Hi Guys, I was at the post-maintenance engine runs of this ex-RNZAF FG-1D Corsair, which had formerly been non-airworthy for six years owing to a messy business involving film maker Peter Jackson. It required a major servicing and the new owner had it flown to a warbird restoration company near where I live, so I went down to interview the owner and photograph it. The aircraft is one of 425 Corsairs delivered to the RNZAF and has been repainted in representative markings. It will make its airshow debut this weekend at the Wings over Wairarapa Airshow at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton.
This is ZK-COR in the markings of VF-17 before maintenance inspection and repaint. The aircraft was based in the UK for several years at Duxford as G-BXUL and flew with the Breitling Fighters.
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Illustrating the size of the aircraft, with its owner Mike and lead engineer Jay discussing its brakes. Note that it has clipped wingtips and the absence of fabric on the wings aft of the spar. Contrary to what has been written, this aircraft did not have the British clipped wingtips, as it was fitted with standard Corsair tips during the war. The wings were modified as one of its previous owners had a desire to turn it into a Reno air racer and the wings were modified accordingly. The gun panels have been replaced, with the shell slots and gun ports painted on. It has since had the stall strips outboard of the gun ports retrofitted. Oddly, it still has wooden ailerons.
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The Corsair cockpit is very roomy...
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It wears the emblem of No.23 (Ghost) Sqn, RNZAF skillfully depicted by hand by local painter Marty. For the modellers among you, the shade of blue of the RNZAF roundel is accurate. There is a common misconception that RNZAF roundels were pale blue, but this was not the case. This comes from a modelling company misinterpreting photographs of war weary aircraft up in the Pacific Islands whose paint had faded following exposure to the elements and so, the correct shade of blue has been misinterpreted for years, much to the despair of modellers who want accurate RNZAF Pacific decals.
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Here's a picture of ZK-COR as G-BXUL taken at Duxford in the 1990s, illustrating pale roundels.
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Emerging from Jay's hangar with humans for scale. The wings had to be lowered in the hangar to get it out.
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Looking sharp in its new markings. Mike was keen on not revealing the markings and asked that us photographers present not publish our pictures until after the airshow, but he's been so excited recently that he's relaxed this restriction and flooded the interwebs with images of it following its post-restoration flights. As a dutiful fan, I have restrained posting these until his go ahead. Before bringing it out of the hangar, he even suggested covering the roundels with cardboard. I casually mentioned that its return to RNZAF markings was the worst kept secret in New Zealand Warbirds at present!
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Start up imminent.
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After a few mis-starts, it coughs into life...
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Much work was done on the engine ancilliary systems during the overhaul. A new oil pump and mags were fitted, with new orange seals on the rocker cover heads visible. The big 23E50 prop also underwent servicing at the Airbus Prop Shop.
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Ryan in the cockpit is an experienced pilot and restorer with among other things, a Polikarpov Po-2 rating.
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FG-1D NZ5648 spent its time in an aircraft graveyard at a place called Rukuhia in the North Island, until it was fortuitously saved from scrapping and placed outside a local house. At the time it received the name Josephine and is still often referred to by that name. It was returned to taxiable condition in the mid 1960s and drifted into museum ownership at MoTaT in Auckland at one stage, but was sold abroad and ended up in the USA in 1971. Over the next 20 years it was passed from owner to owner, but went to the UK in 1989, transferring to the Old Flying Machine Company at Duxford in 1991. Returning to New Zealand in 2003, it operated here until being shuttered in the Vintage Aviator hangar at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton while the Peter Jackson business unfolded in the courts. With Mike having bought it, its future is now secure and will hopefully remain a prized feature of the New Zealand warbird scene for years to come.
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Look what I spotted returning to the car. Guess who gets to play the bad guy at airshows...
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Thanks for looking.
This is ZK-COR in the markings of VF-17 before maintenance inspection and repaint. The aircraft was based in the UK for several years at Duxford as G-BXUL and flew with the Breitling Fighters.
Illustrating the size of the aircraft, with its owner Mike and lead engineer Jay discussing its brakes. Note that it has clipped wingtips and the absence of fabric on the wings aft of the spar. Contrary to what has been written, this aircraft did not have the British clipped wingtips, as it was fitted with standard Corsair tips during the war. The wings were modified as one of its previous owners had a desire to turn it into a Reno air racer and the wings were modified accordingly. The gun panels have been replaced, with the shell slots and gun ports painted on. It has since had the stall strips outboard of the gun ports retrofitted. Oddly, it still has wooden ailerons.
The Corsair cockpit is very roomy...
It wears the emblem of No.23 (Ghost) Sqn, RNZAF skillfully depicted by hand by local painter Marty. For the modellers among you, the shade of blue of the RNZAF roundel is accurate. There is a common misconception that RNZAF roundels were pale blue, but this was not the case. This comes from a modelling company misinterpreting photographs of war weary aircraft up in the Pacific Islands whose paint had faded following exposure to the elements and so, the correct shade of blue has been misinterpreted for years, much to the despair of modellers who want accurate RNZAF Pacific decals.
Here's a picture of ZK-COR as G-BXUL taken at Duxford in the 1990s, illustrating pale roundels.
Emerging from Jay's hangar with humans for scale. The wings had to be lowered in the hangar to get it out.
Looking sharp in its new markings. Mike was keen on not revealing the markings and asked that us photographers present not publish our pictures until after the airshow, but he's been so excited recently that he's relaxed this restriction and flooded the interwebs with images of it following its post-restoration flights. As a dutiful fan, I have restrained posting these until his go ahead. Before bringing it out of the hangar, he even suggested covering the roundels with cardboard. I casually mentioned that its return to RNZAF markings was the worst kept secret in New Zealand Warbirds at present!
Start up imminent.
After a few mis-starts, it coughs into life...
Much work was done on the engine ancilliary systems during the overhaul. A new oil pump and mags were fitted, with new orange seals on the rocker cover heads visible. The big 23E50 prop also underwent servicing at the Airbus Prop Shop.
Ryan in the cockpit is an experienced pilot and restorer with among other things, a Polikarpov Po-2 rating.
FG-1D NZ5648 spent its time in an aircraft graveyard at a place called Rukuhia in the North Island, until it was fortuitously saved from scrapping and placed outside a local house. At the time it received the name Josephine and is still often referred to by that name. It was returned to taxiable condition in the mid 1960s and drifted into museum ownership at MoTaT in Auckland at one stage, but was sold abroad and ended up in the USA in 1971. Over the next 20 years it was passed from owner to owner, but went to the UK in 1989, transferring to the Old Flying Machine Company at Duxford in 1991. Returning to New Zealand in 2003, it operated here until being shuttered in the Vintage Aviator hangar at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton while the Peter Jackson business unfolded in the courts. With Mike having bought it, its future is now secure and will hopefully remain a prized feature of the New Zealand warbird scene for years to come.
Look what I spotted returning to the car. Guess who gets to play the bad guy at airshows...
Thanks for looking.
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