Our Aircraft’s History

Goodyear FG-1D “Corsair” (Bureau #76671; MSN #2533) ~ Our Corsair, built by the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation via licence approval, was a Vought-Sikorsky Model V-166B F4U-1D design. She was manufactured right here in Akron, Ohio and accepted by the US Navy on January 7, 1945 and delivered on January 27, 1945 to Port Columbus airport, Ohio (today, John Glenn Columbus International Airport; CMH). Nicknames also included, “Sweetheart of Okinawa” and “bent wing bird” or by the Japanese, “Whistling Death”.

  • January 1945 – Assigned to Navy Fighter-Bomber Squadron (VBF-92), NAS Groton, Connecticut.
  • February 1945 – Performed (CQL) Carrier Qualifications with other pilots/planes on the USS Croatan (CVE-25), an escort carrier.
  • February 28, 1945 – While performing CQL on the USS Croatan (CVE-25), piloted by A. H. Untelman, this Corsair had a (LACSF) landing accident due to structural failure, where the Corsair sustained substantial damage.
  • May 1945 – Stored Out of Commission (SOC) on May 31st
  • February 1948 – Cockpit section transferred to the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Museum, Akron, Ohio.

After spending over 60 years in the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Museum as a display, the museum closed (August 28, 2009) for good and the cockpit was donated to the MAPS Air Museum.  The cockpit was on display at MAPS for the next 9 years before the decision was made to build the full aircraft around the cockpit. Still underway, below you can see the different actions our volunteers are performing on the FG-1D. She is being overseen by Crew Chief Don Neidert during restoration.

Specifications/Performance (F4U-4)

  • Role: Carrier-based fighter-bomber
  • Manufacturer: Chance-Vought (Goodyear contract used design to build FG-1D)
  • First flight: May 29, 1940
  • Introduction: December 28, 1942
  • Retired: 1953 (US)
  • Produced: 1942-1953
  • Built: 12,571 (all variants; estimated 4000 by Akron Goodyear)
  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 33 ft 8 in
  • Height: 14 ft 9 in
  • Wingspan: 41 ft
  • Empty weight: 9,205 lb
  • Max weight: 14,533 lb
  • Engine: 1 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial, 2,380 hp
  • Max speed: 446 mph
  • Range: 1,005 mi
  • Combat range: 328 mi
  • Service ceiling: 41,500 ft

Armament, notable

  • Guns: 6 x .5 in Browning M2 machine guns (400 rounds per gun) or 4 x .79 in AN/M# cannon (231 rounds per gun)
  • up to 4,000 lb bombs and/or
  • 8 x 5 in high velocity rockets

Museum display notes: Undetermined, still being fabricated

Designed to replace: Grumman F4F “Wildcat” (US Marines) & the Brewster F2A Buffalo (US Navy)

Replaced by: Douglas F3D “Skynight” (night fighter) & the Grumman F9F “Panther” (day fighter)