TAMING THE F4U corsair

Flight Journal, Oct 2004 by Tillman, Barrett

The Jolly Rogers had a full complement of 36 airplanes by mid-March, but problems persisted. A relatively unknown player in taming the Corsair was VF-17's maintenance officer Lt. Merle "Butch" Davenport. Quiet, likable and competent, his calm demeanor concealed an astute engineer's mind. With Vought rep Ray DeLava, Davenport developed a small spoiler to solve the F4U's vicious stall tendency. The original Corsairs could snap into a left-hand stall at low airspeed, which led to serious losses. Davenport and DeLava's three-inch strip was affixed to the leading edge of the starboard wing and worked well; the wings now remained level through most of the stall. The spoiler became a standard production-line item.

Davenport was also featured in fixing the main landing-gear oleo problems. Working with factory tech reps, he experimented with the air pressure and oil level in the gear legs to determine the optimum combination. Davenport and the Vought engineers found that a higher air pressure led to a softer oleo piston stroke and reduced the bouncing tendency on landing. Oleo-metering specifications were duly noted and passed to the factory, and production-line changes were incorporated. In combat, Davenport proved as astute as on the ground and emerged as one of the Jolly Roger aces.

Fighting 17 began "bounce" drills in preparation for carrier qualifications, as Blackburn worked with an experienced landing signal officer, Lt. (jg) Shailer "Catwalk" Cummings of USS Charger (CVE-30). In typical "fubar" custom, the Navy had not bothered to pass along VF-12's experience in carrier operations. But Blackburn satisfied Cummings and himself with a dozen practice landings and then "hit" the boat. Finding the "jeep carrier" steaming in Chesapeake Bay, Blackburn turned Big Hog into the carrier pattern. "I rolled out of the approach turn about 100 yards astern, hanging on the prop, indicating about 90 knots. Except for a lot of cold water, all I could see was Catwalk Cummings; the little ship was completely hidden by the Corsair's huge nose." Cummings was satisfied; he gave the "roger" sign-both arms extended from the shoulders-all the way to the ramp. Then he slashed his paddles in the cut signal.

Blackburn chopped the throttle, dropped the long nose and then hauled back on the stick. It was premature. Big Hog dropped "what seemed like 20 feet," three-pointed onto the deck and caught the first arresting wire. Blackburn lurched forward in his shoulder harness, almost breathless at the impact. He taxied forward, feeling the rumble-rumble of blown tires. Both main gear wheels had broken and blown the tires in the process. A close scrutiny of the Corsair showed no structural damage, so the wheels and tires were replaced. The next four landings went smoothly.

As part of Air Group 17, Blackburn's fighters were assigned to the new Essex-class carrier USS Bunker Hill (CV-17). During workups in the Gulf of Trinidad, another problem arose. "Our beloved Hogs were giving us fits," Blackburn recalled. Seemingly safe traps resulted in barrier engagements, as several Corsairs proceeded up the deck into the barriers despite three-point landings. Even at the reduced speed of 60 knots, damage always resulted. When F4Us somersaulted over the barriers, additional planes usually were struck as well. Several aircraft were written off.