F4U Corsair - Citizendia

F4U Corsair
An F4U-5NL, previously of the Honduran Air Force, at the Geneseo Airshow, with air intercept radar pod on right wing
Type	Carrier-based fighter aircraft
Manufacturer	Chance Vought
Designed by	Rex Beisel/Igor Sikorsky
Maiden flight	29 May 1940
Introduction	28 December 1942
Primary users	United States Navy United States Marine Corps Royal Navy Royal New Zealand Air Force
Produced	1940-1952
Number built	12,571
Unit cost	$1,500,000
Variants	F2G "Super Corsair"

The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was an American fighter aircraft that saw service in World War II and the Korean War (and in isolated local conflicts). Naval Aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts Vought is the name of several related Aerospace firms These have included in the past Lewis and Vought Corporation, Chance Vought, Vought Sikorsky Rex Beisel ( 24 October, 1893 – February 1972 was an Aeronautical engineer who led the design of the Vought F4U Corsair and won Igor Sikorsky (25 May 1889 &ndash 26 October 1972 was born Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky (Игорь Иванович Сикорский The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF) is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Vought is the name of several related Aerospace firms These have included in the past Lewis and Vought Corporation, Chance Vought, Vought Sikorsky The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and Brewster-built aircraft F3A. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was a North American Defense contractor that operated from the 1930s until the end of World War II. The Corsair served in some air forces until the 1960s, following the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U. S. history (1942–1952). ^[1] ^[2] Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II. ^[3] The U. S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio for every F4U shot down. ^[4]

Development

The Corsair started life as the result of a U.S. Navy requirement for a carrier aircraft which could match the performance of the best land and carrier-based fighter planes. Designed in 1938 by Rex Beisel, the first prototype Corsair designated XF4U-1 first flew on 29 May 1940. Rex Beisel ( 24 October, 1893 – February 1972 was an Aeronautical engineer who led the design of the Vought F4U Corsair and won Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[5] When flown in 1940, the XF4U-1, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine, became the first U. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout S. single-engine production aircraft capable of 400 mph (640 km/h) in level flight. ^[6] It was a remarkable achievement for Vought; compared to land-based counterparts, carrier aircraft are "overbuilt" and heavier, to withstand the extreme stress of deck landings. An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with

Design

The XF4U-1 prototype in 1940/41

The Corsair was designed by Rex Beisel and Igor Sikorsky, and incorporated the largest engine available at the time, the 2,000 hp (1,490 kW) 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial. Rex Beisel ( 24 October, 1893 – February 1972 was an Aeronautical engineer who led the design of the Vought F4U Corsair and won Igor Sikorsky (25 May 1889 &ndash 26 October 1972 was born Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky (Игорь Иванович Сикорский WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion Engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central To extract as much power as possible, a relatively large, 13 ft, 4 inch (4. 06 m) Hamilton Standard Hydromatic three-blade propeller was used. Hamilton Standard, a famous Aircraft Propeller parts supplier was formed in 1929 when United Aircraft & Transport Corporation consolidated Hamilton Aero Manufacturing A propeller is essentially a type of fan which transmits power by converting Rotational motion into Thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an To accommodate a folding wing, the designers considered retracting the main landing gear rearward, but for the chord of wing selected, it was difficult to fit gear struts long enough to provide sufficient clearance for the large propeller. In reference to Aircraft, chord refers to the distance between the leading edge and trailing edge of a Wing, Horizontal stabilizer or Vertical stabilizer Their solution was an inverted gull wing, the same layout used as Germany's infamous Stuka dive bomber, considerably shortening the length of the main gear legs^[7] The "bend" in the wing also permitted the wing and fuselage to meet at the optimum angle for minimizing drag. The gull wing is an aircraft configuration with a prominent bend in the Wing somewhere along the span, generally near the Wing root. The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from Stu rz' ka' mpfflugzeug, " Dive bomber " was a two-seat (pilot and rear gunner Parasitic drag (also called parasite drag) is drag caused by moving a solid object through a fluid ^[7] Offsetting these benefits, the bent wing was more difficult to construct and would weigh more than a straight one.

2,000 hp (1,500 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 in a Goodyear FG-1 Corsair

The Corsair's aerodynamics were an advancement over contemporary naval fighters. The F4U was the first U. S. Navy airplane to feature landing gear that retracted fully, exactly in the manner of the Curtiss P-40 in rotating through 90° during retraction with the wheel atop the lower end of the strut, leaving a completely streamlined wing. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[8] Air intakes used slots in the leading edges of the wings rather than protruding scoops. Panels were attached with flush rivets, and the design took advantage of the newly-developed technique of spot welding. Spot welding is a type of Resistance welding used to weld various sheet Metal products While employing this new technology, the Corsair was also the last American-produced fighter aircraft to feature fabric covered control surfaces, which were used for the top and bottom of each outer wing and the elevator surfaces. A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed Elevators are control surfaces usually at the rear of an Aircraft, which control the aircraft's orientation by changing the pitch of the aircraft and so also (The later Boeing B-29 bomber used a fabric-covered rudder. The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them A rudder is a device used to steer a Ship, Boat, Submarine, Hovercraft, or other conveyance that move through a fluid (generally air or ) Even with its streamlining and high speed abilities, with full flap deployment of 60 degrees the Corsair could fly slowly enough for carrier landings. Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of the wings of a Fixed-wing aircraft.

In part because of its advances in technology and a top speed greater than existing Navy aircraft, numerous technical problems had to be solved before the Corsair would enter service. Carrier suitability was a major development issue, prompting changes to the main landing gear, tail wheel and tailhook. In Aviation, the undercarriage or landing gear is the structure (usually wheels that supports an Aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi Conventional landing gear describes an Undercarriage arrangement consisting of two main weight-bearing wheels forward of the aircraft's Centre of gravity, the A tailhook, also arresting hook or arrestor hook, is a device attached to the Empennage (rear of an Aircraft. Early prototypes had difficulty recovering from developed spins, since the inverted gull wing's shape interfered with elevator authority. A small spoiler was added to the leading edge of the starboard wing to reduce adverse stall characteristics. In Aeronautics a spoiler (sometimes called a lift dumper) is a device intended to reduce lift in an aircraft ^[9]

Underside of a Corsair

The combination of an aft cockpit and the Corsair's long nose made landings hazardous for newly-trained pilots. The cockpit position in the prototype was 36 in (91 cm) further forward, but a desire for more powerful armament necessitated changes. Putting three 50 caliber guns in each outer wing panel eliminated fuel tanks there, and the fuselage tank above the wings was enlarged to compensate. ^[10] This required that the seat be moved rearward, behind the tank, an arrangement used in other piston fighters of the era. Because the more docile, and simpler to build, F6F Hellcat was coming into service, Corsair deployment aboard U. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout S. carriers could be delayed. Following Vought modifications to the landing gear, repositioning of the seat, addition of the stall block to the starboard wing, and after a landing technique using a curving approach was developed by the British Royal Navy that kept the LSO (landing signal officer) in view while coming aboard, Corsairs entered U. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) S. carrier service toward the end of 1944.

