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Brewster Corsair Mk.III British Mod


tonyot

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Hiya Folks,

I`ve just been reading an old article written in 1975 about the modification centres set up by Blackburn Aircraft to cater for `Anglicising' American built aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm and one section mentioned that the Brewster built Corsairs had to have their "machine gun mountings strengthened and the wingtips removed (by Blackburn at Brough) to fit British carriers"! Whether the latter means that the existing wingtips were reduced in size or that they were removed and new clipped wingtips were fitted is not clear.

I just thought that I`d pass this on as there was discussion here a while back about Brewster built Corsairs.

The article also mentions that "Hellcat`s and Corsair`s had F.24 camera`s fitted in two oblique and one vertical mounting in the rear fuselage" (but obviously not on all of them and only on selected aircraft!) and that "Avengers had the most mods with the separate mods required running into three figures with the largest carve up being in the rear cockpit where radios and other items of equipment were moved to accommodate a navigator" (well,...Observer to be correct!). It goes on to say that "this was emphatically approved by aircrew",.....however it tantalisingly doesn`t mention the exact modifications made......something which we have all been waiting for for years!

Cheers

Tony

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All Corsairs had to have their wingtips modified because when folded they were too high to fit inside the hangars of the armoured deck carriers, not just Brewster's. Even then they did not fit inside the last three: Indefatigable and Implacable, which had two lower full length hangar decks, Indomitable had one and a half. Which is why they had Seafires and Hellcats.

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That is odd indeed. As I understand it, Briggs made the outer wing portions for all three Corsair producers (V,B&G). Three methods of shortening the tips were used, but Briggs did the cut tip.

Some Corsair Is were returned to the UK with full tips, but this is the first reference I've seern to IIIs having full span.

Perhaps more infgo will come form Dana Bells's ne monograph.

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I'm working on another section of the second Corsair book right now, so I don't have a complete answer to your question. What documentaion I have seems contradictory, and I'll need some time to sort it all out. However, here's waht I do know:

- Briggs took some time delivering outer wing panels with shortened tips. All Mk.Is and some Mk.IIs were delivered with long (USN-style) wings, which were then to be modified to short wings. In the US, this was done by Andover Kent working out of Roosevelt Field, New York. Correspondence suggests that several aircraft went to the UK before the tips could be modified.

- There were short FAA wing tips and "short short" British wing tips. One document suggests that all Mk.IIIs were delivered with one or the other of these tips, but that the short tips were to be modified to short short tips. Perhaps this was mod also performed by Blackburn? (Other documents suggeset that early Mk.IIIs were diverted from Brewster's USN commitments and were delivered with USN tips and camouflage - this is something I still need to sort out!)

I'm going to be working on this project through the next six weeks - I'm no longer certain it can be published by Christmas! - but I'll try to post something a bit more substantial when I've completed that section of the book.

(The Birdcage book will be coming off the presses this week, though I'm not sure how long it will take to hit the UK. The US Amazon listing is here: http://www.amazon.com/Aircraft-Pictorial-No-F4U-1-Corsair/dp/0985714972/ref=la_B001JRWOCU_1_31?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416236226&sr=1-31

Cheers,

Dana

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All Corsairs had to have their wingtips modified because when folded they were too high to fit inside the hangars of the armoured deck carriers, not just Brewster's. Even then they did not fit inside the last three: Indefatigable and Implacable, which had two lower full length hangar decks, Indomitable had one and a half. Which is why they had Seafires and Hellcats.

Hiya Graham,...I know that seagoing RN Corsair`s had to have their wingtips modified but as Dana has mentioned there were different types of clipped wingtips and I was just passing on the fact that the Brewster built Mk.III`s did not appear to have their wingtips modified in the US as I had always assumed, but in the UK!

Some birdcage Mk.I`s were also flown by the RN in the USA & UK without modified wingtips in the land based training role.

