Casa Grande
Very Nice Bubak. I believe this is now based at Stellar in Chandler.
Here's when it was over at CAF at Falcon Field last November;
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/3038448650_484941bc74.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rob-the-org/3038448650/)
(http://air-and-space.com/20110928%20Falcon%20Field/_BEL7626%2020110828%20Falcon%20F2G-2%20NX5577N%20Race%2074%20left%20side%20l.jpg) Tom Ungurean's Goodyear F2G-2 Corsair NX5577N Race 74 parked outside the CAF hangar at Falcon Field this morning.
I have more F2G photos on display on the Corsairs with Four Bank Radials (http://air-and-space.com/Goodyear%20F2G.htm) display at my web site. I will add more pictures of Race 74 to the display today.
There's a short, and not very good, video on YouTube of the last Corsair on Brian's web page (N31518) crashing at the Phoenix air races in 1994.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaHhTJyqC5k
That one was a converted F4U and not an F2G.
There's a good article about the plane and the incident here:
http://www.warbirdaeropress.com/articles/bail_out.html
Did anyone here go to the races at Willie in 1994 or 1995?
I was at the races both years, and most other airshows at Willy since '84.
I saw and photographed the Corsair on fire during the race.
I need to find the photos, but the Corsair was way over the GM proving grounds, and all I had at the time was a 200 mm, so the plane is pretty small in the photo.
You can tell it's a Corsair, and you can definitely see the trail of fire.
Very unfortunate event, as is any crash.
I've never been to an air race, but I'll bet it's pretty thrilling to see these old bird going at it around the pylons. These bubble top Corsairs sure a nice looking.
Where there is smoke; there is horsepower ;)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6584512723_4df0e988ab_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6584512723/)
F2G-1 N5588N Race 57 and F2G-2 N5577N Race 74 were both at the Commemorative Air Force hangar at Falcon Field today in preparation for an air-to-air photo shoot this afternoon.
(http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0016%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20left%20side%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0157%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20left%20side%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0211%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20l.jpg)
The propeller on Race 57 is one foot larger in diameter and its tail is one foot taller than those on Race 74.
(http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0718%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20taxiing%20l.jpg)
SUPER!!
Superb images Brian.
Hey Brian - great to see you at Falcon this afternoon. Your images are excellent - well done.
Thanks a lot guys! It was good seeing Jeff and Joe out at Falcon today.
It was a photo opportunity that I have been hoping for ever since Race 74 came to town. Hopefully there will be more opportunities to see the Cook Cleland racers together again now that Race 57 has completed a ten month restoration.
I will be posting many more pictures from today on my web site tomorrow. I already have several pictures of the F2Gs on my Corsairs with Four Bank Radials Display (http://air-and-space.com/Goodyear%20F2G.htm)
F2G Corsair - A shot taken at Coolidge late today (12/27/2011)
Quote from: Scott Youmans on December 28, 2011, 12:08:00 AM
F2G Corsair - A shot taken at Coolidge late today (12/27/2011)
Drop dead gorgeous image Scott! You nailed the light wonderfully. I thought you might get cheated when Race 74 had engine problems; however, I'm glad you stayed the course at Coolidge - I wish I had been there.
Here is two more of the few I captured at Falcon.
Monochrome Odegaard(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6589438807_876d24146b_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6589438807/)
Strike the Pose(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6588297019_4ed9ec4e71_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6588297019/)
Brian, While checking out the Corsair photos on your website I stumbled across your photos of the GE facility in Schenectady, NY. I used to work at GE in Schnenctady and Iived directly across the street (Route 50) from the old GE hanger. I have a couple of photos from the early days that I ordered from the GE archives when I was there but I've never seen so many cool photos taken there until I came across your site. Truly amazing stuff. My wife grew up about a half mile north of there. This all belongs on a different thread so I'll leave it at that. Thanks.
Thanks Jeff! 57's battery was low and he had to stay at Coolidge overnight. Good for Bill and I, less good for the pilot.