Operational history

United States Navy and Marine Corps

In February 1938, the U. S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics published two requests for proposal, for twin-engined and single-engined fighters. For the single-engined fighter the Navy requested the maximum obtainable speed, and a stalling speed not higher than 70 mph (113 km/h). A range of 1,000 miles (1,610 km) was specified. The fighter had to carry four guns, or three with increased ammunition. Provision had to be made for anti-aircraft bombs to be carried in the wing. These small bombs would, according to thinking in the 1930s, be dropped on enemy aircraft formations.

In June 1938, the USN signed a contract for a prototype, the XF4U-1, BuNo 1443. After mock-up inspection in February 1939 construction of the XF4U-1 powered by an XR-2800-4 engine, rated at 1,805 hp (1,350 kW) went ahead quickly. The first flight of the XF4U-1 was made on 29 May 1940, with Lyman A. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bullard Jr. at the controls. The maiden flight was eventful; a hurried landing was made when the elevator trim tabs failed because of flutter. ^[11]

On 1 October, the XF4U-1 made a flight from Stratford to Hartford with an average ground speed of 405 mph (650 km/h), the first U. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic S. fighter to fly faster than 400 mph (640 km/h). ^[12] The XF4U-1 also had an excellent rate of climb. On the other hand, the testing of the XF4U-1 revealed some requirements would have to be rewritten. In full-power dive tests, speeds of up to 550 mph (885 km/h) were achieved, not without damage to the control surfaces and access panels, and, in one case, an engine failure. ^[13] The spin recovery standards also had to be relaxed, as recovery from the required two-turn spin proved impossible without recourse to an anti-spin chute. ^[12] The problems clearly meant delays in getting the type into production.

Reports coming back from the war in Europe indicated that an armament of two . 30 caliber (7. 62 mm) and two . 50 caliber (12. 7 mm) machine guns was insufficient, and so when the U.S. Navy asked for production proposals in November 1940, heavier armament was specified. ^[14] The Navy entered into a letter of intent on 3 March 1941, received Vought's production proposal on 2 April, and awarded Vought a contract for 584 F4U-1 fighters on 30 June of the same year. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper ^[15] Tillman 1996, p. 17 (number of aircraft in first order). </ref> On 25 June 1942 Boone Guyton flew the production F4U-1 on its maiden flight. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Boone Tarleton Guyton United States Navy, ( September 4, 1913 - April 4, 1996) was a Naval Aviation Cadet experimental Test pilot ^[6] Brewster and Goodyear were already tooling up to join the Corsair production program, having been selected in late 1941 as additional contractors for the aircraft. ^[16]

The performance of the Corsair was impressive. The F4U-1 was considerably faster than the F6F Hellcat and 13 mph (21 km/h) slower than the P-47 Thunderbolt,^[17]^[18]^[19] the two other fighters powered by the R-2800. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout But while P-47 achieved its highest speed at 30,020 ft (9,150 m) with the help of a turbocharger,^[20] the F4U-1 reached its maximum speed at 19,900 ft (6,100 m),^[21] and used a mechanically supercharged engine. ^[22]

Carrier qualification trials on the escort carrier USS Sangamon Bay, on 25 September 1942, caused the U. Fleet oiler After service off the west coast and in Hawaiian waters Sangamon shifted to the Atlantic Fleet in the spring of 1941 and through the Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France S. Navy to release the type to the U. S. Marine Corps. ^[23] After all, the U. S. Navy still had the Grumman F6F Hellcat, which did not have the performance of the F4U but was a far better deck landing aircraft. The Marines needed a better fighter than the F4F Wildcat. For them it was not as important the F4U could be recovered aboard a carrier, as they usually flew from land bases. Growing pains aside, Marine Corps squadrons readily took to the radical new fighter. ^[24]

Despite the decision to issue the F4U to Marine Corps units, two Navy units, VF-12 (October 1942) and later VF-17 (April 1943) were equipped with the F4U. Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (the Jolly Rogers is a Strike Fighter Squadron of the United States Navy flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at By April 1943, VF-12 had successfully completed deck landing qualification. ^[25] However, VF-12 soon abandoned its aircraft to the Marines. VF-17 kept its Corsairs, but was removed from its carrier, Bunker Hill (CV-17), due to perceived difficulties in supplying parts at sea. Construction The Bunker Hill was launched on 7 December 1942 at the Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy Massachusetts, sponsored ^[26] In November 1943, while operating as a shore-based unit in the Solomon Islands, VF-17 reinstalled its tail hooks so its F4Us could land and refuel while providing top cover over the task force participating in the carrier raid on Rabaul. The Allies of World War II conducted a bombing of Rabaul in November 1943 at the major Japanese base The squadron's pilots successfully landed, refueled and took off from their former home, Bunker Hill, and the USS Essex (CV-9) on 11 November 1943. Operational history World War II Following her shakedown cruise the Essex steamed to the Pacific in May 1943 to begin a succession of victories which would Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[27]

The U. S. Navy did not get into combat with the type until September 1943 and the FAA would qualify the type for carrier operations first. The U. S. Navy finally accepted the F4U for shipboard operations in April 1944, after the longer oleo leg was fitted, which finally eliminated the tendency to bounce. A shock absorber in common parlance (or damper in technical use is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or dampen shock impulse and dissipate ^[28] The first Corsair unit to be based effectively on a carrier was the pioneer USMC squadron, VMF-124, which joined USS Essex. Marine Attack Squadron 124 (VMA-124 was a fighter squadron in the Marine Forces Reserve based out of Naval Air Station Memphis flying the A-4 Skyhawk They were accompanied by VMF-213. The increasing need for fighters as a protection against kamikaze attacks resulted in more Corsair units being moved to carriers. ( is a word of Japanese origin which in English usually refers to the Suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against ^[29]

