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Vought F4U Corsair

F4U Corsair

The U.S. Navy signed the contract for the prototype of the Vought F4U Corsair. The prototype designated as XF4U-1 BuNo 1443 was designed by Rex Beisel and the Vought design team. By February 1939 construction proceeded quickly with the XF4U being powered by the XR-2800-4 engine at 1850 hp. On completion of the prototype it was billed as the biggest most powerful engine with the largest propeller of any fight in history.

May 29, 1940 the XF4U-1 made its very first flight then in October flew from Stratford to Hartford at an average speed of 405 miles per hour. The XF4U-1 was the first ever fighter to fly faster than 400 miles per hour.

The Vought F4U Corsair was to be a carrier- capable fighter aircraft. It proved to be the best the Navy and had and went on to be the best overall World War II fighter.

The Corsair saw service in World War II and the Korean War and many other isolated conflicts. Overwhelmed by the demand for Corsairs some were built by Goodyear. They had the designation FG also there were Brewster built aircraft designated F3A.

Some Corsairs remain in service in some air forces into the early 1960s. The F4U Corsair held the title for the longest production run of any piston engine fighter in history.

The Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II. The U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio with the Vought F4U Corsair.

The Corsair served with the U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy, Fleet Air Arm, French Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force plus others post war. Once cleared for combat it proved to be the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. In all 12,571 F4U Corsairs were built in 16 different models.