Silver coloured Corsairs

[alanw]

Hi All

On Britmodeller forums, a question was raised about
RNZAF Corsairs in Silver paint (possibly post war).

From what I have read, the question arose from the
writer seeing a model at the RNZAF Museum in Christchurch.

Anyone have any knowledge of this or photos (of the
real item)?

I know post war TBFs were painted Silver (with yellow/black)
never heard of a Corsair that way (doesn't mean they didn't
exist)

Thanks

Alan

[Bruce]

There were definitely at least 2 Corsairs in Silver paint / Natural metal. I dont have the details to hand right now, but someone here is bound to!

[hairy]

From page 107 of Charles Darbys RNZAF - The First Decade 1937-46...................

NZ5531 and NZ5526 of the Central Flying School at Wigram were the only RNZAF Corsairs known to fly unpainted except for identity markings and the black anti-glare panel.

Here is NZ5531 after disposal........

[beagle]

That avenger looks like to be in target towing colours, but don't tell Baz..

[Peter Lewis]

There was a RNZAF Corsair that was painted up with the word 'Corsair' in large letters on the fuselage, presumably for a post-war airshow.

I have seen a photo of it, and from memory it was silver, with roundel and serial.

[camtech]

Peter,
My recollection of the photo of "Corsair" is it was a dark sea blue. It featured on a cover of Whites Aviation magazine, probably 1946. I'll look for a photo of it and post it here.

[camtech]

Ha - as soon as I posted it, I found the caption. It was July 1945 Whites Aviation, and the aircraft, from the Conversion Flight at Ardmore, was being flown by Sqdn Ldr Douglas Greig, and he flew at several air force displays in support of war loans. The aircraft was painted BLACK, and it was found to create less drag than ordinary camouflage. I cannot find any mention of a serial, but from my files, I note NZ5545 was one with a "Corsair" script.

[hairy]

Apr 14, 2010 21:19:37 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

There was a RNZAF Corsair that was painted up with the word 'Corsair' in large letters on the fuselage, presumably for a post-war airshow.

I have seen a photo of it, and from memory it was silver, with roundel and serial.

Once again from Charles Darbys RNZAF - The First Decade 1937-46, on page 108 there is a picture of NZ5545 in dark blue (according to the text) with 'Corsair' painted on the side, apparantly it was applied for an airshow in 1945.

It's a rather handy book to have on hand at times.

[alanw]

Hi Gents

Thanks for the quick replies ;D ;D

Looks a like a cool modeling topic, have to keep that one in mind.

Regards

Alan

[Dave Homewood]

I'd like to know more about whether that aircraft was genuinely black as Whites state, or just normal blue as Charles says.

[hairy]

Apr 15, 2010 1:12:43 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

I'd like to know more about whether that aircraft was genuinely black as Whites state, or just normal blue as Charles says.

I'd put my money on Whites as it was probably written by someone who was actually there.

[camtech]

After finding another photo of the aircraft, with serial visible, I would agree that White's are almost certainly correct. Otherwise, why say that the black finish created less drag. When I get some time, I'll scan the photo and the cover.
Back on the topic of silver Corsairs, I can't find any more references to these apart from the two already noted. CFS at Ohakea were still using a camouflaged Corsair in 1947.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Les and Marcus. Very interesting. I know the photo from both Charles Darby's book and also Warren Russell's book (page 164) who says it was in an overall US Navy Glossy Sea Blue scheme. It's a worn paint scheme, note the scuffing on the wing and also if they were trying to make it look neat for a display aircraft they'd have done a bit harder not to get all the overspray when painting the fuselage roundel. Russell reckons that it was not repainted, stating you can still see the US Navy stencilling on the tail and reckons it was blue.

I'm wondering if it was a very deep blue rather than black, as that would have looked awfully dark next to the other more usual faded schemes on many Corsairs. As it was glossy, that would explain less drag.

I'd really like to think it was black though, that would be pretty cool, but I think Russell is right. I wonder where Doug Greig displayed the aircraft at?

[chewy]

Years ago i was talking to one of the gentlemen who melted down the corsairs in Marton and he said there was one silver one with "pride of the Pacific" painted on it. He wanted to keep it because it looked good. His brother said no and it went into the furnace with the rest of them.There is a short national film unit clip showing the furnace in action. They made aluminium plows for China out of the aircraft.Under the squash courts in Marton are buried all the iron parts.

[baz62]

Apr 14, 2010 20:58:25 GMT 12 beagle said:

That avenger looks like to be in target towing colours, but don't tell Baz..

Too late!!! ;D

[camtech]

Here are a couple of shots of the "Black" Corsair NZ5545

[camtech]

And the caption from the Whites cover -

[Bruce]

its got to be blue - otherwise what colour would the serial number be - "Darker Black"?

[shorty]

Apr 15, 2010 17:16:22 GMT 12 chewy said:

Years ago i was talking to one of the gentlemen who melted down the corsairs in Marton and he said there was one silver one with "pride of the Pacific" painted on it. He wanted to keep it because it looked good. His brother said no and it went into the furnace with the rest of them.There is a short national film unit clip showing the furnace in action. They made aluminium plows for China out of the aircraft.Under the squash courts in Marton are buried all the iron parts.

That area at Marton where the squash courts are was the location of the old Production Engineering Works (they make all the petrol bowsers in NZ these days) and the dump area was around the buildings and along the creek bank (the area where the squash court car park is now)
Some time ago I posted some photos of a P 40 centre section being pulled out by a traction engine, that was in the area concerned (about 1965)
Production Engineering at that stage had moved to the other side of the creek and the old factory was in disrepair.
Most of the Vildie/Vincent bits that were at Motat came from there, I'll post some photos of the recovery of those bits later.

Other bits came from a bit further up the main road where Gallagher's (the electric fence people)factory was, some stuff was found under the wooden floor.

[Damon]

Ofcourse, NZ5545 was never painted black.It is its original U.S Navy colours that they were painted in when we received them. This is an FG-1D and not one of the repaints of other Corsairs. This scheme was painted on it and the aircraft used for display and demostrations during 1944-45 .Notice also the original stencling,that would have been lost if it was a repaint scheme.