Subject: F2G SUPER CORSAIR STORY
From: "Caroline Williams" <[email-masked]>
To: "STEVE BAMFORD" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 13:20:22 -0700

"THE SAGA OF THE F2G SUPER CORSAIR"

There were three companies producing the Corsair during World War-II.
However, Goodyear Aircraft Corporation; (G.A.C.) which was located at the
Akron, Ohio municipal airport was the only company to produce the Super
Corsairs.

My ongoing research on the Corsairs began in 1984.  That's when I joined a
local  "I.P.M.S./U.S.A. model club.  I wanted to build one of the F2G Racing
Corsairs, so I ask club members where I can buy the kit.  I was told that
there were none available, and that  you had to convert a F4U-1A kit to the
F2G.  Hey!!! I'm  new at this.  I'm a "out-of-the-box" builder, what's this
conversion stuff??  Well, I soon learned, and by 1987, my 1/32 scale F2G-1D
Race #57 was finished.  It took first place at the 1987 I.PM.S./U.S.A.
National Contest in Washington D.C.

A "NOVICE" builder!!  why a complicated F2G????   Hey!  I was born in Akron,
Ohio, and my dad Harry was an engineer at G.A.C.  On many occasions, I went
to the factory with my dad.  I was able to sit in some of the fighters, and
even test fire the machine-guns.  I even got to sit in one of the F2G's.  It
was painted gloss sea blue, and the cowling was painted  a gloss yellow
color.  Later, that plane had a #9 painted on the cowling.

In 1946 the National Air Races resumed at Cleveland, Ohio's municipal
airport.  So my dad and I went to the races in 1946, 1947, 1948 & 1949.  As
my dad would say!  "Let's go see my Corsairs race!

At about the same time in 1984, I was surfing the pages of FineScale
Modelers magazine.  An ad was placed by Jim Butler, who was affiliated with
"THE SOCIETY of AIR RACING HISTORIANS." located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jim put me onto Ron Eminger of Cleveland, who had built #57 in 1/32 scale.
Between Ron & Jim I received lots of information on the F2G's, including
some rare color photo's of #57.

In 1987, Jim gave me Harry Doan's address in Florida.  Harry owned # 57, and
had planned to rebuild the aircraft.  On March 29, 1987, I recorded a
telephone conversation I had with Harry, and one with Cook Cleland, the
original owner of #57.  More good information.

For years, Jim tried to find the B.U. No. for #57.  Harry and Cook said it
was #88458.
They also clarified that all the racing Corsairs had hydraulic folding
wings, and they were converted from the F4U-4/FG-4 airframe.  All F2G racers
had the P. & W. R-4360-2/4, 28-cylinder engine.  There were 7-cylinders in
each bank.  There were four banks.  There were 7-magnetos in front of the
first row of cylinders.  On each side of the a./c.  there were 4-exhaust
stacks, and 6-exhaust stacks on the underside of the 3-cowl flaps.

Here is the data on the four (4) F2G's, which Cook Cleland owned:

1.   B.U. #88463:  Race No. 74:  Civil Race No. "NX5577N"

Cook purchased this F2G-2 on 2-05-47 for $1,250.  It was flown by Cook and
by his friend Richard Becker.

2.   B.U. #88457:  Race No. 84:  Civil Race No. "NX5588N"

Cook purchased this F2G on 3-5-47;(price unknown).  Tony Janazzo flew this
a./c. for Cook.  It crashed during the Cleveland National Air Show, killing
Tony and destroying the plane.

3.    B.U. #14693:  Race No. 94:  Civil Race No. "NX5590N"

Cook purchased this XF2G-1 on 7-15-47 for $2,818.00.  In 1948 the civil
number was change to N5590N, dropping the "X."

4.    B.U. #88458:  Race No. 57:  Civil Race No.  "N5588N"

Cook does not remember the date, when he purchased this F2G_1D; (price
unknown). Due to complaints from other pilots, etc;  Cook assigned this
a./c. to one of his employee's; Ben McKillen.  Ben flew the racer in the
1949 air race's at Cleveland.
Cook used the civil race number from his crashed F2G, and deleted the "X."

