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by Bomber_12th »
The Corsair '489' (N409TW) isn't painted in "Disney Planes" markings, it simply has a decal on either side of the cowl from the movie (remaining from a photoshoot earlier this year with the Air Tractor painted as "Dusty Crophopper"). Aside from those temporary decals, it is one of the top most authentic Corsair restorations out there, and its paint scheme, although generic, is based completely on original late 43/early 44 specifications (the fuselage number comes from the last three digits of its actual BuNo.). It is the only Corsair flying today with an early double-braced canopy (as seen on F4U-1A's and early F4U-1D's). If you look under the starboard-side canopy rail, it has painted "Col. 'Slim' Lindbergh" and three kill markings, as a dedication to Charles Lindbergh's service in the Pacific during WWII, flying action with Corsair and P-38 squadrons, while working on improving their range potential. When it debuted in 2010 at Oshkosh, it was the WWII Grand Champion winner. At that time, it was also fitted with a rare Brewster center-line bomb rack, as seen on early Corsairs in the Pacific, complete with a depth-bomb. Several weeks back I made available a repaint set for the AF Corsair depicting this restoration in its various forms over the last four years (when it first debuted, it had the name "Kathleen" on the cowl).
As far as new warbird restorations go at Oshkosh this year, it is extremely slim (especially when compared to last year, when they had to be quite creative in recognizing the numerous superbly authentic restorations that debuted). They say the warbird numbers are higher this year than any year in the past, but its from the increase in numbers of aircraft like the AT-6, T-28, Stearmans, etc. The only new warbird restorations that have debuted this year are the Fagen Fighters' B-25J "Paper Doll" and Charlie Cartledge's TBM Avenger. No new/recent fighter restorations at all. Mustang restorations such as the combat-vet P-51D "Sierra Sue II" (under restoration by Aircorps Aviation), the P-51C "Berlin Express" (under restoration by Pacific Fighters), and the repair/rebuild job P-51D "Frances Dell" (the former "Glamorous Gal", being restored by Midwest Aero), were thought earlier this year to possibly be debuting at Oshkosh this year, but all are still being worked on/haven't yet flown - I would hate to think that any of them decided not to get their aircraft done in time simply because they thought one of the others was going to be there - in the last decade, there has been a lot weighed on getting that Grand Champion award at Oshkosh. When "Sierra Sue II" is at Oshkosh next summer, it's going to blow away all the competition there could possibly be. If you're a Mustang fan, you really must be following that restoration (through the Aircorps Aviation website and Facebook page), as it is the closest restoration to how Mustangs actually looked/were in 1944/45, inside and out, than any other Mustang restoration to date (and that includes restorations like "Upupa Epops" and "Happy Jack's Go Buggy").
One of the cool things to have been seen at Oshkosh in the warbirds area this year, is the bevy of B-25 Mitchells. Throughout the week there have been six B-25's on-site (not including the EAA static example). These being the CAF Minnesota Wing B-25J "Miss Mitchell", the Pat Harker/C&P Aviation B-25J "Lady Luck", the Fagen Fighters B-25J "Paper Doll", the CAF Devil Dog Sqd. PBJ/B-25J "Devil Dog", the Larry Kelly B-25J "Panchito", and Rod Lewis'/Lewis Air Legends B-25J "Russian to Get Ya". And as this list shows, all three of the currently Minnesota-based B-25's were together for the first time.
John Terrell
