Super CORSAIR XF2G-1/2, prototype maiden flight.....

[xylstra]

Can anyone confirm the date of first, maiden flight of the Super CORSAIR XF2G-1/2 (P&W R-4360)?

 

[GregP]

Easy lookup, Wiki, says 15 July 45.

 

[33k in the air]

Sources disagree on the date of the first flight (and on the armament as well).


XF2G-1 first flight on 26 August 1944 according to Vought F4U Corsair by Martin W. Bowman, Crowood Press, 2002, p.121:

Almost immediately the F2G programme ran into problems, caused by production delays of the R-4360 engines to Goodyear. Donald Armstrong, Goodyear's chief engineering test pilot, carried out the first flight in XFG2-1 Bu No. 13471 on 26 August 1944. The second XFG2, Bu No. 13472, was used to complete tests on various propellers, the automatic oil cooler and automatic cowl-flap controls, and a variety of other tasks. The third XF2G-l, Bu No. 14691, was delivered to the Navy on 27 November 1944. Bu No. 14692, the fourth XF2G, was used to test new wing fuel tanks and a number of different rudder installations, and to fly the final dive tests for the Navy. Pratt & Whitney used the fifth XF2G, Bu No. 14693, to test the performance of a water-injection system. Bu No. 14694 was the sixth XF2G-l used for testing. The seventh and last model, Bu No. 14695, first flown on 4 December 1945, suffered hydraulic failure eight days later during an instrument shake-down flight, and test pilot Armstrong was forced to make a belly landing without flaps.


XF2G-1 first flight on 15 October 1944 according to Vought F4U Corsair by Barrett Tillman, Specialty Press, 1996, p.91:

The F2G contract was inked on 22 March 1944 with first flight nine weeks later, on 31 May. However, early flight tests were conducted in FG-1s modified to accept the Wasp Major engine. These aircraft were given the factory designation EXF2G-1 — a model unknown to the Navy to this day.

First flight of the prototype "real" XF2G-1 came on 15 October 1944, with Don Armstrong in the cockpit. Intimately involved with the "Super Corsair." Armstrong was an experienced test pilot who had previously worked at Curtiss and Douglas. At the end of that first F2G flight, Armstrong was asked by Goodyear vice president Karl Arnstein how the fighter performed. Impressed with the spectacular rate of climb, Armstrong enthusiastically replied, "It's a homesick angel!"

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

XF2G, Aircraft taken from FG-1 order, BuNos. Data from Airplane Serial Number Records.
12992 (first FG-1 order serial) Airframe accepted 14 April 1943, delivered 11 October (1944?). Listed as XF2G-1.
13471-72 Airframes accepted 31 December 1943 (ahead of serials around them), delivered 11 October 1944, listed as XF2G-1
14691-14695 Airframes built July/August 1944, based on serials around them, accepted 29 September, delivered 27 November. However the record comes with a note, "Actual acceptance date 24 October 1944, see Bar Akron 242031 TWX, planes to be converted to F2G-1." Listed as XF2G, were to be RN KD260 to 264.

First F2G-1 production aircraft accepted in June 1945, first F2G-2 in October 1945.

Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, Connecticut built the first 2 Wasp Major R-4360 production engines in September 1943, production for 1943 was 8, for 1944 it was 25, for 1945 it was 110.

 

[Metrallaroja]

F2G Genealogy:

F2G Genealogy

''13471 First true XF2G-1 and totally up to F2G modified specifications except it did NOT have a bubble canopy. It used the standard FG-1D domed canopy with the internal top brace. Don Armstrong first flew this aircraft on 08-26-1944. It appears in markings as Dark Blue or Black "# 5" on a yellow nose. All of the F2G modifications except the bubble canopy were incorporated into this aircraft. It was used to test engine power development, powerplant temperature performance, carbon monoxide, speed calibration, automatic cowl flap and oil cooler doors as well as powerplant vibration and fuel consumption. Some limited performance tests were undertaken such as maximum speed, rate of climb, takeoff distance and stalling speed with this airframe. After Goodyear completed these tests it was transferred to the Navy at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. After the Navy completed their performance reviews it was returned to Goodyear in Akron on 02-25-1945 and its engine was removed and transferred to BuNo 14691.''

