe is historic and I support
fully the right of anyone owning anything to do with that thing
whatever they legally want. The Planes of Fame has done such great
work that I can't really blame them for experimenting with one
artifact of unknown provenance.

I think that there ought to be clearly defined hierarchy for
historical artifacts. Some things are historic because they were used
in a specific event (Enola Gay, Spirit of St. Louis etc.), some are
historic because they are among the last of their specific type
(Douglas Dolphin or the Brewster 239 at Pensacola) and some are
historic because they are among the last of their general kind,
(Martin Mars, last piston engined true flying boats operational). In a
perfect world people that owned historic artifacts would treat them
with appropriate respect.

On Feb 18, 1:32�am, "vlado" wrote:
On Feb 18, 12:02?am, "Kingfish" wrote:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...06816384837258

This makes me nuts. An irreplaceable Corsair is lost in an air race -
a Super Corsair at that, which I think was one of a handful of R-4360
powered F4Us. Glad the pilot got out, but another piece of history is
gone, and for no good reason IMHO...

Kingfish:
This aircraft was not a stock F4U by any means. *It was not even a
factory built aircraft. *It did not posses a serial number from the
manufacturer or Navy. *This airframe was built completely from spare
parts and many custom made parts. *Thus, as an airframe, it had no
history. *If this helps your regret..............