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.