Gents,
Some interesting reading on the F8F-1 and F4U's in it's deployment together.
Dondald D. Engin, former Deputy commander and Cheif of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Captain of the Aircraft carrier U.S.S. America as well as a combat pilot in WW2 and Korea writes in his book "Wings and Warriors my life as a naval aviator"
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I do not recall who threw down the Gauntlet for a Commanding officer versus a Commanding officer Dogfight-from-takeoff showdown, but the idea caught on like wildfire. Each agreed to the combat, and the rules were set so the Lindsay in his F4U-1D and Joe Smith in his F8F-1 would line upon the runway at NAAS Santa Rosa and on a given signal release brakes: the first one on the others tail would win. The VBF-19 crew waxed Lindsay's old F4U-1D until the chippped, worn paint and aluminum skin shined, and they prepped the engine for all the power it could give. Smith's crew were a little more confident with their brand new and powerful airplane.
On the appointed day all hands from both squadrons lined both sides of the runway as each commanding officer taxied his A/C to stop with both wheels exactly on a broad white line painted across the runway for that purpose. Smiths Bearcat with it's R-2800-34W engine, was on the right. His engine purred and popped and sounded downright awesome. Lindsay's Corsair, with it's much older and tired R-2800-8W, was on the left. His engine was leaking a little oil as he sat on the starting line, but it ran smoothly, and the three-bladded-prop just ticked over waiting to respond. On signal, both pilots released their brakes and jammed on full power. The Bearcat slewed to the right and seemed to jump twice before leaping into the air sideways, as Smith retracted the landing gear to hold the airplane low on the runwayand accellerated. Lindsay's Corsair was slower accelllerating . He moved down the Runway at almost the same speed but with his wheels on the ground. Initially wing tip to wing tip, they slowly seperated as they tore down the runway, until Lindsay sucked up his landing gear, dropped 10Degrees of landing flaps, turned 30degrees to the left of the Runway heading, then snapped the F4U around to the right with his right wingtip just inches from the ground, and fell victoriously on the tail of Smith's F8F. They disappeared over the horizon at less than 100ft, and Lindsay had won.
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Reportedly the F8F pilot jumped from his cockpit screaming that the F4U was overmodeled and no way it should do that.
Saying quote "He flying a F#$@ UFO!!"
Sadly Donald Engin who was the also the Curator of the National Air and Space Museum until this past year when he was killed in a glider accident. So many of our Hero's have fallen. However his book is the best account of the trasition of Naval airpower from the F6F to the F4 Phantom I have read with some great stories about the F6F, F4U, F7F, FJ-3, F8-Crusader and others.
Later
F4UDOA
BTW. the story of the Dogfight was during WW2. April 1st 1945 to be exact. So the F8F did see combat after all.
[This message has been edited by F4UDOA (edited 10-30-2000).]
