Warbird Information Exchange

Im looking for an F4U Corsair for some personel flying. One of my brother-in-laws has his own King Air and my uncle down in Texas flys a Hughs MD300. And now that Im retired from the Military Im ready for my own plane and the Black Sheep Squd has always left an impression in my soul can someone help me out, please advise, my e-mail address is topsgt1956@yahoo.com and I work for the government at TACOM/MI. Have about 750,000 to work with...............

Sounds like you might be about halfway there unless you want a project:

http://www.platinumfighters.com/

More like a third of the way for one ready to go. Last sales are all pushing 2M for the flyaway airplanes...

Probably best to start in a Stearman or SNJ for a while first...

I agree with Joe. Get a lot of time in a PT-17 and AT-6. It will pay off. It takes a lot of skill to fly these old warbirds. It's an art form, IMHO.

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I suppose a shared ownership option wouldn't be out of the question if you could find a current owner who is interested.

If I had $750K to invest in the endeavor I would purchase partial ownership in an AT-6 Texan and log a couple or three hundred hours in type, then try to get a Corsair rating. If you have the proper endorsements (and a big pocket full of cash), I imagine the CAF or any of half dozen other foundations with a Corsair in their possession may very well accept you on as a sponsor/pilot. That way you could bypass many of the headaches associated with sole ownership.

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Rob Mears
'Surviving Corsairs' Historian
robcmears@yahoo.com
http://www.robmears.com

Your very first post, looking for a Corsair, work for the government and have 750,000 of something.
Maybe you and WIX's very own ellice_island_kid could go in halvesies on one.

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45-47=-2

LMFAO!! I was thinking the exact same thing!

Guvahmint jobs be paiying kwite a bit moh lately, huh?

WTF?, maybe he writes software for the military?

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S.

I concur with theses guys. I am no "Pilot" but am familiar with the necessities of a transition to a Warbird the size of a Corsair. The T-6/SNJ or whatever you want to call it, is a cool round motor aircraft, and is the trainer platform for a "safe transition into "Type". Less expensive to operate too I am sure (though the price of avgas is astro-frickin-nominal and that is a crime). I ponder for a moment, what are the good mans current qualifications. Legally, the only thing I can fly is a paper airplane, and have flown a Crown Vic across a driveway once. Based on what has be laid down here, are we to assume that he has no tail dragger time at all. Welcome to the WIX.

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

i wish and hope you get a corsair. Keep working on a dream and i think you can do it. Although your going to need a lot more money and time with other aircraft. But good luck!

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

Good Luck.

You will also need to plan on keeping the insurance gods happy too. I'm not sure the times for a Corsair level policy ( even only liability) but I can only guess that would require 300 or so hours in a AT-6 before you climb into the Corsair.

On the other hand, you are living my dream so go for it!

Although he doesn't sell them, my first stop would be Nelson Ezell at Ezell Aviation in Breckenridge, Texas.
He's rebuilt, maintained, flown and repaired more Corsairs than I could count.
He'd be a great resource for a unvarnised look at what it takes to buy one, fly one and keep it flying.

He's also be my go to guy for information on projects...and unlike a dealer, he'll tell you the truth about the amount of money and time involved in getting a plane back in the air.

He's a great guy and as honest as the day is long.
If I were in your position, that's who I'd call.

http://www.ezellaviation.com/

And like the others, I'd recommend building time in a Stearman and T-6.
I've met a pilot in the UK who did just that, he had a PPL and a 172, got tailwheel time with a Stearman, then got a T-6...all the while rebuilding his P-51.
When it was ready, he was ready.
In other words, he did the same steps as a WWII pilot.

Good luck in your quest and have fun!

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

So "topsgt1956" you haven't divulged your pilotage background. You've got me beat by 749,995 but maybe you have the qualifications for the proposed project and that would be cool. Care to share more? I can tell you, I would love to see your plan come true.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

My suggeston , before talking to the brokers is to go dwn the list of those on the U.S> registry. See ifyou can get about 50 of them on our list. Yes , No , and maybe's. I hear there are more than a dozen p-51's for sale, most are not listed. There are probably a few Corsair owners that are ready to come out of theirs, for whatever reason.
The retail price of a fully restored , pristine F4U is at the $2 mill mark. That is the realm you will be talking to Nelson Ezell or Mark Clark about. My advice is to find someone, that is ready to let theirs go. Maybe it needs paint, has a 25 year old engine overhaul, and old avionics. Howard Pardue?

This might be a solution if your okay with somthing that isnt the real thing.
http://www.corsair82.com/

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

In which case you'll be talking to Nelson Ezell...he does all the maintenance & rebuilds for Howard Pardue, IIRC.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.