RNZAF Corsair NZ5245 Restoration Project

[ZacYates]

Owner Michael Reed said running the Facebook group is enough work on its own and he's happy for me to share updates here - there's a lot in the short time the project has been online but here's a selection of the choicest (in my opinion) recent updates.

FB link

Top section getting mockup behind the cockpit

NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

FB link

Engine frame getting the R2800-8 blower section removed so frame can be restored.

NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

FB link

Rudder in fixture, part tailsecton mocking up in fixture.

NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 05 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 07 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 06 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

FB link

Interesting mod that was done on these main gear legs, they were turned into hydraulics that were fitted to a tractor rear digging arm.

NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 09 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20232801 Michael Reed via Facebook 08 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

FB Link

Interesting enough, with this tailwheel assembly was once fitted to a caravan as a jockey wheel, its also had the section where the tail hook was attached to, that has been removed, thanks Hamish Affleck for the part and its history👍

NZ5245 20232901 Michael Reed via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

FB link

Quick update for today, tailplane front attachment brackets primed up, the castings still need attention.

NZ5245 20233001 Michael Reed via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20233001 Michael Reed via Facebook 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20233001 Michael Reed via Facebook 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20233001 Michael Reed via Facebook 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

And from today (FB link):

Thank you Chris McDell and Greg McDell for letting this part go towards the project, this is part of the retracting strut assembly.

NZ5245 20230206 Michael Reed via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230206 Michael Reed via Facebook 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[baz62]

Feb 3, 2023 20:48:00 GMT 12 camtech said:

Now let's not start that "1A" argument again. Besides, it is a 1D.

Only the FG built Corsairs we got were -1D.

[Mustang51]

Very nice......guessing everything has been NDT'd. Is there a company out there that could potentially help to sponsor remanufacturing the castings with CNC machined parts.....know the first reaction is What the Hell but......these casting are getting very old.... up to 80 years and they age harden. Eastie's Mustang here had a clamshell door casting fail that started a chain of events that resulted in an airframe rebuild. Fortunately it is just back in the air but if this Corsair project is starting out, perhaps there is a company out there in NZ that would benefit from having its name associated with the project. Does anyone have contacts that they can squeeze to help Mike? Couple of fittings here and there over a long time may just be doable for a smaller company.......just a thought.....

[Dave Homewood]

Feb 6, 2023 17:37:53 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Feb 3, 2023 20:48:00 GMT 12 camtech said:

Now let's not start that "1A" argument again. Besides, it is a 1D.

Only the FG built Corsairs we got were -1D.

Baz, I am confused by what you say.

The RNZAF received:
237 Vought Sikorsky-built F4U-1s
127 Vought Sikorsky-built F4U-1Ds
60 Goodyear-built FG-1Ds

[baz62]

Feb 6, 2023 21:39:44 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Feb 6, 2023 17:37:53 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Only the FG built Corsairs we got were -1D.

Baz, I am confused by what you say.

The RNZAF received:
237 Vought Sikorsky-built F4U-1s
127 Vought Sikorsky-built F4U-1Ds
60 Goodyear-built FG-1Ds

Ooops, I didnt realise we got F4U-1Ds.....

[ZacYates]

Feb 7, 2023 16:45:43 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Ooops, I didnt realise we got F4U-1Ds.....

No Corsair for you! by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

[baz62]

😄😔

[curtiss]

Feb 4, 2023 16:37:03 GMT 12 chrism said:

Feb 4, 2023 16:04:14 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Never used by the RNZAF so is an F4U-1.

I have no primary sources either way about RNZAF knowledge or use of it but it is unlikely.

Either way, right or wrong, 99% of books etc use -1A and the use of it gives clear distinction between it and the birdcage -1. Although in the RNZAF's case we never had birdcage examples to confuse the issue.

I tend to go with what is on the data plates. NZ5485 has F4U-1D, although the "D" appears to be added later. (See Warren Russell Corsair publication Page 124). I have seen other NZ Corsair data plates that have F4U-1 (sorry, no photo's).

