VMF-124 Guadalcanal 1943

[marine air]

Does anyone know the N-number and serial number of the Planes of Fame -1 they built up as a "Super Corsair" and it was subsequently lost at the Phoenix Air Races in the 1980's ? It was supposed to have been a -1 or -1A.
Also I remember reading that the Doan "birdcage" was made up from parts resourced and was not actually built with the birdcage canopy.

[tom d. friedman]

are the gps coordinates known on the birdcage wreck in lake michigan?? no....... i'm not going after it, i can barely make ends meet as it is. i'm only asking as i've talked with taras lyssenko from a & t recovery a number of times. he does all the naval aviation museum's salvage work out of lake michigan with captain rassmussen's / museum's approval.

[Warbirdnerd]

Does anyone know the N-number and serial number of the Planes of Fame -1 they built up as a "Super Corsair" and it was subsequently lost at the Phoenix Air Races in the 1980's ? It was supposed to have been a -1 or -1A.

The first edition of Warbirds Worldwide Directory lists it as N31518 no Bu # listed...

[Jack Cook]

I have to take issue with Jack on a couple of points. Somewhere in Boyington's book it mentions him passing through VMF-124, couldn't find it last night but there are plenty of websites that also make that claim on Google. Second, it was his ankle not leg and the squadron wasn't VMF-122 but VMF-222 (page 116).

Boyington broke the tibula in his left leg when he challenged someone bigger, less drunk (and also was a college wrestler) to wrestle and got throw through the front door of the O Club. It really wasn't a wrestling match. He WAS CO of VMF-122 not was never in 222. He commanded 112 from 74-19-43 throught 6-7-43 when Joe Smoak relieved him and he was sent to a hospital in NZ. He was back in late July and commanded VMF-112 on paper till 8-26. He and other pool pilots where rolled into VMF-124 which had returned from G-Canal and was commanded by Bill Millington. Again this was mostly on paper.
124 went back stateside soon after and Boyington formed 214. I suggest you treat his book has a work of fiction which most of it is. Try Bruce Gamble's bio Black Sheep One it's without a doubt non-fiction in fact it angered many of his family for bringing to light the dark secrets of their family.