The Corsair served with the US Navy, US Marines, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force (and later, the French Aeronavale), and quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter/bomber of the war. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in additional aircraft being produced by the Goodyear Company (as the FG-1) and the Brewster Company (as the F3A-1). Production ceased in 1952.The prototype of the Corsair was first flown on 29 May 1940, but due to design revisions, the first production F4U-1 Corsair was not delivered until 31 July 1942. Further landing gear and cockpit modifications resulted in a new variant, the F4U-1A, which was the first version approved for carrier duty. |  |
| Prior to 1943, America utilized the Corsair as a land-based fighter assigned to the Marine Corps. The speed, strength, and firepower of the Chance Vought F4U Corsair enabled it to dominate Japanese opposition, shooting down 2,140 against a loss of 189. Its performance and dependability allowed great flight leaders like John Blackburn, John Smith, Marion Carl, Joe Foss, and Pappy Boyington to create legendary fighter squadrons. |
Fact File:
Chance Vought Corsair American carrier-borne fighter-bomber First reported in action in the Solomons in 1943, the Chance Vought F4U Corsair was the first American piston-engined fighter to reach more than 400 mph (690 kph) in straight and level flight. It was an aircraft of unusual and powerful appearance, with its distinctive inverted gull wing and cockpit set well back, and it was a significant weapon for the Allied navies with its firepower of six .50-in (12.7-mm) machine-guns. Designed by Sikorsky and first flown in 1940, Corsairs were in production by mid-1942 and eventually equipped nineteen Fleet Air Arm squadrons in addition to the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Indeed, although the latter were the first to fly the Corsair operationally, it was the Royal Navy which operated the Corsair from carriers before their American counterparts, and they were first reported in action with the Fleet Air Arm in 1943. Production of the F4U was carried out by three companies; the parent company built 7,946, the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation 735 and the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation 4,000. Their Corsairs were known as the F4U, F3A and FG 1 and 2 respectively. The power plant which produced this very good turn of speed was one 2,450 hp (1826.8 kw) Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp radial engine. The versions flown by the Fleet Air Arm, known as Corsairs Marks I-IV and corresponding to the above-mentioned American designations, had square-cut wing tips shortened by sixteen inches and all Corsairs were fitted with folding wings as befitted naval airplanes. Corsairs also served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force in some numbers. Variants included the cannon-armed F4UI-C, the F4UI-D fighter-bomber, and a night-fighter version was also built. By the time the war ended Corsairs had shot down more than 2,000 enemy aircraft, mainly in the Central and South Pacific, although they flew in all theatres. A few survived to fight in Korea, but by then they were outclassed, and production finally ended in 1952. Specifications Span: 41' (12.49 m) Length: 33' 4" (10.15 m) Gross weight: 12,399 lbs (5,624.5 kgs) Top speed: 417 mph (664 kph) Service ceiling: 37,000ft (11,277m) Armament: six .50" (12.7-mm) machine-guns, with external racks for bombs or rocket projectiles. |