From February 1943 onward, the F4U operated from Guadalcanal and ultimately other bases in the Solomon Islands. Guadalcanal (local name Isatabu) is a 2510- Square mile (6500- km²) Island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands Corsairs were flown by the famous Black Sheep Squadron (VMF-214, led by Marine Maj. "The Black Sheep" redirects here for other uses see Black Sheep. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington) in an area of the Solomon Islands called "The Slot. Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington USMC, (December 4 1912 - January 11 1988 was an American fighter ace. New Georgia Sound is the body of water that runs approximately through the middle of the Solomon Islands. " Boyington was credited with 22 kills in F4Us (of 26 total, including four in an AVG P-40). The American Volunteer Groups were volunteer air units organized by the government of the USA in order to aid the Nationalist government of China against WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Other noted Corsair pilots of the period included VMF-215's Robert M. Hanson and Don Aldrich, VMF-124's Kenneth A. Walsh, Joe Foss, James E. Swett, and Archie Donohue, and VF-17's Tommy Blackburn, Roger Hedrick, and Ira Kepford. Marine Fighting Squadron 215 (VMF-215 was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was activated and fought during World War II. Robert Murray Hanson (1920-1944 was a Marine Corps Aviator who shot down 25 Japanese planes from the South Pacific skies “Kenneth Walsh” redirects here This article is about the United States Marine Joseph Jacob "Joe" Foss (April 17 1915&ndashJanuary 1 2003 was a leading " ace " fighter pilot in the United States Marine Corps during James Elms Swett (born June 15 1920 was a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot and ace during World War II. John T "Tommy" Blackburn was best known for his leadership role in World War II as first commanding officer of the famed F4U Corsair squadron that went by name of Nightfighter versions equipped Navy and Marine units afloat and ashore. At war's end, Corsairs were ashore on Okinawa, combating the kamikaze, flying from fleet and escort carriers. Okinawa Island (沖縄本島 Okinawa-hontō, or 沖縄島 Okinawa-jima) is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, and is home to Naha, the capital VMF-312, VMF-323, VMF-224, and a handful of others met with success in the Battle of Okinawa. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA-323 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault ^[30]

The Corsair was in frontline service by early 1943. A dozen USMC F4U-1s arrived at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal (code name "Cactus") in the Solomon Islands on 12 February 1943. Honiara International Airport, formerly known as Henderson Field, is an Airport located on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. Guadalcanal (local name Isatabu) is a 2510- Square mile (6500- km²) Island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The first recorded combat engagement was on 14 February 1943, when Corsairs of VMF-124 under Major William E. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Gise assisted P-40s and P-38s in escorting B-24 Liberators on raids against Japanese installations in the Solomons. Japanese fighters contested the raid and the Americans got the worst of it, with four P-38s, two P-40s, two Corsairs, and two Liberators lost. No more than four Japanese Zeroes were destroyed. A Corsair was responsible for one of the kills, but it wasn't anything to boast about since it was due to a midair collision. The fiasco was referred to as the "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. "^[31].

A Corsair fires its rockets at a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa

Although the Corsair's combat debut was not impressive, the Marines quickly learned how to make better use of the machine and demonstrate its superiority over Japanese fighters. By April 1943, the Corsair was getting the upper hand. By May, VMF-124 had produced the first Corsair ace, 2nd Lieutenant Kenneth A. Walsh, who would rack up a total of 21 kills during the war. ^[32].

Corsairs also served well as fighter bombers in the Central Pacific and the Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP By spring 1944, Marine pilots were beginning to exploit the type's considerable capabilities in the close-support role during amphibious landings. Charles Lindbergh flew Corsairs with the Marines as a civilian technical advisor for United Aircraft Corporation in order to determine how best to increase the Corsair's warload and range in the attack role and to help evaluate future viability of single- versus twin-engine fighter design for Vought. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The United Aircraft and Transport Corporation was formed in 1929, when William E ^[33] Lindbergh managed to get the F4U into the air with 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) of bombs, with a 2,000 lb (900 kg) bomb on the centerline and a 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb under each wing. ^[34] In the course of such experiments, he performed strikes on Japanese positions during the battle for the Marshall Islands. The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI is a Micronesian nation of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean ^[33]

By the beginning of 1945, the Corsair was a full-blown "mudfighter," performing strikes with high-explosive bombs, napalm tanks, and HVARs. She proved surprisingly versatile, able to operate everything from Bat glide bombs (without sacrificing a load of 2. Bat was a Radar -guided Glide bomb developed by the United States Navy during World War II. A glide bomb is an aerial Bomb that is modified with aerodynamic surfaces to modify its flight path from a purely ballistic one to a flatter gliding one 75 in {70 mm} rockets) to 11. 75 in (300 mm) Tiny Tim rockets. ^[35] The aircraft was a prominent participant in the fighting for the Palaus, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa Prefecture, with the ground-pounders calling it the "Sweetheart" for its welcome services when things were getting nasty. Iwo Jima ( 硫黄[[wikt 島|島]] officially Iōtō,also frequently Iōjima: “ Sulfur island” is an island of the Japanese is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū

Statistics compiled at the end of the war indicate that the F4U and FG flew 64,051 operational sorties for the U. S. Marines and U. S. Navy through the conflict (44% of total fighter sorties), with only 9,581 sorties (15%) flown from carrier decks. ^[36] F4U and FG pilots claimed 2,140 air combat victories against 189 losses to enemy aircraft, for an overall kill ratio of over 11:1. ^[37] The aircraft performed well against the best Japanese opponents with a 12:1 kill ratio against Mitsubishi A6M, 7:1 against Nakajima Ki-84, 13:1 against Kawanishi N1K-J, and 3:1 against Mitsubishi J2M during the last year of the war. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (疾風 "Gale" was a single-seat fighter used by the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[38] The Corsair bore the brunt of fighter-bomber missions, delivering 15,621 tons of bombs during the war (70% of total bombs dropped by fighters during the war). ^[37]

Corsair losses in the World War II were as follows:

By combat: 189
By enemy anti-aircraft artillery: 349
Accidents during combat missions: 230
Accidents during non-combat flights: 692
Destroyed aboard ships or on the ground: 164^[37]

One particularly interesting kill was scored by a Marine Lieutenant R. R. Klingman of VMF-312 Checkerboards, over Okinawa. Klingman was in pursuit of a Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu ("Nick") twin engine fighter at extremely high altitude when his guns jammed due to the gun lubrication thickening from the extreme cold. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout He simply flew up and chopped off the Ki-45's tail with the big propeller of the Corsair. Despite missing five inches (127 mm) off the end of his propeller blades, he managed to land safely. He was awarded the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. ^[39].

Korean War

During the Korean War, the Corsair was used mostly in the close-support role. The AU-1 Corsair was a ground-attack version produced for the Korean War; its Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, while supercharged, was not as highly "blown" as on the F4U. As the Corsair moved from its air superiority role in World War II into the close air support role in the Korean Conflict, the gull wing proved to be a useful feature. A straight, low-wing design would have blocked most of the visibility from the cockpit toward the ground while in level flight, but a Corsair pilot could look through a "notch" and get a better ground reference without having to bank one way or the other to move the wing out of the way.

