The Vought FG-1 / F4U Corsair was designed as a carrier fighter in the nineteen-thirties after a US Navy specification. It was required to have a high speed and at least four guns. The Vought F4U had a 2,000hp 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine and first flew May 1940. To limit the gear length with such a large propeller, a "gull wing" layout was designed.
It was the first U.S. fighter to achieve a over 400 mph speed and the performance of the Corsair was impressive. Some problems were solved like bad spin recovery and soon it became clear a heavier armament was needed based on reports from the war in Europe. So six 50-cal machine guns were mounted in the wing but not earlier than July 1942 the first aircraft was handed over to the USN.
The type required carefull pilot handlings skills and not earlier than September 1943 is was really used in combat in the Second World War. The Pacific was it's main theatre of operations. Many aircraft were manufactured also under license. After the War small numbers were used at various air forces.
F4U-4 Corsair
This F4U Corsair has the serial cn 97142 painted on the tail. This aircraft is seen at the Pima Air Museum near Tucson (AZ).
Photographed November 2013 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
FG-1D Corsair
This FG-1D Corsair was manufactured by Goodyear and this aircraft has a blue US Navy finish of VF 53 of USS Essex. This restored aircraft has civil registration NX62290. It is preserved at the Palm Springs Air Museum (Ca.)
Photographed November 2013 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
and seen outside November 2016:
F4U-1D Corsair
This F4U-1D Corsair was delivered probably 1946 with Bur.no 50375 and coded "56" in a blue scheme. It was seen at the Smithsonian at Dulles Airport Washington hanging from the ceiling. This enables photo's from below.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
F4U-4 Corsair
This F4U-4 Bur.no 96885 ? in a blue scheme was seen at the USS Midway museum in San Diego, Calif. USA.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
F4U-5N Corsair
This F4U-5N Corsair with Bur.no 122189 coded "WF" was seen at the "Leatherneck Museum" at Miramar, Calif. USA.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
F4U-1D Corsair
This aircraft is being restored by Warbird Adventures at Mareeba airport in Queensland Australia. This F4U-1D with serial 82640 was manufactured in 1944 by Chance Vought and saw action in WW2 in the Pacific.
Photographed 2016 by Henk de Jong (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
F4U-1A Corsair
This F4U-1A Corsair with Bur.no 17799 c/n 3884 was delivered to the US Navy. Now civilian registered N83782 and flown by the Planes of Fame museum. Seen at Chino, Calif. USA.
Photographed 2017 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
FG-1D Corsair
This FG-1D with Bur.no 92489 c/n 3750 was delivered to the US Navy, probably after the Second World War. It also flew with San Salvador air force in the sixties. Has been restored in 2001 and civilian registered (probably N209TW). Seen at Nellis AFB show.
Photographed November 2017 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
F4U-4 Corsair
This Corsair is flown for promotion by the Red Bull team. It was built in 1945 with serial 96995 and has a Pratt and Whitney R2800 engtine of 2400 hp. The aircraft has civil registration OE-ESA and was seen at Texel airfield, The Netherlands.
Photographed 2018 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
Many, many scale models have appeared over the years of the F4U Corsair. Tamiya issued in 1/32 scale a very good model. In other scales like 1/48 Hasegawa and Academy have nice kits.
This walk around page was first published January 2014 by M. de Vreeze