The Military Aviation Museum has a Chance-Vought Corsair in its stable which is painted with the “Skull and Bones” livery of Norfolk-born Ray Beacham, who flew with the famous VF-17 in the Pacific. One of the Museum's pilots, Charles "Obie" O'brien, also known as "The Corsair Guy" flew the plane for the Museum before he retired from flying.
But the Museum today had a special guest: one of Obie's actual Corsairs from his combat days during the Korean War. This isn't just another Corsair painted to look like Obie's - it actually is one he flew. It has been restored with the markings of VF-44 flying off the USS Boxer.
To honor the 93-year old Obie, he came to the Museum to see his Corsair fly along side the Museum's Corsair. He had piloting time in both birds.
This is Obie's Corsair taking off. The pilot rolled out, retracted the landing gear, but waited until he passed the main Museum building and the watching Obie to climb out.
Local news station WTKR was there and broadcast this story.
