Model Airplane News Cover for September, 1965
The Enterprise, Jr Click to Enlarge

Here is what the blurb about the cover has to say:

"...Our fearless and intrepid cover photographer, better known as Bev Smith, was all over the Enterprise, Jr. during its commissioning flights and managed this fine cover shot during a lull in the flight activity. Doc Brooke, Lou Oskowski and Dave Vaughn were the pilots that officially activated the Navy's latest carrier..."

About the Article

The US Navy converted a surplus Coast Guard buoy tender into a mini-replica of the USS Enterprise and used it as a publicity vehicle, operating model planes from its deck. The craft was built by the Naval Air Station, Seattle, reportedly consuming 3,300 man-hours of labor. It was taken to various civic events and offered local radio control enthusiasts an opportunity to practice model carrier takeoffs and landings.

The article details the travails of three RC modelers in flying from the Enterprise Jr.. It take a lot of skill to land a Radio Controlled model on solid ground, and the difficulty is squared when the landing strip is a small deck that is moving up and down. Three models were flown but only a replica of the F4U Corsair was successful in both takeoff and landing.

The commisioning of the Enterprise, Jr. wwas covered by Popular Science as well as M.A.N. You may read either article by clicking to enlarge the photos below.

  

Model Airplane News Article

  

Popular Science article
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About the Full Size Airplane

     

Chance-Vought F4U "Corsair"
Model Airplane News Cover Art for October, 1940, Novmber, 1943 and August, 1953
by Jo Kotula
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The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. The Corsair served in smaller air forces until the 1960s, following the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–1952). Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II. The U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio with the F4U Corsair.

  

Photos of the Chance-Vought F4U "Corsair"
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Corsairs served with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well the French Navy Aeronavale and other services postwar. It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear (as the FG-1) and Brewster (as the F3A-1). From the first prototype delivery to the U.S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought in 16 separate models. The unique "gull" wing was designed to provide clearance for the airplane's oversized propellor.

Here is a video of the Chance-Vought F4U "Corsair" in action:

In addition to the cover of Model Airplane News, this airplane was also featured in the WINGS "Friend or Foe" trading card series of the early 1950s

Trading card representation of the Chance-Vought F4U "Corsair"
Click Here to see all 200 cards in the series
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Click Here for more information about the Chance-Vought F4U "Corsair".

This was a popular Cleveland kit that taxed modelers skill in building the "Gull" wings.

  

Cleveland Model of the F4U "Corsair"

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You can buy the plans and patterns that will enable you to make this model right now. Click Here to go to the exact location on the Cleveland Website to get them.

F4U "Corsair" at the Cleveland Site
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