The AU-1, F4U-4B, -4C, -4P, and -5N logged combat in Korea between 1950 and 1953. ^[40] There were dogfights between F4Us and Soviet-built Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters early in the conflict, but when the enemy introduced the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, the Corsair was outmatched, though one Marine pilot did get lucky. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout On 10 September 1952, a MiG-15 made the mistake of getting into a turning contest with a Corsair piloted by Captain Jesse G. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Folmar, with Folmar shooting the MiG down with his four 20 millimeter cannon. ^[41] The MiG's wingmen quickly had their revenge, shooting down Folmar, though he bailed out and was swiftly rescued with little injury.

Corsair night fighters were used to an extent. The enemy adopted the tactic of using low-and-slow Polikarpov Po-2 intruders to perform night harassment strikes on American forces, and jet-powered night fighters found catching these "Bedcheck Charlies" troublesome. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout U. S. Navy F4U-5Ns were posted to shore bases to hunt them down, with U. S. Navy Lieutenant Guy Pierre Bordelon, Jr. becoming the Navys only ace in the conflict, as well as the only ace to not score any victories in a jet plane. ^[42] "Lucky Pierre" was credited with five kills (two Yakovlev Yak-18 and three Po-2). WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[41] Navy and Marine Corsairs were credited with a total of 12 enemy aircraft. ^[41]

More generally, Corsairs performed attacks with cannon, napalm tanks, various iron bombs and unguided rockets. The old HVAR was a reliable standby, however sturdy Soviet-built armor proved resistant to the HVAR's punch leading to a new 6. 5 in (16. 5 cm) hollow-charge antitank warhead being developed. The result was called the "Anti-Tank Aircraft Rocket (ATAR). " The big 11. 75 inch (29. 8 cm) Tiny Tim was also used in combat, with two under the belly. ^[43] There is a story of a Corsair pilot who cut enemy communications lines by snagging them with his arresting hook.

Lieutenant Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., flying with naval squadron VF-32 off the USS Leyte, was awarded the Medal of Honor for crash landing his Corsair in an attempt to rescue his squadron mate, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, whose aircraft had been forced down by antiaircraft fire near Changjin. Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr (born 31 August 1924) is a United States Navy officer who received America's highest military decoration &ndash the Medal See also List of aircraft carriers List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. Jesse LeRoy Brown ( 13 October 1926 &ndash 4 December 1950) was the first African-American naval Aviator in the United States For other uses see Changjin (disambiguation Changjin is a mountainous county in South Hamgyong province North Korea. ^[44]

Royal Navy

FAA introduced the Corsair into carrier service before the USN. British units solved the landing visibility problem by approaching the carrier in a medium left-hand turn, which allowed the pilot to keep the carrier's deck in view over the dip in the port wing, allowing safe carrier operations. ^[45]

In the early days of the war, RN fighter requirements had been based on cumbersome two-seat designs, such as the Blackburn Skua, Fairey Fulmar, and Fairey Firefly, on the assumption they would only be fighting long range bombers or flying boats. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne Fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA during World War II. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The RN hurriedly adopted higher performance but less robust types derived from land based aircraft, such as the Supermarine Seafire. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Corsair was welcomed as a much more robust and versatile alternative.

In Royal Navy service, many Corsairs had their outer wings clipped to assist with carrier storage as well as benefitting its low-altitude performance. Despite the clipped wings and the shorter decks of British carriers, RN aviators found landing accidents less of a problem than they had been to USN aviators due to the curved approach used. RN Corsairs saw widespread service with the British Pacific Fleet from late 1944 until the end of the war, some six carrier-based squadrons flying intensive ground attack/interdiction operations and also claiming 47. The British Pacific Fleet (BPF was a multinational Allied naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. 5 aircraft shot down.

The Royal Navy received 95 Corsair Mk Is and 510 Mk IIs, these being equivalent to the F4U-1 and -1A. Goodyear-built aircraft were known as Mk IIIs (equivalent to FG-1D), and Brewster-built aircraft as Mk IVs (equivalent to F3A-1D). British Corsairs had their wing tips clipped, 20 cm being removed at the tips, to allow storage of the F4U on the lower-overhead British carriers. The Royal Navy was the first to clear the F4U for carrier operations. It proved the Corsair Mk II could be operated with reasonable success even from escort carriers. The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier (popularly known as the jeep carrier) was a small Aircraft carrier utilized by the Royal Navy It was not without problems, one being excessive wear of the arrester wires due to the weight of the Corsair and the understandable tendency of the pilots to stay well above the stalling speed.

Fleet Air Arm units were created and equipped in the US, at Quonset Point or Brunswick and then shipped to war theaters aboard escort carriers. The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships Quonset Point is a small Peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the U Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The first FAA Corsair unit was No. 1830, created on the first of June 1943, and soon operating from HMS Illustrious. Service Illustrious joined the fleet in August 1940 Her first assignment was in the Mediterranean, where she was used to provide Convoy cover At the end of the war, 19 FAA squadrons were operating with the Corsair. British Corsairs operated both in Europe and in the Pacific. The first, and also most important, European operations were the series of attacks in April, July and August 1944 on the German battleship Tirpitz, for which Corsairs from HMS Victorious and HMS Formidable provided fighter cover. Operational history This battleship was launched on 1 April 1939 and she was planned to be deployed in a manner similar to the ''Bismarck'', as a Commerce raider Service Bismarck Episode In 1941 just 2 weeks after commissioning her first active mission began when she took part in the hunt for the German Battle Honours Matapan 1941 Crete 1941 Mediterranean 1941 Indian Ocean early 1942 North ^[46] It appears the Corsairs did not encounter aerial opposition on these raids.

