FG-1 Corsair
“Lucky Gallon”

by John Meyer

Model and text by John Meyer

Pictures by John Miller

Review Type: Build

Description: Tamiya 1/48th FG-1 Corsair Race Plane “Lucky Gallon.”

Cook “Cookie” Cleland, WWII Ace, Dive Bomber Pilot and Race Pilot.

Cook “Cookie” Cleland joined the Navy and became a naval aviator shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He married Ora Lee Cleland during his flight training. After graduation, he was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Wasp flying Vought SB2U Vindicator and Douglas SBD dive bombers to provide close air support for the initial Guadalcanal landings. Cleland was on the Wasp when she was sunk in September, 1942, spending over 4 hours in the water waiting for rescue. Later while serving on the USS Lexington, Cleland became an ace, which was unusual for a dive bomber pilot. After returning to the United States, he evaluated captured enemy aircraft as a Navy test pilot; call sign "Cookie.”

Following World War II, Cleland acquired the Euclid Avenue Airport in suburban Willoughby, Ohio, where he offered flying lessons, banner towing and air charters. Cleland bought a surplus F4U Corsair [Goodyear-manufactured FG-1A Corsair, BuNo.13841], modified it for air racing and named it "Lucky Gallon.” It flew in the 1946 Thompson Trophy Race at an average of 357 miles per hour (575 km/h), finishing sixth.

Cleland next obtained four Goodyear F2G-1 Super Corsairs with 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney Wasp Major engines rated at more than 3,000 horsepower (2,237 kW). He modified these similarly to his FG-1D, additionally clipping the wingspan a few feet. He flew one of these to win the 1947 Thompson Trophy with a speed of 396 miles per hour (637 km/h). The 1948 Thompson saw Cleland return with more modifications to the previous years plane, but the experimental fuel, rated at 200 octane, proved too volatile and caused the induction scoops to be blown loose, taking him out of the race. Cleland returned in 1949, winning the Thompson for the second time with a speed of 397 miles per hour (639 km/h).

Following additional Naval service in Korea, Cleland held numerous staff positions in the United States Navy and played a key role in establishing the Defense Intelligence Agency. In 1967, Cleland retired from the Navy, moved to Pensacola, Florida and was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000. He died on July 13, 2007, leaving a daughter, two sons, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Edited from Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_Cleland

This is a model of the Goodyear FG-1 Corsair owned and flown by former Navy pilot, Cook “Cookie” Cleland as it appeared in the 1946 Thompson Trophy Races in Cleveland.

It was named “Lucky Gallon” and was a largely stock Corsair with only a few minor modifications–most notably a custom fabricated chin scoop for the carburetor intake and the removal of the carburetor intakes from the wing roots. The aircraft finished in 6th place at 357 mph.

The main thing this taught Cleland was that he needed more horsepower. He used his Navy connections to obtain four F2G-1 Super Corsairs which he and other pilots flew in the 1947 Thompson Trophy races. The Super Corsair flown by Cleland won the 1947 race at 396 mph.

The model is based on the 1/48th Tamiya FG-1 fitted with a custom chin scoop made from sheet styrene, modified wing root intakes and a Resin2Detail 3-D printed R-2800.

The decals are from Draw Decals.

The cream and maroon paints were custom mixed using AK Real Color paints that were diluted with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner and applied with an H-S Evolution.

Cheers,

John

For more on this review visit ModelPaintSolutions.com.
https://modelpaintsol.com/builds/tamiya-fg-1-corsair-lucky-gallon

Text and Images Copyright © 2026 by John Meyer
Page Created 14 August, 2026
Last updated 14 August, 2026

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