F4U Corsair

The F4U was designed as a carrier based fighter at the request of the US Navy in 1938. The most distinctive feature of the F4U is arguably the gull-winged or “bent-wing” airframe design which helped pull the most powerful engine available at the time. The F4U was a legendary fighter during World War II. With its supercharged engine it made a whistling sound that garnered the nickname “Whistling Death” and with its positive kill rate of 11:1 it was a highly feared and respected aircraft.

 

 

 

FACTS & STATS:

First Flown
1940
Range
1,560 miles (2,511 km)
Length 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m)
Engine Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W radial engine,
2,100 hp (1,566 kW)
Wingspan 41 ft (12.5 m)
Max Speed 425 mph (684 kmh)
Ceiling 36,900 ft (11,247 m)
Weight

Empty: 8,982 lbs (4,073 kgs)
Loaded: 14,000 lbs (6,350 kgs)

Number Built

12,571

Armament

Four 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns;
four 5 in (12.7 cm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets
and/or 2,000 lb (910 kg) bombs.



Vought F4U-1 Corsair fighters of fighter squadron VF-17 in 1943.
Image Description: Vought F4U-1 Corsair fighters of fighter squadron VF-17 in 1943.

 

A Corsair fighter shoots rockets at a Japanese stronghold in Okinawa, Japan ca. June 1945

Image Description: A Corsair fighter shoots rockets at a Japanese stronghold in Okinawa, Japan ca. June 1945

Standard Aircraft Characteristics (SAC) for the Vought AU-1 (F4U-6) Corsair, June 1953
Image Description: Standard Aircraft Characteristics (SAC) for the Vought AU-1 (F4U-6) Corsair, June 1953