FAA Corsairs originally fought in a camouflage scheme with a Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey disruptive pattern on top and Sky undersides, but were later painted overall dark blue. Those operating in the Pacific theater acquired a specialized British insignia - a modified blue-white roundel with white "bars" to make it look more like a U. S. than a Japanese Hinomaru insignia to prevent friendly-fire incidents. The national flag of Japan is a white Flag with a large red circle (representing the rising sun) in the center A total of 2,012 Corsairs were supplied to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[23]

In the Pacific, FAA Corsairs began to operate in April 1944, participating in an attack on Sabang, and later in the attack on oil refineries at Palembang. Palembang is a city of 1286000 in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. In July and August 1945, Corsair squadrons Nos. 1834, 1836, 1841, and 1842 took part in a series of strikes on the Japanese mainland, near Tokyo. They operated from the carriers HMS Victorious and Formidable. ^[47]

At least one Corsair was captured by the Germans, this was Corsair JT404 from No. 1841 squadron (HMS Formidable). Wing Leader Lt Cdr RS Baker-Falkner made an emergency landing on 18 July 1944 in a field at Sorvag, near Bodø, Norway. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bodø is a city and municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway The Corsair was captured intact and it is not known if it was taken to Germany. ^[48]

On 9 August 1945, days before the end of the war, FAA Corsairs from Formidable were attacking Shiogama harbor on the northeast coast of Japan. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Royal Canadian Navy pilot, Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, was hit by flak but pressed home his attack on a Japanese destroyer, sinking it with a 450 kilogram (1,000 pound) bomb but crashing into the sea. Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray VC, DSC ( November 2, 1917 - August 9, 1945) was a Canadian naval officer He was posthumously awarded Canada's last Victoria Cross, becoming the second fighter pilot of the war to earn a VC as well as the final Canadian casualty of the Second World War. See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since ^[49].

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Equipped with obsolescent Curtiss P-40s, RNZAF squadrons in the South Pacific performed impressively compared to the American units they operated alongside, in particular in the air-to-air role. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Pacific War was the part of World War II —and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands and in East Asia, between The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The American government accordingly decided to give New Zealand early access to the Corsair, especially as it was not initially being used from carriers. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Some 424 Corsairs equipped 13 RNZAF squadrons, including No. 14 Squadron RNZAF and No. 15 Squadron RNZAF, replacing SBD Dauntless as well as P-40s. 14 Squadron RNZAF was a Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. 15 Squadron RNZAF formed 1 June 1942 at Whenuapai, Auckland under Squadron Leader A WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

In late 1944, the F4U equipped all twelve Pacific-based fighter units of the RNZAF. ^[50] The first squadrons to use the Corsair were Nos 20 and 21 Squadrons on Espiritu Santo island, operational in May 1944. In the RNZAF Corsair units, only the pilots and a small staff belonged to the squadron; aircraft and maintenance crew were grouped in a pool.

By the time the Corsairs arrived, there were virtually no Japanese aircraft left in New Zealand's allocated sectors of the Southern Pacific, and despite the RNZAF Squadrons extending their operations to more northern islands, they were primarily used for close support of American, Australian and New Zealander soldiers fighting the Japanese. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealander pilots were aware of the Corsair's poor forward view and tendency to ground loop, but found these drawbacks could be solved by pilot training in curved approaches before use from rough forward airbases.

The RNZAF Corsairs mainly flew close-support missions, and as a consequence did not claim a single enemy aircraft shot down. At the end of 1945, all Corsair squadrons but one (No. 14) were disbanded. That last squadron was based in Japan, until the Corsair was retired from service in 1947. ^[51]

No. 14 Squadron took its Corsairs to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF was the name of the joint Australian British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in Only one airworthy example of the 424 aircraft procured survives: NZ5648/ZK-COR, owned by the Old Stick and Rudder Company at Masterton, NZ. One other mostly complete aircraft and the remains of two others were known to be held by a private collector at Ardmore, NZ, in 1996. Their current whereabouts are unknown. ^[52]. ^[53]

French Navy

A total of 94 F4U-7s were built for the French Navy in 1952, with the last of the batch, the final Corsair built, rolled out on December 24, 1952. The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm ^[54] The F4U-7s were actually purchased by the U. S. Navy and passed on to the Aeronavale through the U.S. Military Assistance Program (MAP). The Mutual Defense Assistance Act commonly known as the Battle Act was a 1949 law passed by the United States. The French used their F4U-7s during the end of the First Indochina War in the 1950s, where they were supplemented by at least 25 ex-U. The First Indochina War (also known as the French Indochina War, the The Anti-French War, the Franco-Vietnamese War, the Franco-Vietminh War, S. MC AU-1s passed on to the French in 1954, after the end of the Korean War. ^[55]

French Corsairs also performed strikes in the Algerian War in 1955 and 1956 and assisted in the Anglo-French-Israeli seizure of the Suez Canal in October 1956, codenamed Operation Musketeer. The Algerian War ( French: Guerre d'Algérie; 1954-1962 also known as Algerian War of Independence, led to Algeria 's independence from The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation Operation Musketeer (Opération Mousquetaire was the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis. The Corsairs were painted with yellow and black recognition stripes for this operation. In 1960, some French Corsairs were rigged to carry four SS-11 wire-guided missiles. This was a more or less experimental fit and it is hard to believe it worked well, since it required a pilot to "fly" the missile after launch with a joystick while keeping track of a flare on its tail – an exercise that could be very tricky in a single-seat aircraft under combat conditions. All French Corsairs were out of service by 1964, with some surviving for museum display or as civilian warbirds. For the comic book superhero see Ms Marvel.For the Romulan starships in Star Trek see D'deridex-class warbird. ^[52]

The "Football War"

Corsairs flew their final combat missions during the 1969 "Football War" between Honduras and El Salvador. The "Football" War ( La guerra del fútbol, in Spanish) also known as the 100-hours War, was a five-day War fought by El Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. El Salvador ( República de El Salvador,) is a country in Central America. The conflict was famously triggered, though not really caused, by a disagreement over a football (soccer) match. Both sides claimed various numbers of kills, and each side disputed the claims of the other. ^[56]

Legacy

The Corsair entered service in 1942. Although designed as a carrier fighter, initial operation from carrier decks proved to be troublesome. Its low-speed handling was tricky due to the port wing stalling before the starboard wing. This factor, together with poor visibility over the long nose (leading to one of its nicknames, "The Hose Nose"), made landing a Corsair on a carrier a difficult task. For these reasons, most Corsairs initially went to Marine Corps squadrons who operated off land-based runways, with some early Goodyear built examples (designated FG-1A) being built with fixed, non-folding wings. ^[23] The USMC aviators welcomed the Corsair with open arms as its performance was far superior to the contemporary Brewster Buffalo and Grumman F4F-3 and -4 Wildcat. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Moreover, the Corsair was able to outperform the primary Japanese fighter, the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero". WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout While the Zero could out-turn the F4U at low speed, the Corsair was faster and could out-climb and out-dive the A6M. ^[57] Tactics developed early in the war, such as the Thach Weave, took advantage of the Corsair's strengths. The Thach Weave was an Aerial combat tactic developed by naval aviator John S

This performance advantage, combined with the ability to take severe punishment, meant a pilot could place an enemy aircraft in the killing zone from the F4U's six .50 (12. 7 mm) Browning machine guns and keep him there long enough to inflict major damage. This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. The 2,300 rounds carried by the Corsair gave over one full minute of fire from each gun, which, fired in three to six-second bursts, made the F4U a devastating weapon against aircraft, ground targets, and even ships.