[ZacYates]

Michael shared an update last night (Facebook link here):

Quick update, one bracket down 3 to go for the top upper turtledeck section.

NZ5245 20230210 Michael Reed via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230210 Michael Reed via Facebook 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230210 Michael Reed via Facebook 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230210 Michael Reed via Facebook 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230210 Michael Reed via Facebook 05 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230210 06 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[scrooge]

An example for Curtiss - the placard shows F4U-1 (apparently NZ5331 according to a pencilled notation on the back).

[Dave Homewood]

It is interesting to see the pre-1928 company name Chance Vought on a Corsair plate, most parts and documentation had the VS symbol for Vought Sikorsky, which the company was actually called. I wonder why they still used the old name.

[chrism]

Feb 11, 2023 14:40:39 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

It is interesting to see the pre-1928 company name Chance Vought on a Corsair plate, most parts and documentation had the VS symbol for Vought Sikorsky, which the company was actually called. I wonder why they still used the old name.

The company name switched back to Chance Vought during WW2, apparently when the Sikorsky company seperated to concentrate on helicopter design. Not sure what date this happened but I would be interested to know? Parts recovered from Rukuhia can have either VS or CV prefix on them, VS seems to be far more common.

[Dave Homewood]

OK, interesting. Thanks for that.

[scrooge]

Pity they didn't put a date on it in the little box for DATE. According to NZDF Serials NZ5331 was shipped from the US on 14 May 1944, assembled and BOC on Espiritu Santo 2 June 1944.

The placard has each corner cut at approximately 45 degrees, I'm assuming either removed from its mount with a chisel or tidied up after removal with a pair of tin snips.

[ZacYates]

Yesterday's post (Facebook link):

Something thats cool, here is the six 50cal gun charging assembles that run along the side of the guns located in the wings.

NZ5245 20230214 Michael Reed by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[ZacYates]

Facebook link here.

Small, but progress, other 3 brackets made, and started to making replacement parts for the wing locking handle as the original parts are to rusty.

NZ5245 20230218 Michael Reed 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230218 Michael Reed 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[ZacYates]

An update from Michael last night (FB link here):

Thank you Ross Jowett for the casting bracket that is related to tailwheel gear doors, unfortunately its got a little damaged when hacked out of a corsair at Rukuhia scrap yard. Three corsair part number spanners, one pratt engine spanner and the rest.

NZ5245 20230221 Michael Reed via FB 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230221 Michael Reed via FB 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230221 Michael Reed via FB 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[ZacYates]

Facebook update posted 26/02/2023 (link):

Little update on the new wing locking handle, just a hole to be drilled in the mill and installed a pin, then primer and paint. Thank you Mike McCracken for the welding🙌

NZ5245 20230226 Michael Reed via FB 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ5245 20230226 Michael Reed via FB 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[ZacYates]

Apologies folks, I've been a bit lax and missed some updates from Michael on Facebook! So here's a bumper post to make up for my oversight.

9 March:

Thank you Rob Hough for sourcing a gunsight mounting bracket, every part is as important as the next with a project!

20230309 NZ5245 Michael Reed 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
20230309 NZ5245 Michael Reed 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
20230309 NZ5245 Michael Reed 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

22 March:

Two things donated, this rivet gun thanks to Barry Tod and a support plate for the fuel lines from Dylan Wagner found hiding within his p40 bits.

20230322 NZ5245 Michael Reed 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
20230322 NZ5245 Michael Reed 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
20230322 NZ5245 Michael Reed 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
20230322 NZ5245 Michael Reed 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

27 March:

Nice surprise!, thanks to Dylan Wagner for dropping off a complete corsair ammo box at work!

You can see inside where the ammo belt has left marks inside, so done abit of firing rounds in its life time, also looks like had been a storage for hardware once.

20230327 NZ5245 Michael Reed 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
20230327 NZ5245 Michael Reed 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

16 April:

Nice little find from a gentleman in Tauranga, had a corsair exit exhaust pipe for RH side kicking around, will clean up in the blaster.

20230416 NZ5245 Michael Reed 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr