|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
| Click Here For Full Artist Print Indexes | Aviation History Archive |
|
Aviation Art Prints  Countries US Aircraft Index  Corsair |
[UP] - Mustang - Flying Fortress - Thunderbolt - Corsair - Lightning - Liberator - Dakota - Phantom - More Aircraft |
| Navigation | |
| Page 1 of 2 | Page 1 .. Next |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Navigation | |
| Page 1 of 2 | Page 1 .. Next |
| Text for the above items : |
Okinawa by Robert Taylor. Following their victory at Midway, American forces had fought a long, bloody and bitter campaign to retake the Japanese held islands in the Pacific. By the end of March 1945, however, they had finally captured Iwo Jima and looked towards Okinawa, a province of Japan itself. But the closer the fighting came to Japan, the greater was the enemy's resistance. The five-week long battle for Iwo Jima had been bloody, brutal and costly with over 26,000 US Marine casualties. Of the 21,000-strong Japanese garrison on the island less than 300 prisoners had been taken; the rest refusing to surrender, preferring to fight to the death or commit 'honourable' ritual suicide. Now the Allied attention turned to the island of Okinawa. Annexed by Japan in the late nineteenth century and less than 400 miles south of its mainland, it was the place from which the Allied invasion of Japan must be launched. Supported by a huge naval presence, including one of the largest British fleets ever assembled, the assault began on 1st April 1945 with the largest amphibious landing of the Pacific war - six US Divisions landed during what has been referred to as a typhoon of steel. Japan's response was ferocious seeing the peak of the kamikaze scourge and the Allied fighter pilots, whilst providing ground support to the advancing infantry, desperately attempted to defend the naval fleet from unrelenting attacks. While the British ships with their steel decks fared much better, the kamikazes took their toll on the US fleet, highlighting a conflict worse than anything seen before. The 82 day battle was one of the most severe and bloody campaigns of WWII, accounting for over 14,000 Allied deaths and five times that number of Japanese soldiers. This painting depicts USMC Ace Dean Caswell and F4U Corsairs from VMF-221, based on the carrier USS Bunker Hill climbing away from the target area after delivering a blistering rocket attack on enemy positions on Okinawa. |
Angels of Okinawa by Stan Stokes. In 1938 Vought won a contract for what was to become one of the last of the great propeller driven fighter aircraft, the F4U Corsair. Designed to incorporate the most powerful air-cooled radial engine available at the time, the Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp, the Corsair was powerful, heavily armed, ruggedly built, and designed from the onset as a carrier based fighter. The Corsair was fast, and became the first military aircraft to obtain 400 MPH in level flight. The Corsair incorporated the largest three-bladed propeller ever utilized on a single engine aircraft, a unique distinctive gull wing design, and its 2804 cubic inch engine developed a whopping 1800 HP, more than twice the horsepower of the Japanese fighters which dominated the early years of the War in the Pacific. Despite its design emphasis the USN was reluctant to utilize the Corsair for carrier-based operations because of the aircrafts poor pilot visibility during landings. As a result, the Corsair initially entered service with land-based USMC Squadrons in February of 1943. VMF-124, the first squadron to be equipped with Corsairs, quickly realized that they had a very special aircraft, and at the end of their tour of duty, VMF-124 had 68 confirmed kills of Japanese planes in air-to-air combat vs. losses of only 11 Corsairs. The Royal Navy, which procured over 2,000 of the 9,441 Corsairs produced, successfully overcame the pilot visibility problem by incorporating a curved angular approach to landings. Influenced by the Royal Navys success, the USN requalified the Corsair for carrier-based operations in early 1945. During the Okinawa campaign U.S. forces encountered a desperate shift in Japanese strategy which incorporated the full fury of the Kamikaze suicide attack. Lacking experienced pilots, and in hopes of slowing American advances, more than 3,000 Kamikaze planes were directed at the U.S. naval forces during the Okinawa campaign. The Corsair was instrumental in the fact the 2,600 Kamikazes did not succeed. In his spectacular painting, aviation artist Stan Stokes shows a F4U Corsair of VMF-451 of the Bunker Hill piloted by Marine Major Archie Donahue in action against an incoming (A6M2 Zero) Kamikaze attack during the Okinawa campaign. In three months during the campaign Navy and Marine pilots based on the Bunker Hill recorded 176 kills. However on April 29, 1944 the Bunker Hills luck ran out. Struck by two Kamikazes within minutes, a four hour conflagration ensued, which killed nearly 400 servicemen, and destroyed the bulk of the ships aircraft. This forced the withdrawal of the Bunker Hill from the campaign. Despite these losses, the Corsairs deservedly earned one of their nicknames, Angels of Okinawa, from the thousands of servicemen who no doubt owed their lives to these last of the great propeller driven fighter aircraft, and the courageous pilots who flew them. |
