Rookie on the tarmac... - Aircraft of World War II

VMF-214 · 05-10-2007, 07:00 AM

Hello Everyone,

As you can tell, I'm sure, I'm one of the newest rookies here. I stumbled across this forum just doing some warbird research. I'm very happy to see you all here and can't thank you enough for having such a forum.

I live about 10 minutes south of Cincinnati, Ohio - on the Kentucky side. I love all of the warbirds but have a deeper love for the Corsair F4U (and related). I'm always on the lookout for any operating F4U's in the area but sadly I haven't seen one in the two years I've been looking. I know they are quite rare - especially operating fully in warbird and air shows.

Enough about me and many thanks again to not only the Administrators and Moderators but also to all of you who make this such a great place for any and all interested in warbirds and the like!

lesofprimus · 05-10-2007, 07:51 AM

My Grandfather was a member of the Black Sheep... Welcome...

Thorlifter · 05-10-2007, 08:41 AM

Les, I didn't know that! Very cool.

VMF-214 - Since you like the Corsair, you must be a very cool, swave, sophisticated, worldly person. So WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME.

VMF-214 · 05-10-2007, 10:56 AM

Many thanks for the warm welcome Les and Thorlifter! Wonderful to hear that your Grandfather served in the VMF-214, Les. Do you have an photos you could share? And no, nothing but an average bloke here, Thorlifter, that knows a great thing when he sees it!

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 05-10-2007, 11:11 AM

Welcome to the forum.

mkloby · 05-10-2007, 11:32 AM

Welcome aboard.

Wildcat · 05-10-2007, 06:22 PM

Welcome to the site.

Bf109_g · 05-10-2007, 06:38 PM

Welcome to the site!!

Njaco · 05-10-2007, 07:27 PM

Hello from the Right Coast!

Wurger · 05-12-2007, 10:39 AM

Hallo from Poland !Nice to read you there.

DOUGRD · 05-16-2007, 11:10 PM

VMF-214 Welcome from the landlocked middle of the continent! I'm originally from the East coast. Any man who likes the F4U can't be all bad. So let's start the fur flying..What do you know about a two seater F4U-1?

VMF-214 · 05-17-2007, 03:53 AM

Many thanks for the warm welcome everyone! It's great to be here!

Thanks as well to DOUGRD for the quiz on the two seater F4U-1. I don't know much at all about it DOUGRD. But thanks to your question you got me doing some research. This is what I found...

"The Vought FU was a biplane fighter aircraft of the United States Navy in service duing the late 1920s.

Pleased with the company's VE-7, in 1926 the Navy gave Vought a $459,709 contract for convertible land/sea 20 fighters. Vought already had a two-seat observation plane, the UO-1, basically a VE with additional fuselage streamlining and a Wright J-3 radial engine. This was made into a fighter simply by covering over the front cockpit of the observation plane, mounting machine guns in that area, and upgrading to a 220 hp Wright R-1790 Whirlwind with a supercharger. With the help of the supercharger, the newly-designated FU-1 was able to reach a speed of 147 mp at 13,000 ft.

The FU-1s were delivered to VF-2B based in San Diego, California. With their float gear mounted, one was assigned to each of the battleships of the Pacific Fleet, where they were launched from catapults. They spent 8 months in this role, but as the squadron went to aircraft carrier operations, the further-aft cockpit proved to a visibility problem when maneuvering around a carrier deck. In response, the forward cockpit was re-opened, the result being designated FU-2.

By this time they were no longer state-of-the-art, and the two-seaters primarily served as trainers and utility aircraft."

There is a photo of what appears to be a two-seater F4U-1 at this link. Just click through the three photos - it is the third.

Aircraft: Vought FU-1

I would be most interested in further info on this rare bird if you have it DOUGRD.

VMF-214 · 05-17-2007, 06:46 AM

Perhaps more info - but no mention or photos of a two-seater.
Aircraft: Vought F4U-1 Corsair

lesofprimus · 05-17-2007, 07:23 AM

Hey, what is an FU-1???

VMF-214 · 05-17-2007, 07:35 AM

It's Vought's bi-plane, Les. The link has some photos.
Aircraft: Vought FU-1

05-10-2007, 07:00 AM	#1
VMF-214 Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern KY, 10 min from Cincy, OH Posts: 7	Rookie on the tarmac... Hello Everyone, As you can tell, I'm sure, I'm one of the newest rookies here. I stumbled across this forum just doing some warbird research. I'm very happy to see you all here and can't thank you enough for having such a forum. I live about 10 minutes south of Cincinnati, Ohio - on the Kentucky side. I love all of the warbirds but have a deeper love for the Corsair F4U (and related). I'm always on the lookout for any operating F4U's in the area but sadly I haven't seen one in the two years I've been looking. I know they are quite rare - especially operating fully in warbird and air shows. Enough about me and many thanks again to not only the Administrators and Moderators but also to all of you who make this such a great place for any and all interested in warbirds and the like! __________________ Thanks to all those who served, serve and fly!