Here's a wide-angle shot of the pair of F2Gs (http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0270-274%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20nose%20to%20nose%20l.jpg).
(http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0270-274%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20nose%20to%20nose%20m.jpg) (http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0270-274%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20nose%20to%20nose%20l.jpg)
Quote from: Scott Youmans on December 28, 2011, 09:07:42 AM
Brian, While checking out the Corsair photos on your website I stumbled across your photos of the GE facility in Schenectady, NY. I used to work at GE in Schnenctady and Iived directly across the street (Route 50) from the old GE hanger. I have a couple of photos from the early days that I ordered from the GE archives when I was there but I've never seen so many cool photos taken there until I came across your site. Truly amazing stuff. My wife grew up about a half mile north of there. This all belongs on a different thread so I'll leave it at that. Thanks.
Thanks Scott. My father took those pictures. You can see where I inherited my enthusiasm for airplanes from.
28 Cylinder Smoke Machine
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6589148257_96485ef422_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6589148257/)
F2G-1 Corsair - Another shot from Coolidge on the 27th. Sunset reflecting on hangar windows.
F2G-2 Corsair - Take-off from Coolidge, 12-27-2011
Wow Jeff and Scott those are some incredible photos!
Thanks Chris!
I posted more photos of the Thompson Trophy Racer Reunion (http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Goodyear%20F2G.htm) on my web site at Air-and-Space.com.
(http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Falcon/20111227%20Falcon_0747%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20rear%20taxiing%20l.jpg) (http://air-and-space.com/20111227%20Goodyear%20F2G.htm)
Race 57 Prepare to Launch
Sweet! Did he fly it again after returning from Coolidge?
I dropped out there Wed. as it had to stay the night out at Coolidge due to startup issues.
He did one flight while I was out there, which was late in the day. Unfortunately he landed in the opposite direction to all other traffic, so I was at the wrong end of the runway for the return.
A couple more of Corsair Race 57
Great images Bill - well done.
Fantastic stuff guys, I'm well-jealous!
Great images Bill.....super!!
A couple of photos from Moose Peterson's air it air session with the two Corsairs are posted here. Nice!
http://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/category/air-races/
F2G-1 - Another shot of "57". December 27th at Coolidge
F2G-1 - "57" in front of the Coolidge hangar 12/27/2011.
A certain well known wildlife shooter turned airplane buff didn't cover this as well as you guys did...
From Larry Perkins, the pilot of Race 57: The Race 57 program letter for calendar year 2012 includes the following events:
1) Cactus Fly-In;
2) MCAS Yuma Airshow;
3) NAF El Centro Airshow;
4) Watsonville Airshow;
5) EAA Air Venture;
6) Reno Air Races; and
7) Copperstate Fly-In
Brian, does this mean they will fly at these events?
Quote from: Jay Beckman on January 01, 2012, 11:44:12 PM
A certain well known wildlife shooter turned airplane buff didn't cover this as well as you guys did...
Jay, thanks on behalf of everyone who shot that day. It was a surprising turn of events for me. I drove to Falcon half-way expecting not to get access. When I heard they were going to operate out of Coolidge I thought, why not go, I've already driven this far. In the case of the shot with the reflected sunset in the hangar windows, if I hadn't been within a few degrees of the correct location I never would have seen that opportunity.
Oddly, hardly any of my take-off and landing shots came out sharp. Trying too hard to get prop blur I think. Also standing too close to the runway. Just because you can doesn't always mean you should! Another lesson I've learned more than once.
Quote from: Scott Youmans on January 02, 2012, 08:08:41 PM
Also standing too close to the runway. Just because you can doesn't always mean you should! Another lesson I've learned more than once.
AMEN to that.
Quote from: Chris Pasley on January 02, 2012, 12:09:07 PM
Brian, does this mean they will fly at these events?
I don't know for sure. I cut and pasted the list as I got it. I will see what I can find out.
I aprreciate that Brian
This month's issue of Warbirds has a historical write-up on Race 57 and Race 74 and the Super Corsairs. Contains lots of nice photos too.
