26th November 2005

Museum's Corsair project wins an Award.

On the 21st Oct the Transport Trust awarded the Fleet Air Arm Museum an award in recognition of the restoration of the Museum’s Corsair KD431.

Each year the Transport Trust assesses many historic vehicles and transport related projects from a wide range of collections and museums. Amongst other aspects the judges look for an innovative approach to a project, rarity, accuracy and historical significance.

For the last 40 years the Museum’s Corsair’s original paintwork has been hidden under a coat of thick blue grey paint applied prior to its arrival at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in 1963.

The decision was taken in 2001 to endeavour to remove the layers of paint to reveal the aircraft as it was at the end of the war.

During the past four years a painstaking restoration project has been undertaken and the aircraft has now been taken back to its original paintwork and markings making it the only Corsair in existence in totally original condition.

Some of the more obscure findings include an unusual yellow circle on the port wing which turned out to be a warning device for poisoned gas (It would change colour if gas was detected). And an intriguing dent in the propeller blade, which is now known to have been made after a particularly heavy landing on the aircraft carrier HMS Premier. The aircraft over-ran the flight deck and it collided with the crash barrier!