Driving to the airport I wonder if I have enough layers to keep warm for this evenings shoot. It’s sunny but a cold 31 degrees for a Texas December day and while not very windy now, the wind-chill at 160 knots through an open door will cut through the warmest coat.

Today we meet Stuart Milson, one of the sponsor/ pilots of the Commemorative Air forces’ FG-1D Corsair. We are after some new stills and video footage for the calendar and their website. Arriving at the airport, Stuart already has “503” out and warmed up and ready to go. Before I shoot I like to stare down my subject aircraft and get in my head what I want the finish shots to look like before we brief. I have to pause, looking at the great condition of the “503”, while not perfect like the super rich guys war birds, it hits me what a burden it is to keep this aircraft that rolled of the assembly line in 1945 flying. Unlike most museums, the CAF has sponsor groups and volunteers maintain the aircraft which can be quite challenging as the need for dollars grows every year to keep these rare planes flying. The Dallas based group does a great job and it was a privilege flying with them.

This particular aircraft flew in the reserves for most of its carrier until being saved from the smelters by civilians and finally the founding members of the CAF in 1961.

After an accident in 1974, the aircraft was stored for 6 years in Fort Worth Texas until a long awaited corporate sponsorship deal with Chance Vaught in Dallas was struck to fully restore her. The deal was the CAF would provide the propeller and engine while Vaught would provide all the labor. By 1981 she was back in the air again and in 2001 she was given a new paint scheme commemorating VMF- 312’s checkerboard livery of 1st Lt. Merritt O. Chance.



After briefing we launch into the setting sun and Charlie Jerek, my photo pilot calls attention to a thin layer of stratus moving in from the south. “How high do you think that is?” I ask over the intercom. “About 8 thousand feet” Charlie replies hmm 31 degrees; minus 2 degrees per thousand feet… that’s 15 degrees, ouch. Oh well, my rule for aerial photography is whenever there are clouds to work with you go for it as like snowflakes, no two days are ever alike providing the possibilities for some unusual and beautiful backgrounds.

We inform Stuart who by this time is tight formation on our right with that big 14 foot prop swinging just out my door and we begin to climb.

Bracing for the colder temperatures through 4 thousand feet the temperature actually begins to rise, “inversion!” I call out to Charlie and we warm up into almost 40 degrees.

The cloud layer is perfect, with wispy tops that provide a warm orange glow as the sunsets. Stuart performs flawlessly through every maneuver and this shoot turns into one of those magical moments that only pilots can appreciate as below us it’s already getting dark.

Thanks to Stuart, Charlie and the CAF for making these images possible.

Enjoy!

Aircraft specifications
Aircraft – FG-1D Corsair
Engine – Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB3 Double Wasp
Horsepower – 2,400
Empty weight – 8,600 lbs.
Max take off weight – 12,013 lbs.

Aircraft performance
Service ceiling – 41,000 ft.
Max range – 600 nmi.
Max speed – 472 mph