Restoring a Legendary WWII Fighter Plane: The Corsair

[@jimroberts3009]

So many beautiful old (and so old) warbirds. You've gotta love Corsairs! I live in the UK and we have many really good aircraft museums but this place makes me jealous. 😊😊😊

[@stevemccarty6384]

I was a member of VMA-214 in the 70s flying brand new A-4Ms. We did a lot of dive bombing, some straffing and dog fighting. The "M" had a larger canopy than other models of the Skyhawk which was neat and it had a self-starter that almost worked most of the time. It also sported a drag chute which was a beast to repack so we seldom used it. The Plane Captains refused to repack it demanding that the pilots who had deployed it do. So we didn't do it again. They gave us a baseball bat to try to jam it back into its canister in the tail of the aircraft. Instead of deploying the drag chute we just dropped the hook and took the arresting gear that was stretched across runways in the middle and at the end.

[@wmsollenberger8706]

So gracious of them to let us see this stuff! Nice walk thru, THANKS!

[@thehealthylivinggroup747]

Love the behind the scenes 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@OlJarhead]

That would be my dream job… restoring warbirds.

[@wadegrant7465]

Holy crap! I live in P'cola and go to the Museum a few times a year and had no idea they had a Birdcage in back. It is my favorite aircraft and variant of all time!! I need to get out there in the next few weeks to check it out. Thanks for the video, would have never known otherwise.

[@richardbrowne3641]

Wow! A real birdcage, Corsair! Pensacola, Florida has a aircraft museum? I lived in Florida for 31 years and moved out and never knew there was a aircraft museum there. I knew there was an aircraft museum off of I 4 down by Plant City, Florida. I wish I could of went there while lived in Florida.

[@ChizAfterHours]

Awesome tour! I didn't realize they were restoring that birdcage! If you're ever up in PA, check out the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum. They're restoring one of the 4 remaining P-61 Black Widows for flight. It's been a long restoration but their team of volunteers are amazing and have made some leaps in the last few years.

[@lyndonhenderson816]

I retired from LTV aircraft in Dallas Texas,in 2013 they had a retire group that the same thing we even repainted a Vought F4U Corsaire 😊😊😊😊❤

[@jeremiahwasabullfrog957]

I love the salmon color anti corrosion primer on those early Corsairs.

[@stevemccarty6384]

When I was a pilot in VMA-214 we were home based in NAS El Toro which was in So Cal. Boyington lived not too far away. He was a serious drinker and his wife would not let him visit his old squadron knowing that we'd have plied him with drink. Earlier, when 214 was stationed in DaNang or somewhere around there the squadron found out where he was living and provided him with a ticket to fly out there. When he arrived they sat him on a table in the Ready Room and kept him supplied with bourbon and he regaled the guys with war stories. They even put him on the Flight Schedule which PO'd the Co, who was taking the War seriously, the squadron pilots not so much. Soon befored he died, Boyington showed up at the air shows in NorCal for a few years. I got a signed copy of his book, "Ba Ba Blacksheep". He had quite a life....muddled by massive quantities of strong drink.

[@wadegrant7465]

I worked for the CO of MAG-13 when LCpl Foote took a joyride in a dead lined A-4 from 214. It was kinda crazy around there for a few weeks.

[@stevemccarty6384]

@@wadegrant7465 I remember, Wade that that happened, but I can't recall where I was at the time. I can't recall if I was still on active duty or not. It was a pretty amazing stunt and that's for sure. I wonder what happened to LCpl Foote? Is he still in the slammer? I got a couple thousand hours in the A-4 and loved flying that airplane. But and by far the best flying that I ever did while a Marine was in the Reserves! All the pilots were experienced guys. We flew similar missions that we flew in the Regulors, only better. We called ourselves the "Light Attack, heavy liberty squadron".

[@bbrut3332]

Unfortunately you guys did not help Boynton by making sure he had an unlimited amount of booze. You knew he was an alcoholic and just wanted to soothe you boyish egos. I had the pleasure of spending several days with him and he never ask or wanted alcohol. His wife was with him and she helped make him a better man. This happen in 1970.

