In a project that combined historical reverence with precision logistics, deugro successfully delivered a 1944 FG1D Corsair aircraft—an iconic piece of aviation history—across continents.

A Legacy Preserved

Accepted by the United States Navy in April 1945, the Corsair was reassigned to the Navy Reserve before being sold in 1959 to a smelting company. Recovered in 1960, the aircraft spent decades in museum collections and was imported into the United Kingdom’s Fighter Collection in 1986. Remarkably, the aircraft remains nearly 100 percent original, with no significant reconstruction or overhaul. Even the original service logs from its time in the United States have been preserved.

Engineering a Bespoke Transport Solution

Transporting a vintage aircraft of this scale and sensitivity required a tailored approach. With only the original operator’s manual available, deugro developed a custom transport plan. A bespoke C-Channel—designed by haulage partner Swain Group—was engineered to support the unusually wide front tyres.

To minimize handling and risk exposure, a roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) shipment method was selected. This ensured the aircraft remained secure and untouched throughout its journey.

Navigating Regulatory Complexity

The aircraft’s original width of 5.01 meters meant it could only be transported by road to the nearest seaport under United Kingdom regulations. By collaborating with the owner and the engineering team at the airfield, deugro arranged for the removal of two tail components, reducing the width to 4.91 meters. This adjustment enabled direct road transport from the museum to Southampton Port.

deugro’s United Kingdom team attended the pre-wrapping inspection, supervised the loading of the aircraft and ancillaries onto the truck, and traveled ahead of the convoy to oversee the transfer to the mafi trailer. A surveyor appointed in the United Kingdom accompanied the load throughout.

In the United States, deugro’s Houston team replicated this process—attending the cargo discharge, supervising the transfer from mafi to truck, and arranging for a surveyor to travel with the convoy to the final site. Real-time updates were shared every 15 minutes via Teams, enabling the United Kingdom team to keep the client informed, even as the aircraft arrived just before midnight local time.

Customs Expertise That Made It Possible

This delivery was made possible by deugro’s in-house customs expertise. Special recognition goes to Customs Specialist Gloria Fan, whose proactive engagement and communication ensured a smooth import declaration and release—despite the complexities of United States tariffs and licensing.

Collaboration Across Borders

This project exemplified cross-functional coordination. From the trucking firm and airfield to the shipping line and terminal operations, every stakeholder played a vital role. Special thanks to Josh Lewis, Justin Hancock, and Chahid Mouawad for their hands-on support in the United States.

Acknowledging Our Partners

We are proud to recognize the contributions of our partners:

• Swain Group
• Wallenius Wilhelmsen
• Palletized Trucking Inc.