I just stumbled across four photographs of American planes bound for the UK under Lend Lease, with British markings and British pilots being trained at the Brunswick Air Base in Maine. I need to ask the institution that holds them if I can share them, but if anyone is interested or knows about these planes, please let me know and I'll see what I can do. Barbara An archivist in the US described them as follows: The photos show not only the Corsairs and Hellcats but also the Avenger in various states of repair or assembly. The British pilots trained in all three aircraft at Brunswick. In November 1943, the Federal Aviation Administration received under Lend-Lease the first of 95 Vought F4U-1 Corsairs. The first squadrons of aircraft were assembled (could be shown that way in the photo) and pilots trained in the US, either at Brunswick, Maine, or Quonset, Rhode Island, and then sent across the Atlantic. The Royal Navy put the Corsair into carrier operations immediately, well ahead of the US Navy. Many more Corsairs would follow after the initial 95. Some research showed that some also made their way to New Zealand.
Very very interested !!! Thanks I've always liked seeing these planes in FAA markings. It might be the hazy and choppy north Atlantic settings typical for the British ones vs the USN ones in the tropics. Who knows?
I just stumbled across four photographs of American planes bound for the UK under Lend Lease, with British markings and British pilots being trained at the Brunswick Air Base in Maine. I need to ask the institution that holds them if I can share them, but if anyone is interested or knows about these planes, please let me know and I'll see what I can do. Barbara An archivist in the US described them as follows: The photos show not only the Corsairs and Hellcats but also the Avenger in various states of repair or assembly. The British pilots trained in all three aircraft at Brunswick. In November 1943, the Federal Aviation Administration received under Lend-Lease the first of 95 Vought F4U-1 Corsairs. The first squadrons of aircraft were assembled (could be shown that way in the photo) and pilots trained in the US, either at Brunswick, Maine, or Quonset, Rhode Island, and then sent across the Atlantic. The Royal Navy put the Corsair into carrier operations immediately, well ahead of the US Navy. Many more Corsairs would follow after the initial 95. Some research showed that some also made their way to New Zealand. Barbara, If I recall correctly, the American Powers that be, decided that the Corsair was not suitable for Carrier work. The British tried the Corsair on a carrier for take off and deck landings and the rest is history. Regards Tom
Tom You mean it was one of those moments like the guy from Rolls Royce after watching the P51 perfoming with the Allinson engine said lets put a merlin in! The other is footage from the US Navy/Lockheed of the C-130 landing on and taking off from a carrier, not sure if they ever tried it during a conflict.
With luck - I'll be able to attach the photographs I received from an archivist at NARA (Like ARKew) that show American planes at Brunswick AFB en route to England. Note description in earlier post from archivist at Dover AFB museum - but let me know if any of this slipped into Cyberspace and I need to re-send. Barbara
Thought this may be of interest to someone.... picture from my uncle's collection taken I believe in South Africa where he was involved in building the Hellcats. Quis Separabit William Carlyle Reid
Necessary documentation underway for Transport Canada to approve the first flight. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
Slight oversimplification. Britain changed the cockpit cover and raised the pilot's seat to improve his vision for landing and take off and then developed a new landing technique to compensate for the remaining vision deficiencies and introduced a training routine for this.
