Vought F4U1 Corsair

The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and Brewster-built aircraft F3A. From the first prototype delivery to the U.S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought,[1] in 16 separate models, in the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–1953).[2] [3][4]

The Corsair served in with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well as the French Navy Aeronavale and other, smaller, air forces until the 1960s. [5]. It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II,[6] and the U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio with the F4U Corsair.

General characteristics

* Crew: 1 pilot
* Length: 33 ft 4 in (10.1 m)
* Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)
* Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
* Wing area: 314 ft2 (29.17 m2)
* Empty weight: 8,982 lb (4,073 kg)
* Loaded weight: 14,000 lb (6,300 kg)
* Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W radial engine, 2,250 hp (1,678 kW)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 425 mph (369 kn, 684 km/h)
* Range: 1,015 mi (882 nmi (1,633 km))
* Service ceiling: 36,900 ft (11,200 m)
* Rate of climb: 3,180 ft/min (16.2 m/s)

Armament

* Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, 400 rpg and 2 × 0.50 in Browning M2 machine guns, 375 rpg
* Rockets: 4 × 5 in (12.7 cm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets and/or
* Bombs: 2,000 pounds (910 kg)

[edit] F4U-4
AU-1 Corsair Standard Aircraft Characteristics

Data from Aeroweb[113]

General characteristics

* Crew: 1 pilot
* Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.2 m)
* Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)
* Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
* Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,174 kg)
* Loaded weight: 14,669 lb (6,653 kg)
* Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial engine, 2,450 hp (1,827 kW)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 446 mph (388 kn, 718 km/h)
* Range: 1,005 mi (873 nmi (1,617 km))
* Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,649 m)
* Rate of climb: 3,870 ft/min (19.7 m/s)

Armament

* Guns:
o 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, 400 rpg or
o 4 × 20 millimetre (0.79 in) AN/M2 cannon
* Rockets: 8 × 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets and/or
* Bombs: 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg)