F4U-1A Corsair Bureau Number 49668

USMC
MAG 12
VMF-215
"Fighting Corsairs"

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Captain Bruce Diving 2004

 

Pilot  2nd Lt. William H. Holden
Ditched  April 17, 1945 at 1615

AIrcraft History
Built by Vought.

Mission History
On a ferry mission from Homestead Field Molokai to Ewa Field. Twenty minutes in the air, he was 10 mi bearing 085 deg from Diamond Head, when he noticed his RPM fluctuating. Soon afterwards his oil began to spray on his windshield and his engine lost all power. His engine was wind milling when he stalled into the water in a three point attitude at approximated at 90 knots. He was cut slightly over the right eye climbing from the floating plane. Lt. Holden reported all engine instruments registered correctly, except the cylinder head temperature which was broken before the takeoff. Time of the accident was 1615, weather was CAVU with a 13 knot wind.  Location at time of ditching was 085 deg 4 mi from Diamond Head. Cause off accident was 100% power plant. It crashed off Makapu'u point, on the east side of Ohau.

Wreckage
Rediscovered around 1995. Today a popular dive site.

References
Thanks to Captain Bruce Diving for this information

Contribute Information

 

Tech Info
F4U

SCUBA
105-110'

 

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