[Scooby]

Does anyone know what Bureau number it started at? I am curious as I am building a -4 with the rounded windscreen and I am deciding on the markings. I am looking at some of the Cutting Edge sheets, all of their 4 sheets show the rounded windscreen but I think that is a error in the graphics.

[Otto]

The armored windscreen went into the aircraft when they started being used for ground support and no longer air-to-air combat. Most squadrons had a mixed bag of both in their inventory. The only ones that had strictly the armored windscreen were the 4-20mm armed birds.

[Scooby]

Otto, on 09 April 2012 - 01:02 AM, said:

The armored windscreen went into the aircraft when they started being used for ground support and no longer air-to-air combat. Most squadrons had a mixed bag of both in their inventory. The only ones that had strictly the armored windscreen were the 4-20mm armed birds.

So most if not all in Korea should have the flat canopy? They never went into Korea as air-to-ar weapons?

I would think only WWII and pre-Korea would have the rounded canopy.

[Otto]

Scooby, on 09 April 2012 - 04:23 AM, said:

So most if not all in Korea should have the flat canopy? They never went into Korea as air-to-ar weapons?

I would think only WWII and pre-Korea would have the rounded canopy.

That statement is only part true. It was the realization of what they are going to be used for when they started being built with an armored screen. VMFA-235 for example went to Korea as a VMFA, had F4U-4s with both stile screens and saw action in Korea.

[Scooby]

Otto, on 09 April 2012 - 10:32 AM, said:

That statement is only part true. It was the realization of what they are going to be used for when they started being built with an armored screen. VMFA-235 for example went to Korea as a VMFA, had F4U-4s with both stile screens and saw action in Korea.

What about 214, did they deploy with both?

[don f]

Scooby, on 08 April 2012 - 09:51 PM, said:

Does anyone know what Bureau number it started at?

According to the -1 dated 15 April 1947 revised 15 September 1948, the round windscreen were "AIRPLANES 80759 THROUGH 81758 AND 81779 THROUGH 81828"

The flat, armored windscreen, described as "NEW" were:

"AIRPLANES 81759 THROUGH 81778 AND 81829 AND SUBSEQUENT"

An earlier -1 makes no mention of the flat windscreen.

As an aside, the Parts List for the later F4U-5/N/P indicates that many of the windscreen parts had intermodel useage with the F4U-4, including the windscreen side glass and bullet proof windscreen. Same for the sliding section. The skirt, or framing, had intermodel useage with the F4U-4 but not the clear part. Got no idea why.

Don

[Otto]

don f, on 09 April 2012 - 04:06 PM, said:

According to the -1 dated 15 April 1947 revised 15 September 1948, the round windscreen were "AIRPLANES 80759 THROUGH 81758 AND 81779 THROUGH 81828"

The flat, armored windscreen, described as "NEW" were:

"AIRPLANES 81759 THROUGH 81778 AND 81829 AND SUBSEQUENT"

An earlier -1 makes no mention of the flat windscreen.

As an aside, the Parts List for the later F4U-5/N/P indicates that many of the windscreen parts had intermodel useage with the F4U-4, including the windscreen side glass and bullet proof windscreen. Same for the sliding section. The skirt, or framing, had intermodel useage with the F4U-4 but not the clear part. Got no idea why.

Don

The armored windscreen and hood were flat at the top where they met. The un-armored screen and its matching hood were curved at the top. This can be seen on most pictures of these aircraft. If you find pictures of 214s -4s you will be able to tell if they had a mixed bag. I would tend to think they did if they had 50cal armed birds.

[Otto]

Otto, on 09 April 2012 - 09:13 PM, said:

The armored windscreen and hood were flat at the top where they met. The un-armored screen and its matching hood were curved at the top. This can be seen on most pictures of these aircraft. If you find pictures of 214s -4s you will be able to tell if they had a mixed bag. I would tend to think they did if they had 50cal armed birds.

This should answer your question.214 had 20mm canon armed birds which means that they all had the flat windshield.