Corsair coming together in South Australia

摘要

After more than 70 years in a lagoon near the island of Efate, Vanuatu, Vought F4U-1 Corsair 02270 is under slow rebuild to static display standard by Bob Jarrett's volunteer staff at his Classic Jets Fighter Museum in Parafield, South Australia. Fuel starvation ended a long escort mission on May 5,1944, and the aircraft was ditched by Capt James Vittitoe. The USMC pilot managed to bring the aircraft down into shallow water, and escaped uninjured. He was rescued by local people and returned to his unit at nearby Quoin Hill airfield, just two miles from where the Corsair came to rest. In 2008, Bob and his wife Margaret discovered the aircraft's remains and set about recovering them with the objective of restoring them for display. Negotiations to remove the wreck took place over the next two years with local land owners and Vanuatu's Cultural Centre.