Beginning in 1943, the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) also received Corsairs and flew them successfully from Royal Navy carriers in combat with the British Pacific Fleet and in Norway. The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) ^[58] These were clipped-wing Corsairs, the wingtips shortened eight inches (20 cm) to clear the lower overhead height of RN carriers. A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a Ship. FAA also developed a curving landing approach to overcome the F4U's deficiencies. ^[59]

Corsairs served with the U. S. Navy, U. S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well the French Aeronavale and other services postwar. The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF) is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Aviation navale ( Naval aviation) of the French Navy includes 162 airplanes (138 of them combat-capable and 6800 men both civilians and military personnel It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear (as the FG-1) and Brewster (as the F3A-1). From the first prototype delivery to the U. S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought,^[60] in 16 separate models. ^[61]^[62]

Infantrymen nicknamed the Corsair "The Sweetheart of the Marianas" and "The Angel of Okinawa" for its roles in these campaigns. The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault Among Navy and Marine aviators, however, the aircraft was nicknamed "Ensign Eliminator" and "Bent-Wing Eliminator" because it required many more hours of flight training to master than other Navy carrier-borne aircraft. It was also called simply "U-bird" or "Bent Wing Bird". ^[60]The Japanese allegedly nicknamed it "Whistling Death", for the noise made by airflow through the wing root-mounted oil cooler air intakes. ^[63]^[64]

The Corsair has been named the official aircraft of Connecticut,^[65] due to its connection with Sikorsky Aircraft, in legislation sponsored by state senator George "Doc" Gunther; Gunther had also organized a Corsair Celebration and Symposium at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, Connecticut, on Memorial Day, 29 May 2006. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American Aircraft manufacturer The Connecticut State Senate is the Upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U George "Doc" Gunther (born 1919 is the longest-serving state legislator in Connecticut history Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport, formerly known as Bridgeport Municipal Airport, is a public Airport located in Stratford, three miles (5 km southeast Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (on May in) Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[66]

Variants

An early F4U-1

Royal Navy Corsair Mk. Is

During World War II, Corsair production expanded beyond Vought to include Brewster and Goodyear models. Allied forces flying the aircraft in World War II included FAA and RNZAF. Eventually, more than 12,500 F4Us would be built, comprising 16 separate models. ^[61]

F4U-1: The first Corsair with the original cockpit seat height and "bird cage" canopy. It was based on the XF4U, but differed with the addition of a larger fuel tank and the removal of the fuselage windows behind the canopy as well as a modified armament consisting of six Browning MG53-2 0. 50" machine guns. A land-based version for the USMC, without the folding wing capability, was built by Goodyear under the designation FG-1. In Fleet Air Arm service the F4U-1 was given the name Corsair Mk I. ^[67] Vought also built a single -1 two-seat trainer; the Navy showed no interest. ^[68]

F4U-1A: Variant incorporating the new "Malcolm" hood with only two struts, similar to the canopy of the Supermarine Spitfire. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The cockpit seat was also raised to allow the pilot to see over the long nose as well. F4U-1As supplied to the USMC lacked folding wings and arrester hooks. Aircraft ready for naval service, however, had these features. Additionally, an R-2800-8W engine with water injection was experimented on one of the late F4U-1As. Water injection, also known as anti-detonant injection, is a method for cooling the Combustion chambers of Engines by adding Water to the incoming After satisfactory results, many F4U-1As were fitted with the new powerplant. The aircraft carried 237 U. S. gallon (897 liter) in the main fuel tank, located in front of the cockpit, as well as an unarmored, non-self-sealing 62 U. S. gallon (235 liter) fuel tank in each wing. With drop tanks fitted, the fighter had a maximum ferry range of just over 1,500 mi. (2,425 km). A land-based version, without the folding wing capability, was built by Goodyear as the FG-1A. In British service, the aircraft type was modified with clipped wings for use on British aircraft carriers,^[67] under the designation Corsair Mk II.

F4U-1B: Essentially identical to the F4U-1A. This new variant however had clipped wing tips to fit in the smaller elevators and lower-overhead hangar decks of British carriers.

F4U-1C: This variant was in production in 1943, but was only introduced in combat during 1945, most notably in the Okinawa campaign. Intended for ground-attack as well as fighter missions, the F4U-1C was similar to the F4U-1A but its armament was replaced by four 20 mm (0. 79") AN/M2 cannons, each containing 231 rounds^[69] of ammunition. The Hispano-Suiza HS404 Autocannon was one of the most widely used aircraft weapons of the 20th century used by British, American The variant was very rare as only 200 were built. This was due to the fact aviators preferred the standard armament of six . 50 machine guns since they were already more than powerful enough to destroy most Japanese aircraft, and had more ammunition and a higher rate of fire. ^[70] The weight of the Hispano cannons and their ammunition affected the flight performance, especially its agility, but the aircraft was found to be especially potent in the ground attack role.

Goodyear FG-1D at Wings Over the Rockies Museum, Denver, CO, modified as racer N194G. The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (WOR is located on the former grounds of Lowry Air Force Base in Denver Colorado. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States

F4U-1D: Built in parallel with the F4U-1C, but was introduced in April 1944. It had the new -8W water-injection engine. This change gave the aircraft up to 250 hp (187 kW) more power, which, in turn, increased performance. Speed, for example, was boosted from 417 mph (671 km/h) to 425 mph (684 km/h). Because of the U. S. Navy's need for fighter-bombers, it had a payload of rockets double the -1A's, as well as twin-rack plumbing for an additional belly drop tank. Such modifications necessitated the need for rocket tabs (attached to fully metal-plated underwing surfaces) and bomb pylons to be bolted on the fighter, however, causing extra drag. Additionally, the new job of fighter-bombing was a new task for the Corsair and the wing fuel cells proved too vulnerable and were removed. The extra fuel carried by the two drop tanks would still allow the aircraft to fly relatively long missions despite the heavy, unaerodynamic load. The regular armament of six machine guns were implemented as well. The canopies of most -1Ds had their struts removed along with their metal caps, which were used - at one point - as a measure to prevent the canopies' glass from cracking as they moved along the fuselage spines of the fighters. Additional production was carried out by Goodyear (FG-1D) and Brewster (F3A-1D). In Fleet Air Arm service, the former was known as Corsair Mk IV, the latter as Corsair III, and both had their wingtips clipped by 9" per wing to allow storage in the small confines of British carriers. ^[67]

F4U-1P: A rare photoreconnaissance variant. ^[71]

