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Aircraft History Built by Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, Ohio as model V-166B. Contract Number 1871. On July 22, 1945 delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as FG-1D Corsair bureau number 92460 and delivered the next day. Postwar, this Corsair was assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to Marine Fighting Squadron 314 (VMF-314) and used for training and operated at various locations including Akron, Columbus, Cherry Point, Atlanta and Jacksonville. Afterwards, placed into outdoor storage at NAS Litchfield Park in Arizona. During the late 1950s, this plane was selected for transfer to Central America as part of U.S. military aid to El Salvador. In 1957 assigned to the Fuerza Armada de El Salvador (FA de El Salvador, FAS) with tail number 217 and "FAS" on the fuselage and wings with white wingtips and a white ring on the engine cowling and a horizontal stripe on the center of the tail. On both sides of the nose was a circular logo. By the late 1960s, this Corsair was abandoned in El Salvador parked with other Corsairs at an airfield bone yard area with the propeller. The plane was stripped for usable parts with the armament removed. Display In 1969, El Salvador donated this aircraft to the Sikorsky Memorial due to the efforts of Mr. Nicholas "Nick" Mainero a World War II veteran who was a USMC Corsair pilot and manager of the Sikorsky Memorial and Stratford Airport manager. In El Salvador, both wings were unbolted and the aircraft was shipped to Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, NY then to Bridgeport, CT then trucked to Stratford, CT. This Corsair was prepared for outdoor display by removing excess parts and was repainted in U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) markings. During 1971, this Corsair was placed atop a concrete pillar as the "Corsair Memorial" (Sikorsky Memorial) at Stratford Airport in Stratford, CT. Below were two brass plaques and with the aircraft formed the "Corsair Memorial". The first plaque read: "United States Marine Corps - Corsair Memorial - to the many thousands of dedicated area men and women who built her, and to the many courageous pilot who flew her to win the great air battles over the Pacific Theatre during World War II - presented by The Chateau Thierry Detachment Marine Corps League to the City of Bridgeport and the Town of Stratford July 14, 1971." By 2007, the aircraft was in poor condition due to weathering and corrosion. The second plaque read: "In Gratitude to the following - Government of El Salvador, Senator Thomas J. Dodd, Senator Abraham Ribicoff, Honorable Mayor Hugh C. Curran, Nicholas Mainiero, Airport Manager, R. A. Lalli Company, Monroe Ready Mix Concrete, Inc. Olson Steel Company, Inc. McClinch Crane Service, Sikorsky, Untied Aircraft, Hughes and Chapman Monument Co. - Also the many countless people who put their time and energy into this project without their help this memorial would have been impossible. During 1998, repainted with fuselage number 86 and a scoreboard of Japanese flags on the left side. Restoration In 2008, the Corsair was lifted off the pole and moved to the Stratford Aviation School where the wings were unbolted and the pieces moved to Connecticut Air & Space Center (CASC) for repairs and restoration. During 2011, this aircraft was removed due to neglect and corrosion for restoration by the Connecticut Air & Space Center (CASC). Over the next several years the aircraft was static restored and repaired. Today, still under restoration at the Connecticut Air & Space Center (CASC) with plans to display it inside their hanger once completed. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - FG-1D Corsair 92460 "92460 in 1990 was on display at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, CT. Still there on a pole at entrance May 29, 2005. Taken down for renovation Jul 22, 2008, but not sure if it will go back on the pole afterwards because of probable sea air corrosion. Reported 2008 to be under restoration by Connecticut Air and Space Center, Stratford, CT. At one time used by Salvadorean AF" Connecticut Air & Space Center's FG-1D Corsair - 1945 Vought / Goodyear FG-1D Corsair 92460 Warbird Resource Group - Corsair Registry - Corsair/Bu. 02460 YouTube "Cruisin’ Connecticut – Veterans Day Salute to WWII Pilot Major Richard Steele" November 10, 2017 AVweb "History Off The Beaten Path" by Paul Bertorelli November 27, 2019 Thanks to Mark Corvino for additional information Contribute
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