The other F2G which flew during the Cleveland Air Races was purchased by Ron
Puckett on 3-19-47.  He paid $1,250.00 for his XF2G-1.  Ron also dropped the
"X"  in the civil number during the 1949 races.

B.U. #14694:  Race No.18.  Civil Race No. "NX91092"

Bill Odem crashed a P-51 Mustang Racer during the 1949 races, killing a lady
and her child.  This ended the races in Cleveland.

Cook's racers sat for years going to waste:

#94 was used for fire practice by the local airport fire department in
Willoughby, Ohio.  They saved the engine and prop,  which went to the
Crawford Museum.

#74 was sold to Walter Soplata, of Newberry, Ohio.  Walter died recently,
and the family sold the F2G to the Crawford Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.  Bob
Odergaard of Kindred, N.D. is restoring the a./c. to static condition.

#18 was sold by Ron Puckett to Sam Goldman, owner of Chesapeake Airways.
Sam sold the engine to Pratt & Whitney, and scrapped the rest of the F2G.

#57 was sent to the Martin-Decker Co, in Coatsville, PA.  From there it went
to John Trainer.  John got killed in his P-51.  His wife Libby sold the
plane to Harry Doan, and Harry bought the title from Cook.  After Harry's
death, #57 went somewhere,(????).  It was going to be scrapped-out.  Luck
played out, as it was sold to Don Knapp.  Don was going to restore it, but
killed himself in his P-51.  Later it went to the Loan Star Museum in
Galveston, TX.  Some how Bob Odergaard  of Kindred, N.D. bought it.  Bob
restored it to flying condition.

Fifty (50) years later, (1949 to 1999) #57 flew again, and came to the
National Air Show in Reno, Nevada.

My 30-pages of documented information lists 28-aircraft, which was part of
the F2G program.  There were 10-F2G's made, so they say!!!!!!  We have
number 57, & 74 left from the 5-racers.  Doug Champlin, d.b.a. "Fighter Aces
Museum, Mesa, AZ;  owns #88454,a F2G-1D.  I heard that Doug sold his
collection, and that #454 will go to Seattle, WA???

To date, I've built 2-1/32 scale F2G's, and two 1/72 scale F2G's.  I used
the !/32 Revelle F4U-1A kits.  For the second two models, I used the
"Aviation-Usk" kits.  Like any kit, they all have there good and bad points.
It would take maybe 30-pages of written information on my 1/32 scale models,
so I'll forget that, and show a few photos.

For my 1/72 scale models.  The kits have a good outline on the fuselage for
the F2G.  The tail hook opening had to be closed up.  A rear deck had to be
cut in, aft of the cockpit.  A 23" long canopy tip has to be installed onto
the top of the fuselage spine, aft of the rear deck opening.  A new canopy
mold must be made, as they used a canopy from the P-47.  The P-47 canopy
came from the Hawker Typhoon.  This style of canopy was used on two cut-down
F4U-1A Corsairs; (B.U. No's. 14091 & 14092).  They were "NEVER" used on the
production F2G'S.  A entirely "NEW" canopy was designed and used.  Exhaust
ports on the underside has to be cut-in for the 6-exhaust stacks.  The main
wheel wells must be closed in.  The wing air inlets are different on the
F2G's, so they must be changed.  Note, the inlets on #57 are factory, while
the ones on #74 are revised by Cook Cleland.  The cockpit is fair, but you
need to add armor plate and roll bars to #57; (this was on all F2G's).  They
removed some of the bars in some of the racers.  The kit engine has a
9-cylinder arrangement, which can be changed.  The kit prop is correct @ 14'
dia.  The two extra cast resin air-scoops are excellent.  The decals are
fine, except the SOHIO logo.  They have it in Red/White/Black.  It was Red &
White only.  I used "Microscale" decal sheet #87-420  1930's & 40's
Commercial Signs.  They have three sizes, and they match close enough to
1/32; 1/48; & 1/72.

With a few shortcomings, the final outcome is really worth the time spent on
the models; (estimate 150-175 hours on each model.)

Happy modeling:  Rodney Williams

P.S. Check out some of my other models on >>  www.skywriters.net  <<<