Vought F4U-1 Corsair
| Crew | 1 | ||
| Dimensions | 40’11.75”
x 33’8.25” x
33’4” 12.49m by 10.16m by 4.58m |
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| Weight | 8873-14000 lbs 4025-6350 kg |
||
| Wing area | 314 square feet 29.2 square meters |
||
| Maximum speed | 417 mph at 19,900
feet 671 km/h at 6065 meters |
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| Cruise speed | 182 mph 293 km/h |
||
| Rate of climb | 52 feet per second 15.8 meters per second |
||
| Service ceiling | 36,900 feet 11,250 meters |
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| Power plant | 1 2000hp (1491 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 (B) Double Wasp 18-cylinder 2-row radial engine driving a three bladed propeller. | ||
| Armament | 6 0.50 Browning wing machine guns (2350 rounds) | ||
| Range | 1015 miles (1633 km) on internal fuel | ||
| Fuel | 237 gallons (897 liters) internal 300 gallons (1136 liters) auxiliary |
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| Production | A total of 12,571 F4U were produced at Chance Vought Division of United Aircraft Corporation, Stratford, Connecticutt, and other contractors as indicated: | ||
| 1 | XF4U prototype | ||
| 4699 | F4U-1/A/C/D | ||
| 4007 | FG-1/1D (Goodyear) | ||
| 738 | F3A-1/1D (Brewster) | ||
| 2357 | F4U-4 | ||
| Variants |
The F4U-1A upgraded the engine to a 2250hp R-2800-8W with water injection. It also introduced the raised cockpit and clear view canopy. The F4U-1B was intended for Britain as Lend-Lease. The F4U-1C was armed with four 20mm cannon. The F4U-1D was the first fighter-bomber version, with racks for 2 1000 lb bombs or eight rockets. The F4U-2 was a night fighter version of the F4U-1 equipped with airborne radar. The F4U-3 was equipped with a turbocharger for higher altitude performance. The F4U-4 introduced the 2450hp R-2800-8W engine with water-methanol injection driving a four bladed propeller, which raised the maximum speed to 446 mph at 26,200 feet. Roughly 769 other variants were produced postwar, the last being the F4U-7 which was produced until 1953-1 for France. |
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The Corsair was the first fighter in the South Pacific capable of taking on the Zero on equal or better terms, by combining its superior speed, firepower, and protection with hit-and-run tactics. It also proved to be an excellent ground attack aircraft, capable of carrying a heavier bomb load than many light bombers could at the start of the war.
The Corsair was a rather odd-looking aircraft, with its long nose (built around a massive Pratt & Whitney 2000-hp engine) and bent wings (needed to ensure that the huge propeller would clear the ground on takeoff and landing.) It was originally intended as a carrier fighter, but seemed at first to be a bust in this role because of its poor landing visibility and inadequate undercarriage. As a result, most of the early production went to the Marines for use from shore bases. The British Fleet Air Arm, which received about 2012 Corsairs under Lend-Lease, showed that Corsairs could operate successfully from carrier decks. The trick was to approach the carrier on a curving path that allowed the pilot to see the deck and landing signals officer until the last possible moment.
The Corsair continued to be produced as late as 1952. A small number of devotees regard it as the best fighter of the war.
The F4U-2 night fighter carried an airborne radar and was operating in small squadrons (4-8 planes) with the fleet by the time of the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Night fighters were much disliked by carrier flight operations officers, since night flight operations were a considerable added strain on already overworked flight deck personnel. The decision was eventually made to designate specific carriers, and eventually entire task groups, for night fighter operations.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007-2008 by Kent G. Budge. Index