F4U-2: Experimental conversion of the F4U-1 Corsair into a carrier-borne night fighter, armed with five . 50 machine guns (the outboard, starboard gun was deleted), and fitted with airborne Intercept (AI) radar set in a radome placed outboard on the starboard wing. Since Vought was preoccupied with more important projects, only 32 were converted from existing F4U-1s by the Naval Aircraft Factory and another two by frontline units. The Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF was established by the United States Navy in 1918 at Philadelphia in order to assist in solving the problem of aircraft supply ^[72]^[73] The type saw combat with VF(N)-101 aboard USS Enterprise and USS Intrepid in early 1944, VF(N)-75 in the Solomons and VMF(N)-532 on Tarawa. Initial operations Enterprise was launched on 3 October 1936 at Newport News Shipbuilding, sponsored by Lulie Swanson wife of Secretary of the Launch and commissioning The USS Intrepid was launched on April 26, 1943 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands

XF4U-3: Experimental aircraft built to hold different engines in order to test the Corsair's performance with a variety of powerplants. This variant never entered service. Goodyear also contributed a number of airframes, designated FG-3, to the project. A single sub-variant XF4U-3B with minor modifications was also produced. ^[74]

An F4U-4 folding its wings with an F4U-1 overhead.

F4U-4: The last variant to be produced during World War II, the F4U-4 began entering service near the end of 1944. It fully equipped naval squadrons four months before the end of hostilities. It had the 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine. When the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,827 kW). The aircraft required an air scoop under the nose and the unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 U. S. gal capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. The propeller had one additional blade, bringing the total to four. Maximum speed was increased to 448 mph (718 km/h) and climb rate to over 3,800 fpm (1,180 m per minute) as opposed to the 2,900 fpm (884 m per minute) of the F4U-1A. The service ceiling also increased significantly from 37,000 ft. In Aeronautics, a ceiling is the maximum Density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions (11,278 m) to 41,000 ft. (12,497 m). The "4-Hog" retained the original armament and had all the external loads (i. e. , drop tanks, bombs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. The armored windshield was now flat to avoid optical warping, unlike the curved, armored windshields of the earlier Corsairs. Vought also tested the two F4U-4Xs (BuNos 49763 and 50301, prototypes for the new R2800) with fixed tiptanks (the Navy showed no interest) and an Aeromatic six-blade contraprop (not accepted for production). ^[75]

F4U-4B: Designation for F4U-4s to be delivered to the British Fleet Air Arm, but were retained by the U. S. for its own use. The Fleet Air Arm received no F4U-4s. ^[76]

F4U-4C: 300 F4U-4s ordered with alternate gun armament of four 20 mm (0. 79") AN/M2 cannons. The Hispano-Suiza HS404 Autocannon was one of the most widely used aircraft weapons of the 20th century used by British, American ^[76]

F4U-4E and F4U-4N: Developed late in the conflict, these night fighters featured radar radomes projecting from the starboard wingtip. The -4E was fitted with the APS-4 search radar, while the -4N was fitted with the APS-6 type. In addition, these aircraft were often refitted with four 20mm M2 cannons similar to the F4U-1C. The night fighter variants would see greater use during the Korean conflict. ^[77]

F4U-4P: As with the -1P, a rare photoreconnaissance variant. ^[71]

F4U-5: A 1945 design modification of the F4U-4, first flown on December 21st of that year, was intended to increase the F4U-4 Corsair's overall performance and incorporate many Corsair pilots' suggestions. It featured a more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-2800-32(E) engine with a two stage supercharger,^[78] rated at a maximum of 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). Other improvements included automatic blower controls, cowl flaps, intercooler doors and oil cooler for the engine, spring tabs for the elevators and rudder, a completely modernized cockpit, a completely retractable tail wheel, and heated cannon bays and pitot head. The cowling was lowered two degrees to help with forward visibility, but perhaps most striking as the first variant to feature all-metal wings. ^[79] (223 units produced)

F4U-5N: Radar equipped version (214 units produced)

F4U-5NL: Winterized version (72 units produced^[80], 29 modified from F4U-5N's. 101 total) Fitted with rubber de-icing boots on the leading edge of the wings and tail. ^[81]

F4U-5P: Long-range photo-reconnaissance version (30 units produced)

F4U-6 : Redesignated AU-1, this was a ground-attack version produced for the US Marine Corps.

F4U-7 : AU-1 developed for the French Navy

Super Corsair variants

Main article: F2G Corsair

The F2G-1 and F2G-2 were significantly different aircraft, fitted with the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 4-row 28-cylinder "corncob" radial engine and teardrop (bubble) canopy, as a specialized interceptor against Japanese suicide Kamikaze attacks. The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The difference between the -1 and -2 variants was that the -1 featured a manual folding wing and 14ft. Propellers, while the F2G-2 aircraft had hydraulic operated folding wings, 13ft. propellers and carrier arresting hooks for carrier use ^[82]. As World War II was drawing to a close, development problems emerged that led to the abandonment of further work on the F2G series. ^[83] While only 10 were built, several F2Gs went on to racing success after the war, winning the Thompson trophy races in 1947 and 1949. The Thompson Trophy race was one of the National Air Races of the heyday of early airplane racing in the 1930's

Operators

An French Navy F4U-7 Corsair of 14.F flotilla

An French Navy F4U-7 Corsair of 14. The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm F flotilla

Corsair FG-1D (Goodyear built F4U-1D) in the Royal New Zealand Air Force markings

Argentina

Argentine Navy

El Salvador

Air Force of El Salvador

France

French Navy

Honduras

Honduran Air Force

New Zealand

Royal New Zealand Air Force
- No. 14 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 15 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 16 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 17 Squadron RNZAF
- No. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic ( Armada de la República Argentina — ARA is the Navy El Salvador ( República de El Salvador,) is a country in Central America. Aircraft inventory ! style="text-align left background #aacccc"|Aircraft! style="text-align left background #aacccc"|Origin! style="text-align left This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. Honduras New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF) is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. 14 Squadron RNZAF was a Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. 15 Squadron RNZAF formed 1 June 1942 at Whenuapai, Auckland under Squadron Leader A 16 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force was formed on July 1 1942 at Woodbourne (near Blenheim) commanded by Squadron Leader A No 17 squadron RNZAF was a New Zealand fighter squadron in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. 18 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 19 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 20 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 21 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 22 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 23 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 24 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 25 Squadron RNZAF
- No. No 25 Squadron in the Royal New Zealand Air Force was formed in July 1943 with Douglas SBD Dauntless Dive bombers and served in the Southern 26 Squadron RNZAF

United Kingdom

Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm

United States

Survivors

F4U-4 #97369 on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps

Vought F4U-4 #97388 at Corsairs Over Connecticut event, June 2005

F2G-1 "Super Corsair" #88458, painted as Race #57, owned by Bob Odergaard of Kindred, North Dakota, flying at the 2005 AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The National Museum of the Marine Corps is the new historical museum of the United States Marine Corps.

