Vought F4U Corsair Navy Fighter

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Corsair: Carrier and Land Based Fighter

The Vought F4U Corsair with its distinctive gull-wing, played an important roll in the last two years of the Pacific War as both a carrier and land-based fighter.

F4U Development

Development on the Corsair began in 1938, using a design which combined a small airframe with the most powerful engine of the time, the 2,000 hp Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. On October 1, 1940, the prototype reached a speed of 405 mph, which was faster than any previous single engine fighter. Part of the speed would come from the large 13 foot 4 inch propeller, however, this large diameter propeller created a ground clearance problem. The inverted-gull wing design solved this problem while also keeping the forward landing gear short.

Initially, the Corsair was deemed unsuitable as a carrier-based aircraft. With the location of the pilot behind the large R-2800 engine, visibility was a problem. The “bird cage” style canopy contributed further to the problem. Deliveries of the Corsair began in October of 1942, with most of the early aircraft going to land-based Marine Corps squadrons where they first saw combat in February of 1943.

Both Great Britain and New Zealand received the Corsair as well. The British, desperate for carrier-based fighters, reduced the visibility problem by allowing their pilots to approach the aircraft carrier in a gentle left turn, allowing the pilot to view the carrier over the dip in the wing until the last few seconds of the approach.

Improved Later Models of the F4U

The later models of the F4U improved pilot visibility with a raised pilot seat, and an improved, bubble canopy. Throughout the war, improvements to the Corsair continued to be made. Interestingly, Charles Lindbergh flew the Corsair in combat missions with the Marines as a technical specialist during the battle for the Marshall Islands, helping to determine the feasibility of increased payloads and range.

Corsair (FG & F3A) Supremacy over the Zero

In combat, the Corsair quickly proved its supremacy over the Japanese A6M Zero fighter, and had attained an amazing kill ratio of 11 to 1, by the end of World War II. To keep up with demand for the F4U, Brewster and Goodyear companies began production of the Corsair with the designation of F3A and FG, respectively.

Armament and Performance

The Corsair was equipped with six 0.50 inch Browning machine guns in the wings, with the F4U-1C having four 20mm cannon. The F4U-1D was powered by the R-2800-18W engine,   equipped with a 160 gallon drop tank, and could carry two 1,000 pound bombs or eight rockets, giving it a fighter-bomber capability. A night fighter version, the F4U-2 Corsair, was also produced.

The F4U Corsair came through WWII with a record of excellent performance and a reputation for sturdiness. It continued service in the Korean War, with production continuing until the end of 1952, making it one of the last piston-engine fighters.

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* F4U Corsair facts
Category	Carrier-capable fighter
Manufacturer	Chance Vought
Introduced	December 1942
Used in WWII by	United States Navy United States Marine Corps Royal Navy Royal New Zealand Air Force
Produced	1940-1952
Number built	12,571
Cruising speed	214 mph
Max. speed	446 mph
Altitude	15, 000 feet service ceiling
Range	1,560 miles
* Numbers are approximate