...as photographed by the a fore mentioned wildlife shooter turned aviation buff.
Wow, that was fast.
Not surprised given how fast the cadre blew into town, flew and blew back out again...
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6656916319_9c149741e3_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/37585658@N00/6656916319/)
Quote from: Brian Lockett on December 27, 2011, 05:54:19 PM
F2G-1 N5588N Race 57 and F2G-2 N5577N Race 74 were both at the Commemorative Air Force hangar at Falcon Field today in preparation for an air-to-air photo shoot this afternoon.
The propeller on Race 57 is one foot larger in diameter and its tail is one foot taller than those on Race 74.
It looks like 74 doesn't have flaps and 57 does. Another difference. Must make it fun to land. Maybe that's why it bounced a bit landing at Coolidge yesterday.
Beautiful shot of Race 74. Love the Corsair. Nicely captured.
I just heard that the 74 does have flaps, but when they prepped the plane for racing back in the 40's they riveted them up and removed the hinges.
This is a quote from Bob Odegaard (via a third party) about landing the Super Corsair.
Its the hardest one to land that I have ever flown. If you try to come straight in, not only don't you see the runway, you cant see the airport!! So we make the approach from the side. approach speed is not that bad. about 130, but it doesn't want to slow down after your'e on the runway. The brakes are the weakest part of the corsair!! However it is still by far the most fun flying airplane I have ever had the chance to Fly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was that in reference to 57 or 74?
Approach speed of 130! I'm assuming that's in knots. If so that's almost 150 mph. They gave up a lot for speed by doing away with the flaps but they knew that when they converted it to a race plane. Another factor with that particular aircraft is that it has the small vertical stabilizer and rudder of the "normal" Corsairs making it more prone to torque issues at low speeds. Keeping the speed up is a good idea. 57 is probably a piece of cake by comparison.
Does anyone know if the small (normal) vertical stab/rudder was retrofitted on 74 or if it was built that way?
Goodyear F2G-2, Coolidge, 1/7/12.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6672990199_7d28829ee0_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ned_harris/6672990199/)
_92W0672 F2G-2 Super Corsair (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ned_harris/6672990199/) by Ned Harris (http://www.flickr.com/people/ned_harris/), on Flickr
(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg304/phxtoad/2012%20CAF/IMG_5612a.jpg)
(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg304/phxtoad/2012%20CAF/IMG_5609a.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6721242029_71de53e9c6_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/collingwoodbarry/6721242029/)
Goodyear F2G Super Corsair s/n 88463 (1945) N5577N ( (http://www.flickr.com/photos/collingwoodbarry/6721242029/) by Barry Griffiths CAD (http://www.flickr.com/people/collingwoodbarry/), on Flickr
Nice shot Berry. Those wings are huge..
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6740446991_ef145a36ae_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_morris_photos/6740446991/)
Nice shots guys...sorry I missed out...was in Denver for Christmas and Grandkids.
Great shots guys...love those Corsairs!
Got to meet Bob Odegaard at CG breakfast fly-in on Jan.28th and found out that Racer 74 was up at Falcon CAF on display.
Went to Falcon on Monday to shoot Racer 74 but was tucked back into the corner and hard to shoot.
Met Bob O. again, had a nice talk (still didn't realize they had done the Dec. photo shoot from Coolidge and later discovered Bob had brought Racer 74 back to Coolidge on Jan 7th for their breakfast fly-in). Guess ignorance can be bliss, had I known what all had transpired in recent weeks probably would not have asked him if he was planning on coming to Cactus the 1st W/E in March.
He wasn't sure just yet...I suggested that Cactus Fly-in would make a nice reunion place for Racer 57 and 74! He didn't commit of course but I think he is considering it. Glad to hear that Ron Platt's pilot said that Cactus was on the plans for Racer 57. Pratt just had it repainted a short time back.
Here's hoping for a reunion of Racer 57 & 74 at Cactus!