Gunfight Over Rabaul by Nicolas Trudgian Nicolas Trudgians action packed painting shows an attack on Rabaul during the fall of 1943. B-24 Liberators of the Army Air Force pound the harbor and docks below whilst the Marines Corps pilots of VMF 214 - the famous Black Sheep Squadron - provide top cover in their F4U Corsairs. A fierce dog-fight has developed between the F4U pilots and Japanese Zeros. One Zero, already smoking, begins to roll out of control, while the two F4U pilots turn their attentions on to a second. Below further dog-fights are in progress, the air filled with aerial combat. |
Black Sheep Over Rabaul by Stan Stokes. Pappy Boyingtons VMF-214 Black Sheep squadron continues to fascinate aviation and military enthusiasts to this day. VMF-214 flew three combat tours starting from September 1943 and chalked up a total of 153 aerial victories with more than another 100 Japanese aircraft destroyed on the ground. Rabaul Harbor, more than 200 miles distant from their airfields, was a stronghold for the Japanese and a frequent target for the Black Sheep of VM17-214. Most missions to Rabaul involved the escort of SBD Dauntless dive-bombers, TBF Avenger torpedo bombers, or B-24s. The Black Sheep usually provided high cover at 20,000 to 24,000 feet, and on some occasions Japanese fighters would be waiting in the clouds above them. The Zekes would use their altitude advantage and dive at great speeds to penetrate the top cover and get at the attacking American bombers. The Black Sheep utilized the Thatch Weave to protect their own flights from tail-end attacks by the Zekes. Rabaul Harbor was not an easy target as it was heavily defended with shore batteries and antiaircraft guns on the surrounding mountainsides. Lots of Japanese military supplies, vehicles, and munitions were scattered around the harbor. Several smaller ships were typically at anchor, but the Japanese would only bring its large capital ships into the deep-water harbor during bad weather or under the cover of darkness. There were several aces that flew with the Black Sheep, but only three are still living. One of these is Pappys wingman, USMC Lt. Col. Robert W. Me Clurg. Bob was born in Coshocton, Ohio on February 9, 1919. McClurgs No. 883 Martha is depicted off of Boyingtons wing in Stan Stokes painting. Following a move to Pennsylvania, Bob enrolled at Penn State and later transferred to and earned a degree in Business Administration from Westminister College in 1942. While at Penn State Bob joined the Marine Corps platoon leaders course. He applied for Marine aviation flight training following graduation, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the USMC in 1943 at Pensacola. Following only 21 hours of fighter flight time in the F2A Buffalo, MeClurg received his initial combat assignment with VMF-211 who had defended Wake Island. McClurg was then transferred to Boyingtons VMF-214 which was being organized. As a Black Sheep he participated in the intense combat in the Russell Islands, New Georgia, New Britain, New Ireland, and Bouganville areas. He also flew many missions as Pappys wingman. McClurg bagged his first Zeke on September 16, 1943, and he attained ace status by December of that year. His final victory tally was 7 confirmed and 2 probable aerial victories. Following his combat tour in the Pacific, he attended Marine Air Infantry School at Quantico, Virginia, Engineering Officers School at Memphis, Tennessee, and finally trained future Corsair pilots at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Following his service career, Bob earned a Masters of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He retired from the Corp. as a Lt. Colonel. He is the recipient of numerous decorations including five Distinguished Flying Crosses, eight Air Medals, and two Presidential Unit Citations. He currently resides in upstate New York. |
Valley Forge Fly-By by Ivan Berryman. Lieutenant Robert C Wattenburger shows off the unique lines of the Vought F.4U Corsair 124723 (NP-8) of VC-3 during a low-level fly-by of USS Valley Forge in May, 1952. |
Rabaul - Fly For Your Life by Robert Taylor. For their outstanding contribution to the war in the South Pacific, the Black Sheep were awarded one of only two Presidential Unit Citations accorded to Marine Corps squadrons during the war in the Pacific. With typical mastery, Robert Taylor has brought to life an encounter over Rabaul in late December 1943, paying tribute to one of the US Marine Corps most famous fighter squadrons, and its outstanding leader. With the Japanese airbase at Rabaul visible in the distance, Pappy Boyington and his fellow pilots of VMF-214 tear into a large formation of Japanese Zekes and a series of deadly dogfights have started, one Zeke already fallen victim to their guns. |