05-10-2007, 07:51 AM	#2
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,500	My Grandfather was a member of the Black Sheep... Welcome... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

05-10-2007, 10:56 AM	#4
VMF-214 Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern KY, 10 min from Cincy, OH Posts: 7	Many thanks for the warm welcome Les and Thorlifter! Wonderful to hear that your Grandfather served in the VMF-214, Les. Do you have an photos you could share? And no, nothing but an average bloke here, Thorlifter, that knows a great thing when he sees it! __________________ Thanks to all those who served, serve and fly!

05-10-2007, 11:11 AM	#5
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 33,152	Welcome to the forum. __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"[/I]

05-10-2007, 11:32 AM	#6
mkloby Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Jacksonville, NC Posts: 3,562	Welcome aboard. __________________ If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven's scenes, they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines

05-10-2007, 08:41 AM	#3
Thorlifter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 4,346	Les, I didn't know that! Very cool. VMF-214 - Since you like the Corsair, you must be a very cool, swave, sophisticated, worldly person. So WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME.

05-10-2007, 06:22 PM	#7
Wildcat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Queensland Posts: 4,543	Welcome to the site. __________________

05-10-2007, 06:38 PM	#8
Bf109_g Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 634	Welcome to the site!! __________________

05-10-2007, 07:27 PM	#9
Njaco The Pop-Tart Whisperer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Jersey, United States Posts: 10,236	Hello from the Right Coast! __________________ "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it's English, thank a soldier!" http://www.njcacoa.org/

05-12-2007, 10:39 AM	#10
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	Hallo from Poland !Nice to read you there. __________________

05-16-2007, 11:10 PM	#11
DOUGRD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Alexandria, MN. USA Posts: 804	VMF-214 Welcome from the landlocked middle of the continent! I'm originally from the East coast. Any man who likes the F4U can't be all bad. So let's start the fur flying..What do you know about a two seater F4U-1? __________________

05-17-2007, 03:53 AM	#12
VMF-214 Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern KY, 10 min from Cincy, OH Posts: 7	Many thanks for the warm welcome everyone! It's great to be here! Thanks as well to DOUGRD for the quiz on the two seater F4U-1. I don't know much at all about it DOUGRD. But thanks to your question you got me doing some research. This is what I found... "The Vought FU was a biplane fighter aircraft of the United States Navy in service duing the late 1920s. Pleased with the company's VE-7, in 1926 the Navy gave Vought a $459,709 contract for convertible land/sea 20 fighters. Vought already had a two-seat observation plane, the UO-1, basically a VE with additional fuselage streamlining and a Wright J-3 radial engine. This was made into a fighter simply by covering over the front cockpit of the observation plane, mounting machine guns in that area, and upgrading to a 220 hp Wright R-1790 Whirlwind with a supercharger. With the help of the supercharger, the newly-designated FU-1 was able to reach a speed of 147 mp at 13,000 ft. The FU-1s were delivered to VF-2B based in San Diego, California. With their float gear mounted, one was assigned to each of the battleships of the Pacific Fleet, where they were launched from catapults. They spent 8 months in this role, but as the squadron went to aircraft carrier operations, the further-aft cockpit proved to a visibility problem when maneuvering around a carrier deck. In response, the forward cockpit was re-opened, the result being designated FU-2. By this time they were no longer state-of-the-art, and the two-seaters primarily served as trainers and utility aircraft." There is a photo of what appears to be a two-seater F4U-1 at this link. Just click through the three photos - it is the third. Aircraft: Vought FU-1 I would be most interested in further info on this rare bird if you have it DOUGRD. __________________ Thanks to all those who served, serve and fly!

05-17-2007, 06:46 AM	#13
VMF-214 Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern KY, 10 min from Cincy, OH Posts: 7	Perhaps more info - but no mention or photos of a two-seater. Aircraft: Vought F4U-1 Corsair __________________ Thanks to all those who served, serve and fly!

05-17-2007, 07:23 AM	#14
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,500	Hey, what is an FU-1??? __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

05-17-2007, 07:35 AM	#15
VMF-214 Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern KY, 10 min from Cincy, OH Posts: 7	It's Vought's bi-plane, Les. The link has some photos. Aircraft: Vought FU-1 __________________ Thanks to all those who served, serve and fly!

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