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FAA Corsairs - gun port covers?


Simon Cornes

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I'm sure I've seen a photograph of a FAA Corsair with a red painted block covering all 3 gun ports but I'm damned if I can find it now! Am I going mad or am I right? Whilst I'm asking questions, I'm also sure that I've seen a photo of a crashed Corsair upside down on a flight deck with black stripes around the tail hook? True? I suspect that the answer will be a) not normally gun port patches and not normally stripey hook but if anyone knows the answer I'd be grateful for some confirmation!!

Thank you

Simon

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You are right Simon,....... doped fabric was usually used to cover the gun ports,...... it varied between custom cut circular patches to a full strip covering all three guns and I think I`ve even seen white tape used in the Far East too

 

I`ve not noticed a striped hook on a British Corsair.

 

This article has some nice pics which show red doped patches and also white;

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/147/The-royal-treatment--Our-Corsair-gets-her-colours.aspx

 

 

Cheers

          Tony

Edited by tonyot
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From the IWM:

 

large_000000.jpg?_ga=2.149675062.1479750

 

This device being used here is called an outrigger. The tail wheel is locked at the end of it and slung outboard. Chocks are fixed fore and aft of the undercarriage wheels so that this Chance-Vought Corsair is kept securely in position while taking up a minimum of deck space on board HMS KHEDIVE, part of the East Indies Fleet as she operates in eastern waters.

 

large_000000.jpg?_ga=2.174321698.1479750

 

An American built Chance-Vought Corsair taxi-ing away from the deck landing area of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS.

 

large_000000.jpg?_ga=2.115932934.1479750

 

830 Squadron, Chance-Vought Corsair pilots, some of whom took part in the raid.

 

large_000000.jpg?_ga=2.183145638.1479750

 

large_000000.jpg?_ga=2.217642774.1479750

 

 

 

Chris

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Thanks for that Mr Beema !! Something I had not considered. 

I have found the photo of the Corsair with the stripes tail hook - MkII Red 7S of 1835 NAS on Lusty. I think the serial is something like -- 744 ? I reckon there are 12 to 13 black stripes but I'm guessing the hook is the underside colour, not white? Its to be hoped that the pilot got out okay? I think it is copywritten to Asisbiz.com so I might have to delete the image?

 

Royal-Navy-Corsair-MkII-FAA-1835NAS-Red-

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Hi Simon,

 

The US issued a warning not to tape the gun port on later Corsairs -- there was even a marking stenciled beneath the wing aft of the gun ports.  I haven't been able to find my copy of the change order (did I file it under "wings," "armament," or "colors and markings?"), but I believe this came about in mid-1944.  As always, trust your photos, but don't assume the tape would have been added later if it isn't seen in your refs.

 

Cheers,

 

 

Dana

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Now Chris, that is a question!! In the photo the colour doesn't look black. I wonder if anyone can shed some light on that? Plenty of red, blue, white, yellow, black, EDSG, Sky and Dark Slate on the carrier so what does it look like?

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The Corsair MKIVs of 1846 had a black and white ringed tailhook.

 

On another note, there is a colour photo showing Seafires with green doped gun ports on a carrier deck. I can't find it at the moment but I know it is on the back of JD Browns book on the Seafire. Just saying......

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Something I've been mulling over, is, that picture of the deck crew pulling the prop through above. Either the erk matelot on the bottom blade has small hands or those yellow prop tips are bigger than what I've long thought was regulation at 4 inches. :unsure:

Steve.

Edited by stevehnz
corrected the deck crew name.
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1 hour ago, Simon Cornes said:

That would be the ‘smaller handed matelot’ I suspect! Also, maybe American props had larger coloured tips, being American!!

 

Nope! 4" was standard with both the British and the Americans.

 

 

 

Chris

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