Two Types of F4U-1 Wheels?

[rwright142]

The following 2 pictures of the mains for a F4U-1 Corsair are slightly different - the 2nd one has lugs on it. What were they for? Some suggested they were used to weld on some tie-downs for transport or maybe just left over from the manufacturing process and were never ground off? What do you think?

[Fouga23]

something to attach a weight too for balancing the wheel?

[Mgawa]

Interesting- I never take a detail look on this before

[skymstr02]

something to attach a weight too for balancing the wheel?

If you look at the rib inside the wheel, you can see a weight bolted on. I beleive that those were for a wheel cover attach location.

[51fixer]

Bottom looks like P-47 style.
Some kind of dzuz spring would attach on those raised points for a wheel cover. Usually AAF had covers but I don't recall any on Naval A/C.
The other style wheel I'm familiar with is a solid wheel housing with wavy corrugations where this one has holes.
Rich

[Pooner]

Bottom wheel casting points on photo #2 were intended for mouting clips that had a stainless steel strip with a Dzus spring. If they are not "slotted" it is because it was not done in the machining process.

Some Naval aircraft of WWII indeed used wheel covers - a form of "hub cap" to keep dirt and grime out of the wheel casting, and specifically away from the brake and bearing assemblies. Our PV-2 "Harpoon" had 'em. Others that come to mind would include the PB4Y-1 and -2, PBY, PV-1 on down to SNJ and SNV.

While wheel covers were not as common to the USN aircraft as USAAF, there are several aircraft (a few mentioned above) that were used by multiple service branches. There was, however, only one really big magnesium-cast wheel factory in the US at the time, and that was Hayes Industries in Jackson, Michigan. In an effort to simplify the manufacturing process a good number of these wheels were interchangeable. I can think of only a few "specific" wheel castings that were unique to individual aircraft... TBF and TBM mains is one that comes to mind. The B-17 tailwheel is another. I'm sure there's a few more that'll hit me later.

But that's a direct answer to your query. Dust cover mount points, pure and simple.

[Second Air Force]

Here are two photos that confirm Rich and Pooners' posts. These are nose wheels for the B-29 that were used for years as parts of farm trailers.

This one has the wheel cover clips still installed. Unfortunately someone decided they needed a free trophy before I could purchase this one, and it vanished from its storage area a couple of years ago.


And this is one of the four we did buy. It still has the lugs for the Dzus holder, but no slots were cut in the lugs to accept the fasteners.

[rwright142]

Thanks to everyone for the responses.

[kenlyco]

rwright142, That first wheel I think was introduced on the -4 models,I can be wrong but I looked at some Pics and I can not find that wheel on any Corsair's earlier than the -4 model.The -5 and up I can not find any Pics of the second wheel on them?

[rwright142]

The first picture shows the style of the -1 up to and including the -4. I believe the -5 was the first variant that had a different spoke design but some of the -4s may have.

The 2nd picture was sent to me by Lex Cralley, who you all may know as the guy who recovered a Brewster built F3A-1 Corsair from a swamp in NC and is in the process of restoring it.

Last edited by rwright142 on Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[kenlyco]

Here is a -1D first Pic. -5 second Pic.

[rwright142]

I've never seen a -5 with those wheels. They have all been like this so I've seen something new today. Thanks!

[kenlyco]

I learned somthing new too,and somebody correct me if I am wrong,I think those are some type of aftermarket type wheels.

[Rob Mears]

To the best of my knowledge, the wheels seen on the F4U-5 above were introduced with the AU-1 Corsair variant. They then found there way onto many earlier F4U-4, -5, and FG-1D's that were still in service as a result of general service and maintenance. Many of the surplus FG-1D's that were photographed in the mid-50's are wearing these wheels, but you shouldn't find Corsairs of any type wearing them prior to the inception of the AU-1.