COMMANDER TOMMY BLACKBURN'S "BIG HOG" CORSAIR
U.S. NAVY F4U-1A "CORSAIR" OF FIGHTER SQUADRON VF-17
FLOWN BY COMMANDER JOHN T. BLACKBURN
Fighter squadron VF-17 was lead by Lt. Commander(later Commander) John T. Blackburn and adopted the pirate "Jolly Roger" as their squadron symbol. VF-17 was to become known as the "Skull and Crossbones Squadron" and as "Blackburn's Irregulars". VF-17 served two tours of duty commencing combat operation on 27 October 1943 from their base on Ondonga,New Georgia Island. This tour of duty lasted until 01 December 1943. Their second tour of duty was from 25 January 1944 until 04 March 1944 from their base at Piva Yoke, Bougainville Island. During their 79 days in combat, VF-17 was credited with 154 1/2 victories and created 13 aces.
This F4U Corsair from Spec Cast is an exact replica of the plane flown by VF-17 squadron commander John T. Blackburn, during the middle of November 1943. All of the markings and symbols on the aircraft are exact and have specific meanings and representations (see more historical information below). It is important to note, only 1250 "Big Hog" Corsairs will be made.
Item Number: AA47508 Price: $99.95
More Historical Info: For those who enjoy more of the historical notes please read on.
* This die-cast airplane bears the "Jolly Roger" squadron symbol that was placed on the engine cowling of all squadron aircraft. VF-17 was one of only a few Navy Corsair squadrons to assign aircraft to individual pilots. This representation bears the number "1" and the name "Big Hog", the aircraft Commander Blackburn. It also carries Commander Blackburn's scoreboard of "4" Japanese fighters downed through 11 November 1943. Commander Blackburn would subsequently be credited with 11 kills, 5 probable and 3 damaged while commander of VF-17.
* The 36 Corsairs assigned to VF-17 were assigned numbers of "1" through "36" which helped to distinguish individual flights within the squadron, number "1"to"4" making up the first flight and so on. For a time the aircraft also had their spinners and first 18 inches of their propellers painted in different colors to denote each flight - Blackburn's flight was marked red, Hedrick's white and so on. This practice was soon abandoned because the system proved to be impractical to maintain in combat due to aircraft losses and poor serviceability.
*The white line just ahead of the cockpit represents tape that was placed on panel seam lines in an attempt to seal out the fumes that were escaping from leaking fuel and oil tanks and prevent them from entering the cockpit.
*The red border around the national insignia was still on the aircraft of VF-17 when they deployed for combat in late October 1943. The red border around the national insignia began in June 1943, but was discontinued because of possible confusion with the Japanese insignia.
*The four dark blue patches on the left side of the plane represent battle damage accidentally inflicted on "Big Hog" on November 11, 1943 by VF-17's second in command Lt. Commander Roger Hedrick. (Hedrick later went on to become commander of VF-84 on U.S.S. Bunkerhill and his plane is represented in the Spec Cast Corsair #176 being released in the Fall 1998.)
On this mission, Hedrick and his wingman were pursuing a single Japanese Zero, which continued to elude them by flying in and out of clouds. Meanwhile, Commander Blackburn had been jumped by four and five Zeros. During his encounter, his windshield fogged over. since Blackburn was unable to see, he ducked into a cloud to avoid the pursuit and to give his windshield time to clear. As he came out of the cloud to reengage the Zeros, Hedrick who had been waiting for his lone Zero to reemerge, saw the plane emerge from the cloud, dove, fired a a burst and instantly realized he was firing at another Corsair. Hedrick was unaware whether or not he had hit Blackburn's plane until after they returned to base.
It has been reported that upon landing after the mission that commander Blackburn chastised Lt. Commander Hedrick by saying "You lousy shot, Roger. When those six .50's hit me, it moved the plane sideways". Nothing more was ever said.