This F4U-5NL is owned by the Collings Foundation and has seventy-seven combat hours in the Korean conflict. The aircraft was carrier based during its Navy history on the USS Essex, USS Leyte, USS Boxer and USS Tarawa. The aircraft was stricken from the Navy inventory in 1956. The F4U-5NL was subsequently restored for the Collings Foundation by American Aero Services of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, in 2002.

American Aero Services

Collings Foundation

The F4U-5NL in Korea

French F4U-5NL Corsair

An F-4U-5N Corsair carrying the markings of the Flying Nightmares of Korean War fame. Owned by Mike George of Springfield, IL.

An ECU of the base of the wing at the fold line.

Though aircraft covers are considered bad form by others, we highly advise photograhphing them anyway since no one else is. Emphasis must not only be on the historic aircraft, but the history of accoutrements necessary for the continued preservation of the aircraft after restoration. Covers lengthen the life of the cockpit and plexi and prevent heat damage to the interior, avionics, instruments, and crazing, detioration, aging and cracking of the plexi.

Back in the late 1960s, Lockheed sub-contracted for the design of window tinting controlled by the passenger. Though never adapted on the L-1011, the technology has progressed through time and will now be made available onboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

In time, we may see this same technology incorporated into aircraft plexi as a system to control heat within and heat damage to cockpit instrumentation on aircraft ranging from Executive Jets to General Aviation and Warbirds.

Though the covers are considered a pain in the ass to photographers, they are a Godsend to aircraft owners, but our position is that the external cover's days are numbered due to developing technology and photos should be taken of them now before they disappear completely. It's not that they will be missed; it's that they did exist. They will be a rarity soon enough, and as a rarity, they will gain value, like every other antiquated thing in the World.

Seriously...if Lyle Shelton decided to throw away a canopy cover off the Rare Bear, or Bill Destefani were to dispose of his for Strega, can you tell me that you wouldn't want to own it!?

"History" is a documented record of everything. "Anthropology" is the study of Man. "Collecting" illustrates the record. The items collected speak of the simplicity and/or intricacy of Man's genius.

History, Anthropology, Collecting, Records and the Items that illustrate all, go hand in hand together...and by the collective hand, Mankind makes and records history. None of Man's history should be allowed to go forgotten.

Including the fact that no Man, Woman or Child, likes the environment within and the look of a hot, cooked, cockpit.

As for us photographers, the latter makes for lousy pictures anyway, so we should try to compromise!

The wing flaps on the F4U-5NL with the wing unfolded for flight.

...think about how many of these you could get aboard the USS Ronald Reagan!

...that's right! The covers don't stay on forever as it is...

A look at a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and a Grumman TBM/TBF Avenger prowling the taxiway after fly pasts in the skies above Thunder Over Michigan.

I'm always amused when Matt Damon tells Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan that they've just been saved by "P-51 Tank Busters!" Only because, no one bothered to contact the owners of the real "Tank Buster," the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt. Upon its entry into World War II, the aircraft was classified a "Secret." Nothing was known about it until late in the War by Americans back home. Heavily armored, to fight against heavily armored vehicles and tanks, the P-47D was the true "Iron Ass" of WWII fame.

The sequel is not the A-10, per se, but the second of three Republic P-47s to appear at Thunder Over Michigan in 2005.