9th August 2005

Corsair Rollout 2005

On the 9th August 2005, after more than four years of painstaking restoration work, Corsair KD 431 was put back on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

To mark the occasion, 14 former Fleet Air Arm Corsair pilots (from various squadrons) attended the roll out ceremony. Among these invited guests was Mr Chris Clark, who travelled from Kansas USA, to be at the event.

Mr Clark, a former Goodyear Aircraft Compant test pilot, was the first person to fly KD 431 on the 22nd August 1944. He met for the first time, Mr Peter Lovegrove, (former FAA Corsair pilot) who was the last person to fly KD 431 from an aircraft carrier deck on the 8th December 1945.

This unique meeting was the highlight of a day that also remebered the 60th Anniversary of Corsair pilot Lt Hamilton 'Hammy' Gray (RCNVR) being posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in August 1945.

KD 431 is now on permanent display in the World War II exhibition hall at the museum and is believed to be one of only two FG-1A types remaining and the last Corsair aircraft known to exist in totally original condition.

	Mr. Chris Clark (left) the first pilot of KD 431, meets for the first time, Mr. Peter Lovegrove (right) the last to fly the aircraft.
	Former Fleet Air Arm Pilots who attended the roll out ceremony on 9th August. L to R: T. Maylett, P.Jupe, C.Clark, G,Dunnell. D.White. E.Beechinor. D.MacQueen. P.Lovegrove. A.Leahy. P.Howell. H.Greenup. D.Earp. D.Attenburrow. J.Taylor.