 

[Metrallaroja]

Also:
''14691 XF2G-1 used the engine from Bu No 13471. It was the third XF2G-1 airframe and has the R-4360 engine with a bubble canopy. It was accepted on September 29, 1944 as the first aircraft completely manufactured as an F2G-1 and first flew on 10-15-1944. On October 21 or 22,1944 the Navy demonstrated it for the US Army at their joint fighter conference held at Patuxent, MD. It was delivered to the US Navy on November 27, 1944 and flown to NAS Patuxent MD on January 1945 for shakedown testing. It was returned to GAC Goodyear in Akron, Ohio on February 12, 1945, then returned to Patuxent in November 1945 for use by the Tactical Testing Center in Service Trials. It was transferred after testing concluded to NAS Norfolk on April 18, 1947 and was scrapped on June 30, 1947 at NAS Norfolk, VA. It was the first manufactured as an F2G-1. It appears in markings as Black "# 9" on a yellow nose. One reference said this aircraft was a repossessed FG-1D Corsair UK S/N KD260 and was converted to the XF2G-1 configuration. It was the first F2G to feature the 12 inch auxiliary rudder.''

Don Armstrong words from October 1944:

 

[mjfur]

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Fea1/001-100/Fea048d-F2G-Corsair-Williams/00.shtm

 

[xylstra]

Sources disagree on the date of the first flight (and on the armament as well).


XF2G-1 first flight on 26 August 1944 according to Vought F4U Corsair by Martin W. Bowman, Crowood Press, 2002, p.121:

Almost immediately the F2G programme ran into problems, caused by production delays of the R-4360 engines to Goodyear. Donald Armstrong, Goodyear's chief engineering test pilot, carried out the first flight in XFG2-1 Bu No. 13471 on 26 August 1944. The second XFG2, Bu No. 13472, was used to complete tests on various propellers, the automatic oil cooler and automatic cowl-flap controls, and a variety of other tasks. The third XF2G-l, Bu No. 14691, was delivered to the Navy on 27 November 1944. Bu No. 14692, the fourth XF2G, was used to test new wing fuel tanks and a number of different rudder installations, and to fly the final dive tests for the Navy. Pratt & Whitney used the fifth XF2G, Bu No. 14693, to test the performance of a water-injection system. Bu No. 14694 was the sixth XF2G-l used for testing. The seventh and last model, Bu No. 14695, first flown on 4 December 1945, suffered hydraulic failure eight days later during an instrument shake-down flight, and test pilot Armstrong was forced to make a belly landing without flaps.


XF2G-1 first flight on 15 October 1944 according to Vought F4U Corsair by Barrett Tillman, Specialty Press, 1996, p.91:

The F2G contract was inked on 22 March 1944 with first flight nine weeks later, on 31 May. However, early flight tests were conducted in FG-1s modified to accept the Wasp Major engine. These aircraft were given the factory designation EXF2G-1 — a model unknown to the Navy to this day.

First flight of the prototype "real" XF2G-1 came on 15 October 1944, with Don Armstrong in the cockpit. Intimately involved with the "Super Corsair." Armstrong was an experienced test pilot who had previously worked at Curtiss and Douglas. At the end of that first F2G flight, Armstrong was asked by Goodyear vice president Karl Arnstein how the fighter performed. Impressed with the spectacular rate of climb, Armstrong enthusiastically replied, "It's a homesick angel!"

Thanks for that comprehensive answer. You're right - that was the reason for my post - there is some dispute over that first flight date. Surprising sometimes how these special, unique dates get lost in the mists of history.

 

[33k in the air]

Thanks for that comprehensive answer. You're right - that was the reason for my post - there is some dispute over that first flight date. Surprising sometimes how these special, unique dates get lost in the mists of history.

Interestingly, the two posts by Metrallaroja mention the same two dates (26 August 1944 and 15 October 1944).

It seems the August flight wasn't the "full" F2G while the October date was. But the earlier flight was a part of the development process, so it can be considered the first flight depending on how you define things.

F6F Hellcat development was similar — its first flight was on 26 June 1942, with the Hellcat airframe but powered by a Wright R-2600 engine. The first flight with the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine was on 30 July 1942. So, technically, which is the Hellcat's first flight, given the aircraft was intended to use the R-2800 engine?

 

[Metrallaroja]

Interestingly, the two posts by Metrallaroja mention the same two dates (26 August 1944 and 15 October 1944).

It seems the August flight wasn't the "full" F2G while the October date was. But the earlier flight was a part of the development process, so it can be considered the first flight depending on how you define things.

F6F Hellcat development was similar — its first flight was on 26 June 1942, with the Hellcat airframe but powered by a Wright R-2600 engine. The first flight with the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine was on 30 July 1942. So, technically, which is the Hellcat's first flight, given the aircraft was intended to use the R-2800 engine?

Yep
As I see it; first F2G prototype 26 August, first F2G standard 15 October.