Winning Bid Helps Pay for Repairs from Sept. 25th Belly Landing

Following a six-year restoration, the Collings Foundation’s Chance-Vought F4U-5NL Corsair is flying again in honor of its Korean War veteran roots. Its journey to pristine flying condition was not without its share of problems, and in September of 2003, the road got rough.

On September 25th, 2003, on its second test flight out of New Smyrna Beach (FL), the Corsair was unable to extend the right main landing gear due to hydraulic system problem To minimize damage, the left gear was retracted and the decision was made to carefully belly-land the aircraft on the runway. Pilot Dale “Snort” Snodgrass did an excellent job and damage was limited to the propeller, flaps, and light scraping of the landing gear doors. Only a month and a half later, on November 14th, the repaired aircraft took to the skies again without a trace of the incident of September 25th thanks to the hard work of the crew at American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach.

To help pay for the repairs, the Collings Foundation is auctioning one of the propeller blades from the incident. This is your chance to not only own a piece of one of the most beloved aircraft in American aviation history, but own a story as well! This is one of the actual blades off the Corsair’s Hamilton Standard 23E60 propeller that was damaged in the belly landing on September 25th. Standing nearly 6 feet tall and weighing over 70 lbs, the prop blade will make an incredible conversation piece in an aviation-oriented office, den, or living room! Look for the prop on eBay.

FMI: www.collingsfoundation.org, eBay Bid Page