Flown back to New Zealand in October 1945 and sold for scrap in March 1948. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

F4U-1 Bu.02270, is one of the world's oldest surviving WW2 F4U Corsairs in existent. It is only one of few remaining airframes which has the early birdcage canopy design. FLown by the USMC in the South Pacific theatre by pilots from VMF-321. On May 5th, 1944 the F4U ended up ditching in a lagoon. Here it lay until recovered in the early 2000's and 25 years later is on the home straight to completion.

This F4U was built in 1943 at Vought's plant in Stratford, CT and is a rare example of the early "birdcage" variant. Assigned to the Carrier Qualification Training Unit (CQTU) at NAS Glenview, the aircraft was used to train pilots for carrier landings on the converted paddlewheel steamships USS Wolverine and USS Sable. Like the museum's Vindicator, it is another aircraft that fell into Lake Michigan in June 1943 while attempting a landing on the Wolverine. It was recovered from the lake in 2010 and was restored by the museum over 14 years, only recently being placed on show

After a 14 year restoration F4U-1 02465 is now on display in the National Naval Aviation Museum. It was accepted by the USN on 26 March 1943 and assigned to the Carrier Qualification Training Unit (CQTU) at NAS Glenview, IL on 29 March 1943. On 12 June 1943 02465 went into Lake Michigan after a nonfatal landing accident on USS Wolverine. It was salvaged from the lake on 12 November 2010 and delivered to the museum where the restoration was accomplished.

Used by the Corsair conversion flight. Sold for scrap. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Landed with the brakes on and overturned. Written off. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

NZ5362 was flown to New Zealand in October 1945. The Ferry flight 9 through 15 October 45 was made by Flight Sgt Howard Monk RNZAF. Sold for scrap in 1948. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Sold for scrap in New Zealand in 1948. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Sold for scrap in 1948 from storage in New Zealand. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

NZ5367 caught fire during a test flight. It landed back on the airstrip. The pilot escaped uninjured but the aircraft was a write-off. Nissan Island is sometimes called Green Island, which is the island group that includes Nissan. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Sold for scrap after World War II. Photo from: RNZAF/ Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Undergoing restoration at the SA Classic Jets Fighter Museum