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This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:32 pm

Well dont talk about it post it!

I don't have a place to put it for posting!

Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:03 pm

:(

Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:37 pm

If Brewster Corsair colour references are useful to you I have a number of well preserved fragments of a Fleet Air Arm Corsair, JS590 which was lost in the UK in 1945. Link to a fairly scant initial report here:

http://spitfirespares.com/SPITFIRESPARE ... overy.html

I would be grateful for help with part numbers, there are still many unknown parts. Yours, Ian

Re: I don't have a place to put it for posting!

Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:54 pm

ltdann wrote::(

Send me a PM and I will post it for ya.

Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:37 am

Lex,
Here are a couple I found on the Air Group 4 website:
http://www.airgroup4.com
This may be your aircraft:
Image
2nd Lt. Gilbert Boyd
And this may give you the idea of the color layout:
Image
Hope this helps,
Mark

Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:11 pm

Saw these on the web a long time ago, and saved em. Wish I knew who to give credit to. But when I saw mention of the L-prefix they popped into my head. not L69, but an interesting paint scheme to go with L54

Image
Image

Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:21 pm

Mark, Dan,

Thank you for your efforts. Both of you had photos I have not seen. The Brewster had the unbroken L69 stencil, (like L60) so it would not have been the first shot, it did give me a boost in heart rate for a moment though! John Wastvedt had shown me photos of some of VMF-124 (at Mojave) Corsairs with the blue and white checkerboard.

Thanks again for your help.

Pirate Lex
www.BrewsterCorsair.com

Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:24 pm

That is a smart scheme on a Corsair. I must say, i do like the bigger checkers rather than what you find on Corsairs like "Skyboss" and the CAF's example.

Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:25 pm

For those that haven't seen it, here is the Brewster at OSH 2005

Image

Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:58 pm

I see a Corsairs over Connecticut Shirt! WHOO HOO! :wink: :D

Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:22 am

Nice spotting job Chris!
We only had about 400 of those shirts made, so there aren't many around!
I've been thinking of making another batch, but I just don't know if I could sell them or if it would even be worth it.
Jerry

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:20 am

Cool thread. I wanna see a F3A flown someday! :D


Nathan(the positiveness) :wink: :shock:

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:55 am

I've been thinking of making another batch, but I just don't know if I could sell them or if it would even be worth it.


They look pretty cool Jerry. If you had a large lying around somewhere I'd certainly buy it. 8) I still regret not making the event!

Re: Brewster F3A-1 Corsair history?

Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:55 am

If "F3A-1" is still hanging out on this site I have some information on BuNo 04634 (VMF-124) if your interested. PM me anytime.

M

Image
Brewster F3A-1 Corsair in flight c 1943

Image
Marine Corps Brewster F3A-1 of Marine Air Group 91 commanded by Lt Col Joseph M. Renner MAG-91 Jan-May 45; VMF-913 Aug-Nov 44; VMF-914 June-Aug 1945

Re: Brewster F3A-1 Corsair history?

Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:17 pm

I've just finished the first of two books on -1 versions of the Corsair, and I'm hoping to finish the second one in the next month. After two years of primary research, I can confess that the Brewster Corsairs were the hardest varients to study - nearly all the Navy's documentation was pulled from the BuAer files to support the post-war lawsuits. I've never been able to find where the legal files ended up.

BuNo 04634 was the 120th Corsair built by Brewster. The first 60 airframes were what we call Birdcage Corsairs (BuAer generally referred to them as "original" or "low-cockpit" Corsairs). Everything after that was a "raised cockpit" Corsair, what we often call a "-1A." BuAer allowed the manufacturers to use the "1A" designation internally, but never allowed it as a recognized, official designation. Brewster was being considered for production of "1D" versions when the contract was cancelled in June 1944.

The L-prefix fuselage number was standard for VMF-124 aircraft before they left for Hawaii in September 1944; the eleven identified aircraft I have show side numbers between L51 and L68, and all were photographed between December 1943 and August 1944. The checkered noses and tails first appeared in August 1944 - the same month 04634 left for Cherry Point. I have only one post-August 1944 crash photo from VMF-124 - it shows a side number of B107 in September, but I've no idea if this was meant to be a new-style side number or simply a borrowed aircraft.

The dates on the red bordered insignia were from June to September 1943. There was an earlier-dated document from August 1943, but that document wasn't written until early-September; it was circulated and and approved in mid-September.

The four-tone camouflage scheme was approeved by the Navy in January 1943, but there were no dicussions about adding it to the Corsair until mid-March and the first aircraft to wear the graded camouflage from the factory didn't appear until May or June at the earliest. (The MCR on this change appears to be missing too!)

Watch for an odd camouflage pattern on the fuselage - factory drawings called out white undersides with Non-Specular Sea Blue on the top, feathered down into the white. The only Intermediate Blue was to appear on the vertical tail and undersides of the outer wing panels, though MANY variations included Intermediate Blue on the fuselage. Outer wing panels were produced and painted by Briggs, and there's a probablity that 04634's panels were delivered in Blue Gray, sketchy evidence suggests that when that happened, some lower surfaces were left in Bule Gray rather than repainted Intermediate Blue.

I wish I knew more - perhaps one day I'll trip across the missing Brewster files in some JAG section of the Archives?

Cheers,




Dana
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