Last 2 Super Corsairs still flying.
Well, it happened BOTH Super Corsairs made to Cactus Fly-in yesterday!
They finally got the main runway finished and re-opened Sat. morning at Falcon & Bob O. was able to get Racer 74 down to Cactus.
Odegaard brought his Stang P-51 Friday due to runway construction at Falcon and really lousy crosswinds at CG.
Only dual fly-by was a tad high up...not good pics. Here's a ground shot of both...not the best but it was HISTORIC!
Only 10 made, only 3 survive, only these 2 are still flying!
P.S. Posted a couple more shots.
Bill...FYI,
Good pics...Tom Ungurean is the owner, but the pilot was most likely Bob Odegaard.
After Coolidge he flew over to Cactus Fly-in at CG.
Beautiful plane...he met up with Racer #57 piloted by Larry Perkins at Cactus.
Only the 2nd time these two planes had been together since 1949 and the first time for
a major public function.
Rudy, the lettering under the canopy had a different name, Dick something, IIRC.
I think the name on the canopy rail is the gentleman who raced her back in the day...
Rudy - I can't tell you who the pilot was but the name patch on his flight suit said Tom Ungurean, hence my assumption.
Felipe and Jay - This aircraft is one of four sold by the Navy to Cook Clelend in 1946. Cook Clelend piloted Race 74 to first place in the 1947 Thompson Trophy race with his teammate, Dick Becker, finishing second in another F2G. Dick Becker later flew Race 74 and it has been restored to the exact state it was in when Dick Becker raced it. It is Dick Becker's name under the canopy. It even says "Owned by: Cook Clelend Aviation Services, Inc." on the top of the right wing.
F2Gs Race 57 and Race 74 at the Cactus Fly-in on March 3:
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_0282%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20Race%2057%20right%20rear%20take-off%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_0989%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20Race%2057%20left%20front%20taxiing%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_1073%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20Race%2057%20right%20side%20in%20flight%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_0429%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20Race%2074%20right%20rear%20landing%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_0749%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20Race%2074%20left%20front%20taxiing%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_0815%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20Race%2074%20right%20front%20in%20flight%20l.jpg)
(http://air-and-space.com/20120303%20Casa%20Grande/20120303%20Cactus_0645%20F2G-2%20N5577N%20Race%2074%20F2G-1%20N5588N%20Race%2057%20%20right%20side%20l.jpg) This one required a lot of patience.
Welcome!
Nice photos Bill, I like the #2 photo of the set.
Goodyear F2G Corsair N5577N Race 74 Cactus Fly-In 03/03/12
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6833549296_2857e95663_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6833549238_32c1256fae_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6833549170_e44d9932fa_b.jpg)
Goodyear F2G Corsair N5588N Race 57 Cactus Fly-In 03/03/12
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6979676749_2f1a94849b_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6833548980_19eb717c72_b.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6979676567_211f6e104b_b.jpg)
Low pass...
(http://www.dbginc.com/aircraft/goodyear_f2g_super_corsair/CorsairF2G_1585.jpg) (http://www.dbginc.com/aircraft/goodyear_f2g_super_corsair/)
Fueling at Coolidge
(http://www.dbginc.com/aircraft/goodyear_f2g_super_corsair/CorsairF2G_1533.jpg) (http://www.dbginc.com/aircraft/goodyear_f2g_super_corsair/)
(http://www.dbginc.com/aircraft/goodyear_f2g_super_corsair/CorsairF2G_1536.jpg) (http://www.dbginc.com/aircraft/goodyear_f2g_super_corsair/)
Goodyear F2G Corsair
I am sorry to report that Bob and his F2G were lost yesterday during an airshow up in North Dakota.
http://www.newsdakota.com/2012/09/07/breaking-pilot-dies-in-airplane-crash-at-barnes-county-airport/
My condolences to Bob's family for their loss.
Damn. What a tragedy.
Bill
Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night...
(http://crosswindimages.com/img/s4/v66/p1131725656.jpg)