Dana- As you are probably aware there is at least one photo which appears to depict a Corsair Mk.III in service in the UK wearing the US Navy tricolour scheme. I`m looking forward to reading both of your new books,............I always appreciate a well researched new book!

Cheers

Tony

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Hi Tony,

While there was a delay in getting Briggs to deliver shortened outer wing panels, there was little trouble getting them to apply FAA camouflage before delivery. All three aircraft manufacturers received the wings in Brit colors, though Goodyear (late to the game in an attempt to make up for Brewster's canceled deliveries) overpainted the wings with Glossy Sea Blue for all Corsair IVs.

The USN camouflage on Corsair IIIs appears to have resulted from the US Navy demanding that Brewster - never very efficient and always well behind on production - revise delivery schedules and divert nearly all production from the US to the UK. Planes being built for the USN suddenly received UK insignia and markings. Once the line caught up, Brewster started using US versions of the Brit colors.

Cheers,

Dana

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Cheers Dana,

You`ve confirmed what I thought,........I hope you didn`t think that I meant that all Brewster built Corsair Mk.III`s were finished in US Navy colours,.....as I`ve seen pictures of plenty of Brewster built Corsair Mk.III`s finished in Temperate Sea Scheme (equivalent) British camouflage.

In case you didn`t know,.....the Corsair Mk.IV in our Fleet Air Arm Museum is fitted with a Brewster built tailplane which was originally finished in British camouflage before it was fitted to this aircraft and then repainted Glossy Sea Blue. It seems that when the Brewster production line was closed down some finished components made their way onto other lines such as the one at Goodyear where they were repainted when the aircraft was painted. I wonder if any British finished components were fitted to Corsairs bound for the US Navy?

Cheers

Tony

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Hi Tony,

I suspected you already knew about the Corsair III colors - thanks for confirming!

There was no plan to build the Corsair IV until the Brewster contract was canceled in June 1944. At that time, the division of labor had Goodyear building FG-1Ds for the US Navy and RNZAF, with a 1945 shift planned for FG-4s and F2Gs; Vought was already moving into F4U-4s for the USN; and Brewster was to be the producer of Corsairs for all FAA needs. There were hopes that Brewster could convert to F3A-1Ds for the FAA, but this idea dropped with the contract.

Vought suddenly received a new contract for Corsair IVs - if anything, the end of Brewster really signalled (though unknown at the time) the end of the FG-4 and F2G. Many of the parts built for Brewster were passed to Goodyear, while some outer wing panels were back-modded for USN deliveries. Goodyear was given permission to spray Glossy Sea Blue over the FAA enamel color scheme - though this was quick, it quickly ruined the finish, which then had to be stripped and repainted. Only a few dozen panels were messed up, with later panels getting Glossy Sea Blue dopes and lacquers directly from Briggs.

Tail surfaces were supposed to be built and painted by subcontractors, but while I've seen the orders, I'm not sure anyone followed through. The Brewster parts could have been used by Goodyear or Vought, but I've not yet found a paper trail on that one.

The Timecapsule Corsair book is a favorite - something that every museum should be doing with their restorations. Once the second of my Corsair books is finished, I'm hoping to send a bunch of notes to Mr Morris for possible inclusion in a second edition - though there is no commitment that such a book will be written.

Cheers,

Dana

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Cheers Dana,

Some great information there and I wasn`t aware that the switching of the FAA order from Brewster had sounded the death knell of the FG-4 & F2G. Personally I`m surprised that Brewster lasted as long as it actually did and I`m looking forward to reading your new books,.....who are they being published by?

I`m sure that Dave Morris would love to receive your extra info and it would certainly make a 2nd edition of his superb book even better. The last time I spoke to him he was saying that he is hoping to do a similar book about the recently restored Martlet, I love the forensic approach that they take at Yeovilton and like you I wish other museums could follow this same approach where they had a suitable subject. I`m hoping that Dave and his team will tackle the Hellcat next.