Victory Flyover by Robert Taylor. The mass flyover, Toyko Bay, 1945, heralding the surrender on board USS Missouri. |
Ace in a Day by Stan Stokes. A new U.S. Navy fighter squadron designated VF-11 was organized in August 1942. The new squadron received several combat tested pilots, and many newcomers, including Vernon E. Graham, a Colorado native. After two months of training in San Diego the new squadron deployed to Maui, where, under the command of Charles Fenton, the squadron commenced a comprehensive training program. While in Hawaii several of VF-11s pilots came up with a squadron insignia which depicted two Grumman F4F Wildcats blasting a rising sun into the Pacific. Thus VF- 11 became known as the Sun Downers. The Sun Downers first combat tour would be land-based, flying out of Guadacanal with the Marines. This was a bit upsetting to some member of the squadron as the Marines were flying the state-of-the-art F4U Corsair, while VF-11 was equipped with the older Grumman F4F Wildcat, an aircraft somewhat inferior in dog fighting capability to the Japanese Zero. During the first several weeks of its first combat tour the Sun Downers had more than their share of misfortune. Several aircraft were lost without enemy opposition. This was all to change in a hurry for the young Vern Graham. Graham had flown about thirty missions without incident. Returning from a long escort mission Graham and his formation of sixteen Wildcats responded to a request for help from four Marine Corsairs which had encountered nearly forty Japanese Zeros while on patrol near Russell Island. Only eight of the Wildcats had sufficient fuel to engage the enemy. Disregarding his critical fuel situation, Graham and his wing man got involved in assisting the Marines. Graham bagged his first Zero with a diving attack while his adversary was more preoccupied with the Corsair he was tailing. Minutes later a second Zero succumbed to a high side attack, and a third exploded in mid-air during a head-on pass. Graham bagged two more prior to his engine quitting due to lack of fuel. Without power Graham was a sitting duck, and in no time two Zeros were on his tail. Fortunately, Grahams Marine buddies bagged one and chased the other off. In serious trouble, Grahams only hope was to glide his Wildcat to Russell Island where an emergency airstrip was available. Not knowing that one of his wheels had been shot away during the engagement, Grahams Wildcat flipped over during the emergency landing. Knocked unconscious with a fractured skull, Graham was cut from the wreckage of his F4F, and sent to a military hospital. With five confirmed aerial victories during this single mission, Graham had achieved the unusual distinction of becoming An Ace in a Day. Vern received the Navy Cross and returned to the States to recover. He would later return to active flying after requalifying in the F41J Corsair. During its first combat tour the Sun Downers attained 55 aerial victories. Four of the new squadrons pilots became aces, and five of the squadrons forty pilots (C.G. Boswell, C.G. Cary, L.W. Childs, T.L. Hull, and G.W. Ricker) were killed in action. It is in their memory that this limited edition print is dedicated. |
Tribute to Pappy Boyington by Ivan Berryman. Pappy Boyington bringing his Vought F4U-1A Bu No 17883 of VMF-214 in to land at Turtle Bay Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, in December 1943. Although often depicted in another aircraft, Boyington flew 883 more than any other of his Corsairs. |
Battle for the Islands by Nicolas Trudgian. Corsairs of VMF 121 provide close air support to the US landings on Rendova, June 30, 1943. Fiercely contested, the invasion force was heavily attacked by Zero fighters and Mitsubishi G4M1 Betty bombers, flying from their base at Rabaul. Dog-fighting at tree-top height, VMF 121 Corsairs rip into a bunch of Betty bombers as they try to make their escape following their attack on shipping. On fire, the Betty in the foreground is doomed, and will shortly become one of 19 Japanese aircraft accounted for by VMF 121. Other Marine fighter units brought the total this day to a staggering 58 enemy aircraft destroyed. |