[@garlonholder476]

@@stevemccarty6384 I’m not sure why they thought it was cool to supply a known alcoholic with massive amounts of liquor.

[@Mothonomics]

my god it is literally my dream to work in aircraft restoration. I pray one day I can come take a look at this facility when I'm able!!! The birdcage was such unamazing thing to see you cover, Can't wait to see it finished too! Thank you!

[@doctormarkrosenberg4000]

Great tour

[@warbirdflyerF4U]

What an awesome tour of an amazing museum and restoration facility I am a big corsair fan Thank you for sharing this video and I hope you will keep us updated on the progress of the corsair 😊

[@JackFlemingFan1]

Excellent video and thank you for posting it too!!

[@chipps1066]

An impeccable video of impeccable skill,thank you sir!

[@e3aviationassociation]

Glad you liked it!

[@JohnVieceli]

Wow…very cool!

[@grantbellinger7403]

My most Favourite Aircraft, when I was a kid ,I wanted to be Fighter pilot in a Corsair,and I still think they area gorgeous!

[@ZenZaBill]

I could spend a week there, exploring... and the various machine tools...

[@toda304]

Excellent walk though currently working on F4U-1 Corsair 02270 at classic jets fighter museum at Parafield in South Australia, beautiful old birds

[@stevemccarty6384]

I had a buddy in the Marine Corps who, after he got out, was tasked with flying an F4U back from Equador where a guy had purchased one from the Equadorian Air Force. So Mike went down there and picked up the airplane. It started okay and he took off, but no one had tested the landing gear so he didn't know that if he raised them they'd go back down again, so he flew the aircraft back to the States with the gear down not exceeding 150 knots. All military pilots dream of flying an F4U. Mike and I were in squadrons together flying the Skyhawk which was a nifty little jet. Some countries still fly it I think. Lucky guys!

[@Mylifebook]

Nice

[@leroycharles9751]

Fascinating and thanks. I wouldn't worry about anything classified, I'm sure the Chinese already know about it.

[@stevemccarty6384]

The F4U flown by Boyington's VF-214 had the birdcage canopy. The pilot sat so low in the cockpit that the Navy couldn't bring it aboard. So the Marines got it.

[@e3aviationassociation]

Great call out @stevemccarty6384 ... Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (December 4, 1912 - January 11, 1988) was an American combat pilot who was a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. A Marine aviator with the Pacific fleet in 1941, Boyington joined the "Flying Tigers" (1st American Volunteer Group) of the Republic of China Air Force and saw combat in Burma in late 1941 and 1942 during the military conflict between China and Japan. In September 1942, Boyington rejoined the Marine Corps. In early 1943, he deployed to the South Pacific and began flying combat missions in the F4U Corsair fighter. On August 14, 1943, he took command of Marine fighter squadron VMF-214 ("Black Sheep"). In January 1944, Boyington, outnumbered by Japanese "Zero" planes, was shot down into the Pacific Ocean after downing one of the enemy planes. He was captured by a Japanese submarine crew and was held as a prisoner of war for more than a year and a half. He was released shortly after the surrender of Japan.

[@vettegreaser6590]

It would have been VMF-214, to indicate a Marine squadron

[@henrypena2547]

Super Nice

[@E3OffRoad]

You Guys rock. Thanks

[@e3aviationassociation]

Back over to your side. Thanks

[@leroycharles9751]

A question on the planes in the back, are they tied down or just sitting there?

[@e3aviationassociation]

They are actually CHAINED down

[@prepper-bc4zr]

My dad was the inflight mechanic on that Connie. Nas glynco ga

[@e3aviationassociation]

That's crazy. Send us some pics and a small story so we can put it in the e3 aviation magazine with this video. Magazine: joom.ag/3cAd Send to [e-mail]

[@JoeYoung-kn5kq]

Is the Corsair going to be air worthy?

[@e3aviationassociation]

No. They are not replacing the magnesium section. It will be museum ready. But they are restoring to almost airworthy condition.

[@JoeYoung-kn5kq]

@@e3aviationassociation Thank you!