All the best

Tony

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Hy Tony,

Just in case I've confused the issue, while the end of the Brewster contract killed the FG-4 and F2G, that wasn't the intention. Both Goodyear products were delayed by the need to produce Corsair IVs, but the work continued on the advanced Corsairs. But by the time Goodyear could again concentrate on the FG-4 and F2G, the war was over. Originally, Goodyear was to be paid to complete a dozen or so FG-4s that were well advanced on the line, but in the end the Navy reduced the contract to complete a number of FG-1Ds that were also in the works.

The book is being published by Classic Warships as part of their Aircraft Pictorial series. I'll try to find the name of the UK distributor - I wouldn't mind seeing more copies available at British book stores!

I've been in touch with Dave Morris - I suspect the ball is in my court tosend him some answers! It seems every question he had in the book was covered by a note in the BuAer files, and I'd like to make sure he has access to all of that before he considers a second edition.

Cheers,

Dana

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I'll try to find the name of the UK distributor - I wouldn't mind seeing more copies available at British book stores!

Please do. Shipping from US is a killer and it would be wonderful to have a chance to get these books somewhere in Europe. They are a must have for me for sure!

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Hy Tony,

Just in case I've confused the issue, while the end of the Brewster contract killed the FG-4 and F2G, that wasn't the intention. Both Goodyear products were delayed by the need to produce Corsair IVs, but the work continued on the advanced Corsairs. But by the time Goodyear could again concentrate on the FG-4 and F2G, the war was over. Originally, Goodyear was to be paid to complete a dozen or so FG-4s that were well advanced on the line, but in the end the Navy reduced the contract to complete a number of FG-1Ds that were also in the works.

The book is being published by Classic Warships as part of their Aircraft Pictorial series. I'll try to find the name of the UK distributor - I wouldn't mind seeing more copies available at British book stores!

I've been in touch with Dave Morris - I suspect the ball is in my court tosend him some answers! It seems every question he had in the book was covered by a note in the BuAer files, and I'd like to make sure he has access to all of that before he considers a second edition.

Cheers,

Dana

Hiya Dana,

No problems and no confusion,....I knew what you meant,.....by `death knell' I just meant the production of extra Mk.IV`s put the construction of the intended FG-4 & F2G back and as you say,..the end of the war took care of them then.

I don`t know how feasible it would have been had the original plans gone ahead but I`d like to build a `what if' F2G in British Pacific Fleet markings some day as it is a very smart looking version.

Did you know that Major `Ronnie' Hay (Royal Marines), the CO of the 47th Naval Fighter Wing aboard HMS Victorious in 1944/45 said in an interview that he went ashore to a US Navy forward stores facility in the Pacific to try and obtain some spares for his weary looking Corsair Mk.II`s and he was told that he could have two squadrons worth of brand new shiny F4U-4`s for the right number of cases of Whiskey! Sorely tempted,....he had to decline this very kind offer as he said that even his `fish head' (ie non aviator!) admiral would notice that the shiny blue Corsairs looked different to the tired old camouflaged examples so he had better not! I think that this was after the series of strikes against the Sakashima Gunto archipeligo in support of the Okinawa landings? I dare say that had this gone ahead they could have swapped the clipped wingtips ( or if not, then the entire outer wings?) over before flying out to the carrier and it is intriguing to imagine what would have occurred if he had gone ahead with the `deal'.

All the best

Tony

Edited by tonyot
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Adm: good morning Ronnie! I see you found those spares you needed...can you explain why you chose to repaint the planes blue?

Maj.: well Admiral, you see the spare bits were blue and we decided the squadron should look smart leaving harbour. Plus you remember that the Americans all have blue aircraft and the Japanese are green, so to ensure no friendly fire we decided that overall blue would be better. Is that all sir?

Adm: no that's it and I see here the stores report is showing we are short 10 cases of my favourite whiskey...we must find the culprits or I shall have to shorten rations in the mess.

Maj.: aye sir! 'Tis a rotten thing. By your leave, sir?

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