The Black Sheep by Nicolas Trudgian. Few fighter units in World War II gained the notoriety of Pappy Boyingtons Marine Corps VMF-214 Black Sheep Squadron. Equipped with the Chance Vought F4U Corsair, under Boyingtons spirited leadership, the Black Sheep pilots were accorded one of only two Presidential Unit Citations awarded to Marine Corps squadrons during the war in the Pacific. With the American forces pushing up through the South Pacific, the First Marine Air Wing was urgently looking for a seasoned fighter pilot to form a unit to take the brand new F4U into combat. Boyington had the experience - he had become an Ace flying with Chennaults Flying Tigers in China - and the rank to lead a squadron; he also had a reputation as an aggressive fighter leader, and was a natural choice for the job. Recruiting pilots from the reserve pool, together with others awaiting assignment to squadrons, the 30 year-old Boyington - dubbed Pappy by his group of young pilots - knocked them into one of the most effective fighter units in the South Pacific. In their first twelve weeks of operation they brought down 97 Japanese aircraft, no fewer than 95 of which were enemy fighters. During this period they lost only 11 pilots. VMF-214 saw action at Guadalcanal, the northern Solomons and Vella Lavella; they were the first to strafe Kahili, the first to operate from the field at Munda while it was still under enemy artillery fire, and the first to lead fighter sweeps over Rabaul. Nicolas Trudgians outstanding painting captures the scene at Vella Lavella as Pappy Boyington leads his VMF-214 Black Sheep Squadron off the island strip to escort a B-17 Fortress raid on Rabaul in December 1943. Boyington led his Black Sheep pilots through two combat tours before being brought down himself and taken prisoner. On his last mission he shot down three Zeros, bringing his final tally to 28. He was to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Nicks fine image pays tribute to one of the US Marine Corps most illustrious fighter squadrons and to its remarkable leader. |
Mission to Buin Harbor by Stan Stokes. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1916, Ken Walsh enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1933. He initially served as an aircraft mechanic and radioman, and was accepted for pilot training in 1936. He graduated in 1937 receiving his Wings of Gold at Pensacola, Florida. Walshs initial assignment was with VO-7M (later to be designated VMS-1) at Quantico, Virginia. He later served with various scouting and observation squadrons attached to the USS Yorktown, USS Wasp, and the USS Ranger. In mid- 1941 Kens ambition of becoming a fighter pilot was realized when he was transferred to VMF121. With more than 1600 hours of flying time, Walsh was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1942 and was assigned to VMF-124, the first Marine squadron to be equipped with the Chance Vought F4U-1 Corsair. He flew combat missions with VMF-124 from February to September 1943 in the campaign to retake the Solomon Islands. During this period he attained twenty confirmed aerial victories. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on August 15 and August 30 of 1943. On the 15th Walsh repeatedly dove his Corsair into a large enemy formation which outnumbered his own division by six-to-one. Although his aircraft was badly shot~up, Ken managed to down two Japanese dive bombers and one fighter. On the 30th his aircraft developed engine trouble on a vital escort mission of 27 B-24s accompanied by 30 Corsairs to Kahili Aerodrome on Bougainville. Walsh landed his aircraft at Munda, and within minutes had borrowed another which was on scramble alert. Flying at maximum speed at 30,000 feet, Walsh reached the target area as a flight of fifty Japanese fighters prepared to dive on the B-24s and F4Us. He dove through the enemy fighter force bagging two Zeros, and then joined up with his squadron mates in the vicinity Kahili. As the bombers broke formation Walsh and his fellow Marine pilots engaged in a frantic dogfight, during which Ken managed to down two more Zeros, before being forced to ditch the borrowed Corsair. He was later picked up by a Higgins boat. On June 5, 1943 Walsh, as depicted in Stan Stokes painting, flew fighter escort for Navy Air Group Eleven (CAG-1 1), on a mission to Buin Harbor, Bouganville. A strike force of 15 Douglas SBDs and 12 Gruniman TBFs were to be escorted. Walshs assignment was to make sure that no enemy fighters attacked the T13F flown by Weldon Hamilton, the Air Groups Commander. As Hamilton made his bomb run, Walsh shot down a Japanese Zero attacking his own wingman. As the strike force departed the area a Mitsubishi Pete attacked Hamilton, and Walsh closed quickly and destroyed the attacker. After his combat tour, he became a Training Command Flight Instructor at NAS Jacksonville. He returned to combat in 1945 with VMF-222 flying F4U4 Corsairs initially out of the Philippines, and later, Okinawa. He scored his final confirmed aerial victory, his 21, on June 22, 1945, when he downed a Kamikaze. Following the War, Ken served with The Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington. He flew combat-cargo and air evacuation of wounded personnel missions during the Korean Conflict with VMR- 152, a squadron he would later command. In 1958 Ken was promoted to Lt. Colonel, and he was transferred to Japan in 1959 to serve as Aircraft Maintenance Officer for the First Marine Aircraft Wing. Ken Walsh retired from the USMC in 1962 following more than 28 years of continuous military service to his country. He was the first Corsair ace and third highest scoring Corsair ace of WWII. Ken Walsh passed away suddenly on July 30,1998. We will all miss him. |