Over two dozen Corsairs are believed to be still airworthy, most in the United States. Others are found in museum collections worldwide.

FG-1D 92436: In flying condition (currently undergoing complete restoration in Idaho) owner: Olympic Flight Museum, olympia airport, Olympia, Washington state
FG-1D 92106: 17,000 hour restoration completed in 2003 by Airpower Unlimited, judged as 2003 Oshkosh E. A. A. Airventure Grand Champion Warbird - World War II and 2003 - Rolls Royce - Heritage Trophy Reno, NV - People's Choice Trophy . Acquired in 2007 by Vintage Wings of Canada, Ottawa/Gatineau Airport(CYND), Canada and flown regularly for commemorative events. ^[84]
FG-1D #88382: on static display in the Personal Courage Wing of The Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington
F4U-1A #17799: in flying condition at the Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, California
F4U-1D #50375: on static display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia
XF4U-4 #80750: on static display at the New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut
F4U-4 #97142: on static display at the Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona
F4U-4 #97280 / NX712RD: on static display at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas
F4U-4 #97286: Angel of Okinawa on static display at the Fantasy of Flight Museum, Polk City, Florida. The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space Museum at King County International Airport/Boeing Field in Tukwila Washington Planes of Fame is an aviation museum located in Chino, California and Valle, Arizona. The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of The National Air and Space Museum (NASM of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington D The Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM's annex at Washington Dulles International Airport in The New England Air Museum is located at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA. The Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson Arizona is the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museum The Cavanaugh Flight Museum is an Aviation museum in Addison Texas, with a non-profit 501(c(3 status for aviation educational Fantasy of Flight is an Aviation -related attraction in Polk City, Florida, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight This aircraft was owned by Merle B. Gustafson from 1972 until 1984.
F4U-4 #97349: on static display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida
F4U-4 #97369: on static display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia
F4U-4: in flying condition, owned by The Flying Bulls, Salzburg, Austria. The National Museum of Naval Aviation is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The National Museum of the Marine Corps is the new historical museum of the United States Marine Corps. Quantico Virginia lies in Prince William County, north-northeast of Fredericksburg Virginia, United States, near Dumfries and Stafford is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Registration: OE-EAS
F4U-5N #121881: former Argentine Navy aircraft (c/n 121881, COAN serial 0389), although missing its radome, restored in the colors of Lt. A radome (the word is a contraction of Radar and Dome) is a structural weatherproof enclosure that protects a Radar antenna Guy Bordelon. Flying as a night fighter in Korea as a member of VC-3 Squadron, U. S. Navy, Lt. Bordelon was the only U. S. ace in Korea who flew a propeller driven airplane. Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston, Texas
F4U-5N #122189: on static display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, MCAS Miramar, California^[85]
F4U-5N: In flying condition, served with the Honduran Air Force and saw combat in the ground-attack role in 1969 against El Salvador. The Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Galveston Texas, displays more than 40 historically significant aircraft and many hundreds of artifacts related to the history of The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is located at Building T 4203 Anderson Avenue Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar, formerly Naval Air Station (NAS Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Indiana Aviation Museum, Valparaiso, Indiana
F4U-7 #133704: on static display at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile, Alabama
F2G-1 "Super Corsair" NX4324: Restored by Doug Champlin is on display in the Great Gallery of the Museum of Flight in Seattle Washington. Active service Atlantic service Alabama was laid down on 1 February 1940 by the Norfolk Navy Yard, launched on 16 February 1942 and sponsored by Battleship Memorial Park is a military park located along the shores of Mobile Bay, on the Battleship Parkway in Mobile Alabama. The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space Museum at King County International Airport/Boeing Field in Tukwila Washington
F2G-1 "Super Corsair" #88458: in flying condition, painted as Race #57 at the Fargo Air Museum, Fargo, North Dakota
F2G-1D "Super Corsair" #88463: Race No. 74 was sold to Walter Soplata, of Newberry, Ohio. This F2G was acquired by the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Bob Odergaard of Kindred, N. D. is restoring the aircraft to static condition.
F4U-5 #121928: last remaining in Argentina (c/n 121928, COAN serial 0391), on static display as 3-A-211 at the Museo de la Aviacion Naval, Espora Naval Air Base, Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Bahía Blanca is a City located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, head town of
F4U-7 #133704 (not original Bu#): in flying condition, restored as a Flotille (Squadron ) 14F, Marine Nationale (French Navy). Originally a former F4U-5NL Argentine Navy aircraft (Bu#124541, COAN serial 0433, 3-A-204) which was on static display at the Museo Naval de la Nacion, Tigre, Argentina. For other uses please see Tigre (disambiguation Tigre is a town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in the north of Sold in 1991, currently privately owned in France.
F4U-1 at TAM Wings of a Dream Museum, São Carlos, Brazil. Donated by Pratt & Whitney. Pratt & Whitney is an American Aircraft engine manufacturer of products widely used in both civil and military aircraft. This airplane was part of USMC VMF-122. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 (VMFA-122 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron The museum claims it is the oldest Corsair still in flying conditions (left factory on October 19th, 1943).

Specifications

F4U-1A

Data from Aeroweb^[86]

General characteristics

Crew: 1 pilot
Length: 33 ft 4 in (10. 1 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 5 m)
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4. 90 m)
Wing area: 314 ft² (29. 17 m²)
Empty weight: 8,982 lb (4,073 kg)
Loaded weight: 14,000 lb (6,300 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W radial engine, 2,250 hp (1,678 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 425 mph (369 knots, 684 km/h)
Range: 1,015 mi (882 nm, 1,634 km)
Service ceiling 36,900 ft (11,200 m)
Rate of climb: 3,180 ft/min (16. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion Engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such The maximal total range is the distance an Aircraft can fly between Takeoff and Landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft or cross-country In Aeronautics, a ceiling is the maximum Density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions In Aerodynamics, the rate of climb RoC is the speed at which an Aircraft increases its Altitude. 2 m/s)

Armament

Guns: ** 4× 0. 50 in (12. 7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, 400 rounds per gun
- 2× 0. This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. 50 in Browning M2 machine guns, 375 rounds per gun
Rockets: 4× 5 in (12. 7 cm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets and/or
Bombs: 2,000 lb (910 kg)

F4U-4

Data from Aeroweb^[87]