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F4U 'CORSAIR'

Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key
Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 ©Nigel Key

ROLE
Fighter-bomber.

FIRST FLIGHT
29 May 1940.

The Vought F4-U Corsair was designed as a carrier-based fighter-bomber by Rex Beisel.

The prototype XF4U-1 had its first flight on 29 May 1940, when it became the fastest single engine U.S. fighter achieving a speed of 405 mph (652 km/h).

The largest engine available was fitted, the 18-cylinder radial Double Wasp and was fitted with a three-bladed 13 feet 4 inch propeller.

To obtain the necessary ground clearance for the propeller with ‘normal’ undercarriage, an inverted gull wing design was used. This design allowed the landing gear to be retracted into a wheel well and also enable a folding wing to be accommodated.

The oil coolers are mounted in the wings along with supercharger intakes which were fed by openings in the leading edge rather than scoops which would cause drag.

The fuselage panels were made from aluminium and secured by spot welding reducing the need for rivets. The outer portion of the wings and the control surfaces were fabric covered, the elevators also being constructed from plywood.

The Corsair was susceptible to a left wing stall at slow speed so a stall strip was added to the outer right wing allowing the two wings to stall at the same time.

Although the Corsair was fast and streamlined it was still able to fly slow enough with full flaps for carrier landing.

PRODUCTION
The Vought F4-U Corsair was produced from 1942 to 1953, with 12,571 built.

ENGINE
Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W Double Wasp, producing 2,000 hp.

Press play to hear the Corsair


ARMAMENT
6 x Browning 0.5” machine guns
2,000 lb (907 kg) Bomb/Rocket load

The U.S. Navy received the first F4U-1 on the 31 July 1942 and by April 1943 VF-12 had successfully completed deck landing qualification.

Operating from Guadalcanal, 12 USMC F4-U Corsairs arrived at Henderson Field with the first recorded combat taking place 14 February 1943.

Whilst escorting B-24 Liberators, Japanese fighters downed two Corsairs and two Liberators as well as four P-38’s and two P-40s, this became known as “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre”.

However, by May 1943 the Marines were getting the upper hand and VMF-124 had produced the first Corsair ace, Second Lieutenant Kenneth A. Walsh who would go on to 21 kills during the war.

The Black Sheep Squadron, VMF-214 commanded by Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, were equipped with Corsairs. Boyington was credited with 28 kills, 22 of which were with a F4-U.

Corsairs also served as fighter-bombers in the Central Pacific and the Philippines.

Towards the end of the war, Corsairs were ashore on Okinawa, combating the kamikaze and also were flying from fleet and escort carriers.

Crew - 1
Length - 32ft 9.5in (9.99m)
Wingspan - 40ft 11.75in (12.49m)
Height - 15ft 0.25in (4.58m)
Empty Weight - 8,873lb (4,025kg)
Max. Weight - 13,846lb (6,280kg)
Max. Speed - 392 mph (631 km/h)
Range - 1,562 miles (2,514 km)


PHOTOGRAPHS

Vought FG-1D 'Corsair' Duxford 2014 - pic by Nigel Key Vought FG-1D 'Corsair' Duxford 2014 - pic by Nigel Key Vought FG-1D 'Corsair' Duxford 2014 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2014 Duxford 2014 Duxford 2014
Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', RIAT 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', RIAT 2013 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2013 RIAT 2013 RIAT 2013
Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2013 Duxford 2013 Duxford 2013
Vought FG-1D 'Corsair' Duxford 2012 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2012 Duxford 2013 Duxford 2013
Vought F4U-5 'Corsair' Duxford 2012 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key Vought FG-1D 'Corsair' - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2011 Duxford 2011 Duxford 2012
Vought F4U-7 'Corsair', Duxford 2010 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key Vought F4U-4 'Corsair', Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2010 Duxford 2011 Duxford 2011


Photos copyright of ©Nigel Key




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