Pacific Warriors by Ivan Berryman. Often sidelined by other, more glamorous fighters, the Vought F4U Corsair is considered by many to be the best piston-engined fighter ever built, able to outfly anything the Japanese air force could pit against it. So perfect was this versatile and robust design that it remained in production for 12 years, right up until 1952. The most important operator of the F4U during the Second World War was the US Marine Corps, flying from scattered island bases throughout the Pacific, these examples being from the 4th Marine Air Wing based at Majuro Atoll in the Marshalls during the Summer of 1944. |
Hook Down and Homeward Bound by Stan Stokes. The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair was arguably the finest naval aviation fighter of its era. Work on this design dates to 1938 and was headed-up by Voughts Chief Engineer, Rex Biesel. The initial prototype was powered by an 1800-HP Pratt & Whitney double Wasp radial engine. This was the third Vought aircraft to carry the Corsair name. The graceful and highly recognizable gull-wing design of the F4U permitted the aircraft to utilize a 13-foot, three-blade, Hamilton Standard propeller, while not having to lengthen the landing gear. Because of the rigors of carrier landings, this was a very important design consideration. Folding wings were also required for carrier operations. The F4U was thirty feet long, had a wingspan of 41 feet and an empty weight of approximately 7,500 pounds. Another interesting feature was the way the F4Us gear rotated 90 degrees, so it would lay flush within the wing when in the up position. In 1939 the Navy approved the design, and production commenced. The Corsair utilized a new spot welding process on its all aluminum fuselage, giving the aircraft very low drag. To reduce weight, fabric-covered outer wing sections and control surfaces were fitted. In May of 1940 the F4U made its maiden flight. Although a number of small bugs were discovered during early flight tests, the Corsair had exceptional performance characteristics. In October of 1940 the prototype F4U was clocked at 405-MPH in a speed test. The initial production Corsairs received an upgraded 2,000-HP radial giving the bird a top speed of about 425-MPH. The production models also differed from the prototype in having six, wing-mounted, 0.5 caliber machine guns. Another change was a shift of the cockpit about three feet further back in the fuselage. This latter change unfortunately made naval aviators wary of carrier landings with the F4U, due to its limited forward visibility during landings. Other concerns were expressed regarding a severe port wing drop at landing speeds and a tendency of the aircraft to bounce off a carrier deck. As a result, the F4U was initially limited to land-based USMC squadrons. Vought addressed several of these problems, and the Royal Navy deserves credit for perfecting an appropriate landing strategy for the F4U. They found that if the carrier pilot landed the F4U while making a sweeping left turn with the port wing down, that sufficient visibility was available to make a safe landing. With a kill ratio of 11-to-1 in WW II combat, the F4U proved superior in the air to almost every opposing aircraft it encountered. More than 12,000 F4Us were built and fortunately a few dozen remain in flyable condition to this date. |
Time to Head Home by William S Phillips. F4-U4 Corsair VF791 belonging to the Fighting rebels. in Korea. |
The Jolly Rogers by Nicolas Trudgian. With its macabre skull and crossbones insignia, and a reputation for total disdain of authority, VF-17 arrived in the Pacific with a variety of nicknames ranging from the Irregulars to the Cast-offs, but under the dynamic leadership of their Squadron Commander, Tom Blackburn, VF-17 made their presence felt immediately upon their arrival in the fall of 1943. Equipped with the F4U Corsair, VF-17 pilots had what Blackburn was convinced was the best fighter aircraft of World War II, and on 1st November, during the invasion of Bougainville, VF-17 pilots shot down 6 Japanese planes in their first taste of battle - 2 falling to the guns of their C.O. Over the next 8500 hours of combat in the Solomons, its pilots shot down 156 enemy aircraft, 8 Japanese aircraft for each plane it lost, and produced the highest number of Aces of any squadron in the Navy. Blackburns Fighting 17 were the toast of the Navy brass, earned the respect of their peers, and became known throughout the Pacific as The Jolly Rogers. |
