Warbird Information Exchange

It looks like the Super Corsair Race 57 has a new home. Mr Odegard has sold it to a gentleman in Chandler AZ.

Do we know this for sure? Mr. Odegard is apparently a property owner in Chandler and there was some speculation he simply re-registered the airplane but is still the "owner". Either way I'm quite happy to see the F2G in good old AZ.

Chad Veich

Yes, Mr Odegard himself has confirmed it is sold to a new owner. He will still be able to fly it though, so it's the best of both worlds. He is also finishing up the other F2G (race 74) project which should fly late this summer, hopefully in time to debut at Reno. Then he can get back to restoring his F4U-4.

I'm not surprised Mr. O sold it. I had an inkling of it with some statements he made at UND back in 2000 that he might be looking to sell it when other projects got close to being finished. He has never seemed to be the "collecting" type (i.e. has a lot of planes and none get a ton of flying because he's splitting his limited time between all of them), so it would make sense for him to sell older projects as new ones are completed to ensure they get the proper attention and are flying as much as they should instead of letting them sit for (potentially) months at a time because business and want to try and fly all of them some means that none fly much.

I'm glad he found a good home for a great airplane. I can't wait to see 74 in the air later this year.

Typo...we all know you really meant "Oshkosh".

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Nope, I meant Reno. I had rather see it flown in anger that wade through the masses to maybe get a close up look at it at Oskosh. They plan to push #74 up a little more than they did #57. The flaps are going to be faired in like the original, wings will be clipped etc.

Is there any chance that both F2G's will be there at the same time?

Who is the new owner (if you can release that)?

Does the new owner intend on taking # 57 to Reno every year, like Odegaard did?

Ron Pratte is the new owner. Watch the auction on SPEED tomorrow and Saturday. He will get a bunch of screen time, sitting in the front row, buying muscle cars like kids buy candy.

Actually Ron is already on TV buying stuff. He just spent $50,000 on a Harley for charity on SPEED.

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"I love the smell of racing gas in the morning"
www.timadamsphotography.com

Sounds like the bottom line here is that more Corsairs will be restored. That seems like a good thing to me.

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

I doubt #57 will go back to Reno, but I hope it does. It would be very cool to have both F2Gs, and both corncob Sea Furies there.

Is #74 an old racer as well? Never knew of this one. Do we have a photo of #74?

Nope, the #74 refers to it's Bureau number.

*runs away quickly before Hellcat catches up*

1947 race Info:

Owner: Cook Cleland
Pilot: Cook Cleland

Qualifying Date: 08/29/47
Qualifying Distance: 30 Miles
Qualifying Average Speed: 401.787 MPH

Race: Thompson Trophy Race
Race Date: 09/01/47
Race Distance: 300 Miles
Race Starting Position: 1
Race Average Speed: 396.131 MPH
Race Place: 1st
Race Prize: “R” Gold Replica, $19,500 includes $1,500 for 15 fastest laps and $2,000 for Allegheny Ludlum Award
Had fastest lap of entire race, lap #13 at 404.464 MPH

here is a 1948 picture

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May all your bent wings be F2G Corsairs!

Well how cool is that? ... Would #74 look like your phot when completed? I would love to see the two together for a phot shoot.

Nothing will beat the looks of that red and white beauty but this will be pretty cool.

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-Al Sauer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spookythecat