In late April, the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum announced the addition of one of the most iconic aircraft of World War II to its collection: FG-1D Corsair BuNo. 92489, registered as N209TW. The aircraft was recently acquired from the Tom Duffy collection in Pennsylvania. The museum’s growing fleet of naval aircraft already includes a rare 1942 Douglas SBD Dauntless/A-24B, acquired in 2025 from the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston, Texas, as well as an SB2C Helldiver, F6F Hellcat, FM-2 Wildcat, and SNJ trainer
(Image credit: Fagen Fighters WWII Museum)
Corsair BuNo. 92489 has a long and well-documented history within the warbird community. The aircraft was originally acquired from El Salvador by Frank Arrufat between 1972 and 1973. Arrufat worked on the restoration himself for many years before retiring in 2000, at which point he contracted Airpower Unlimited to complete the project. However, shortly before the restoration was finished, Arrufat sold the Corsair to John O’Connor in 2009. Despite the ownership change, the aircraft was completed largely according to Arrufat’s original vision, including the installation of the early braced canopy associated with the F4U-1A/FG-1A variants, the early centerline bomb rack, and the name Kathleen painted on the cowling in honor of Arrufat’s wife. The name was later removed after the aircraft joined the Texas Flying Legends Museum. The Corsair made its public debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2010 under O’Connor’s ownership. Later that same year, the aircraft was sold to Ed Bosarge and became part of the Texas Flying Legends Museum collection, where it flew for many years. Following the closure of the museum in 2019, the aircraft moved to the Dakota Territory Air Museum before being sold to Tom Duffy in 2020. Until its recent acquisition by Fagen Fighters, the Corsair had been based in New Jersey. The history of the aircraft was provided by noted warbird historian John Terrell.
On May 15, experienced warbird pilot Bernie Vasquez delivered the Corsair to the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, adding another significant piece of naval aviation history to the museum’s impressive collection. For more information about the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, visit www.fagenfighterswwiimuseum.org.
