Corsairs

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Oct 18, 2009 9:50 pm

By Request.......

F4U-1As a VMF-224 reaady to hit Rabaul 1944

F4U-1D VMF-213 USS Essex 1945

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:01 pm

Zoiks! that's beautiful :shock:

How's about that cowl number. I've never seen that style applied before. Kinda stylish!

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:41 pm

I'd got 2 more in the sequence and there really cool!

Mgawa · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:49 am

Yes, they are nice

Do you have C model?

Oscar Duck · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:00 am

The Essex pic - she's sitting on the cat..neat.

hopefully the paint police don't get onto the plane captain about that number and the drop tank colours :lol:

Edward Sheetmetalhands · **Joined:** Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:44 am **Posts:** 257

I guess the tape over the gunports is for aerodynamic fairing when the machine guns are removed? Or is it to keep the birds out? I think it would have been neat to install big corks there.

And, why would the Essex Corsair carry two big long range drop tanks and no machine guns? You would think a tactical strike would require machine guns operative. Seems like a waste to fly all that way and just launch a few rockets from the outboards... I guess it must already be configured for the mission with no armament if it is sitting in the catapult. Maybe it was making a beer run. :partyman:

51fixer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:39 am

Edward Sheetmetalhands wrote:

I guess the tape over the gunports is for aerodynamic fairing when the machine guns are removed? Or is it to keep the birds out? I think it would have been neat to install big corks there.

And, why would the Essex Corsair carry two big long range drop tanks and no machine guns? You would think a tactical strike would require machine guns operative. Seems like a waste to fly all that way and just launch a few rockets from the outboards... I guess it must already be configured for the mission with no armament if it is sitting in the catapult. Maybe it was making a beer run. :partyman:

The tape protected the guns.
Also it would easily be seen if they fired.
Rich

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:05 am

Great shots Jack!
Thanks!
With that odd number styling, the covered gun ports and the big drop tanks, it makes me think that perhaps this aircraft was ferried to the carrier in this configuration and the number later removed.
What do you guys think?
Jerry

b29flteng · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:48 pm

Edward Sheetmetalhands wrote:

I guess the tape over the gunports is for aerodynamic fairing when the machine guns are removed? Or is it to keep the birds out? I think it would have been neat to install big corks there.

:partyman:

The tape is to keep dirt and sand out of the barrels after cleaning. The first firing of the gun blew the tape off. All of the Allied fighters had the same type of covering. On Spitfires and Hurricanes they use red doped fabric that you can see on restored airplanes. Some of the stories about the fighting, the ground crew would hear the whistling of the open gun ports as the aircraft landed, indicating that the fighter was in a dogfight.

The GI infantry sometimes used condoms to protect the barrel during the D-Day invasion.

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