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  F4U-1A Corsair Serial Number NZ5527  
RNZAF
No. 15 Squadron

Former Assignments
No. 22 Squadron
No. 23 Squadron

Aircraft History
Built by Vought. Constructors Number 5203. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 49956. Disassembled and loaded aboard USS Sunnyside Park as cargo and departed the United States as part of defense aid to New Zealand.

Wartime History
Assigned to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as Corsair serial number NZ5527. On June 28, 1944 reassembled at No.1 Assembly Depot BOC Unit 36 at Hobsonville Airfield. In July 1944 assigned to No. 22 Squadron at Ardmore Airfield. In August 1944 assigned to No. 23 Squadron at Ardmore Airfield. Finally during December 1944 assigned to No. 15 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On January 8, 1945 took off from Ardmore Airfield piloted by Flight Sergeant T. Simpson on a training flight. After lainding, the brakes seized causing the aircraft to flip over injuring the pilot and damaging the aircraft. On January 25, 1945 officially written off. Afterwards, converted into instructional airframe INST106 assigned to TTS at Nelson Airfield.

Wreckage
Postwar, the wreckage of this aircraft was sold with parts acquired by John Smith of Mapua. Later, sold to Ross Jowitt, Auckland-Ardmore, NZ and used in the restoration of F4U Corsair NZ5503.

References
Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1A Corsair 49956
"49956 (MSN 5203) to New Zealand as NZ5527"
ADF Serials - NZ Serials Corsair NZ5503
Warbird Registry - F4U Corsair/BuNo. 5000

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Last Updated
July 6, 2024

 

Tech Info
F4U
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