[@stevemccarty6384]

Oh if it starts it'll fly, but I'll bet to get it certified it'll have about a zillion ADs to complete.

[@guaporeturns9472]

I remember some yrs ago(maybe 30) they were selling mothballed Grumman Trackers for about 40000 bucks. Should have bought one.

[@e3aviationassociation]

😂

[@davidstumer3360]

Will it be flying or just static.

[@e3aviationassociation]

Just for display

[@vettegreaser6590]

Do you know if this one was in VF-17?

[@e3aviationassociation]

Dont know but we can ask.

[@vettegreaser6590]

@@e3aviationassociation that would be great. I’m a huge Corsair fan and a bigger fan of VF-17.

[@MarkRenn]

How did it crash into a lake and NOT damage the prop?

[@e3aviationassociation]

Missed the hook and rolled off the carrier.

[@MarkRenn]

@@e3aviationassociation Ah. I see. Thanks for that info.

[@lerodg]

I have tried for several years to get in and show my grandkids what their great grandfather did. (plane captain CV-6). We were denied because we didn’t have a member of our party with an active DOD ID. What did you do to get in?

[@e3aviationassociation]

🛩In 2023 they reopened so that civilians can get in. Go back now. You can get in. The Museum has grown as well with a new section for modern aircraft.

[@jeffcarle5208]

Call the museum and they will talk you through the vetting process.

[@johncarlson3061]

My father was based there in 61-62 in 1996 he drove us(kids) down to Florida and got us on base.The base commander gave us a marine escort who basically let us go everywhere. Those were the days! Pre 9-11

[@E3Camping]

@@johncarlson3061 its open to the public again. Check it out.

[@Blackcloud_Garage]

Clearly the Naval Aviation museum has much better benefactors than the Army Aviation Museum. The Army museum looks like a closet compared to this operation.

[@timsolms]

Yep. Can confirm

[@ozark6454]

It’s the Air Force that took over the “ Army Aviation “ piece , clearly you haven’t visited their museums …..

[@Baza1964]

So its not being restored to flying condition ?

[@e3aviationassociation]

That's correct, the focus is on preserving its historical significance.

[@spsliger]

Is this the same as Air Force Museum Non Flyers

[@e3aviationassociation]

no. Its in Pensacola Florida and you can go as the public

[@jamesculver605]

Great tour, however whenever in a museum, “Look but don’t touch”

[@e3aviationassociation]

Luckily that's not the case here at the NAS Museum. You can look AND touch a majority of the aircraft displays around the facilities! Truly a special place.

[@nedharrisjr2991]

Something very unsatisfied about this video. Lots of shots of the briefer, few of the airframes, and most of those are way too quick.

[@e3aviationassociation]

We hear you Ned. We are working on that and have some new "directors cut" versions coming out with more on the planes.

[@mcguire4162]

I'm an aviator. Clearly, I love aircraft. As much as I love watching them fly I don't believe that such a rare bird should fly again. It's too historically valuable to risk. That's my opinion.

[@johncarlson3061]

My father was based there in 1963 as Petty Officer in training squadron 6. He flew T-28's My Grandfather was the last 1st mate on the See&Bee which was converted into the USS Wolverine for the war. Which is the sidewheel carrier that that Corsair probably was trying to land on.. Petty cool. Hope they bring it back to flight condition. ✈️

[@stevemccarty6384]

I was a student pilot in the Naval Aviation Training Command in the 60s. After primary flight training when we flew the T-34 Mentor (We called it the "Tormentor".) in VT-1 the students were divided to go either the jet route or the chopper/multi-engine track. The guys who went choppers got to fly the T-28. That was a wonderful airplane and there were red and white T-28s all over the sky. It flew about like the Hellcat of WWII fame. I got to ride in one, and got to get some stick time. We did some spins and I barfed in my glove. I had not started training yet. When we started flying jets we were assigned the T-2A Buckeye. It had one J-34 engine. We eventually graduated to twin engined T-2s and flew B and C models. We did formation, gunnery and hit the boat in that airplane. It was a kick to fly.