Working the Night Shift by Stan Stokes. Cdr. Guy P. (Lucky Pierre) Bordelon was the only naval aviator to attain ace status during the war in Korea. Piloting Annie Mo, his F4U-5N night fighter version of the Corsair, Bordelon recorded five aerial victories. In so doing Bordelon became the last Corsair ace, and the last pilot to become an American ace while flying a propeller driven aircraft. Navy and Marine aviators were primarily focused on ground support and ground attack missions during the war, leaving the job of mig killing to the USAF. During three years of combat in Korea, naval aviators flew more than 250,000 combat sorties, delivering more than 326 million pounds of bombs to their targets. Naval aviation is generally credited with destroying 2,600 enemy vessels, 2,000 bridges, 250 tanks, and 74 aircraft destroyed on the ground. These missions were not without a price as more than 500 aircraft were lost to ground fire during the war. The U.S. Navy utilized a wide array of aircraft in Korea, as it transitioned from prop to jet power. In addition to the Corsair other prop aircraft included the Douglas AD-2, AD-3 and AD-4 Skyraiders, the twin-engine Grumman F7F Tigercat, the TBM and TBF Avenger, the Convair PB4Y Privateer, and the PBM Mariner. In the jet aircraft department the Navys primary vehicle was the F9F Panther. F2H Banshees and Douglas F3D Skynights also saw service. Night attacks by North Korean forces on ground positions held by UN forces were referred to as Bed Check Charlies by the US pilots. In July of 1953 one of these Bed Check Charlie missions hit a fuel dump at Inchon, which resulted in the loss of five million gallons of fuel. The attack was made by slow flying Yak 18s which were difficult targets for the much faster jets. The Navy dispatched a pair of night fighting Corsairs from the USS Princeton under the leadership of Guy Bordelon to an airfield just south of Seoul. In a three week period Bordelon flew three night interdiction missions and bagged five Bed Check Charlies. Bordelons Corsair, Annie Mo was left behind when his unit returned to the Princeton. Unfortunately, the aircraft was destroyed, and therefore did not survive the war. As depicted by Stan Stokes, in the artists highly-detailed painting entitled Working the Night Shift, Bordelons Annie Mo returns to the Princeton at daybreak after a late night mission in June of 1953. In the background can be seen a Sikorsky HO3S-1 which provided plane guard duties for returning naval aviators in Korea. |
Zero Fighter Sweep by Roy Grinnell. 1st Lt Kenneth A Walsh over the Solomon Islands May 13th 1943. He scored 21 Victories at received the medal of Honor. |
Attack on the Yalu Bridges by Philip West. F-4U Corsair during the Korean War attacking Yalu bridges. |
Boyington Takes a Break by Stan Stokes. No text for this item |
Beach Head Strike Force by Robert Taylor. F4U Corsairs search and destroy enemy positions during landings in the Marshall Islands, 1944. |
Corsair The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair was arguably the finest naval aviation fighter of its era. Work on this design dates to 1938 and was headed-up by Voughts Chief Engineer, Rex Biesel. The initial prototype was powered by an 1800-HP Pratt & Whitney double Wasp radial engine. This was the third Vought aircraft to carry the Corsair name. The graceful and highly recognizable gull-wing design of the F4U permitted the aircraft to utilize a 13-foot, three-blade, Hamilton Standard propeller, while not having to lengthen the landing gear. Because of the rigors of carrier landings, this was a very important design consideration. Folding wings were also required for carrier operations. The F4U was thirty feet long, had a wingspan of 41 feet and an empty weight of approximately 7,500 pounds. Another interesting feature was the way the F4Us gear rotated 90 degrees, so it would lay flush within the wing when in the up position. In 1939 the Navy approved the design, and production commenced. The Corsair utilized a new spot welding process on its all aluminum fuselage, giving the aircraft very low drag. To reduce weight, fabric-covered outer wing sections and control surfaces were fitted. In May of 1940 the F4U made its maiden flight. Although a number of small bugs were discovered during early flight tests, the Corsair had exceptional performance characteristics. In October of 1940 the prototype F4U was clocked at 405-MPH in a speed test. The initial production Corsairs received an upgraded 2,000-HP radial giving the bird a top speed of about 425-MPH. The production models also differed from the prototype in having six, wing-mounted, 0.5 caliber machine guns. Another change was a shift of the cockpit about three feet further back in the fuselage. This latter change unfortunately made naval aviators wary of carrier landings with the F4U, due to its limited forward visibility during landings. Other concerns were expressed regarding a severe port wing drop at landing speeds and a tendency of the aircraft to bounce off a carrier deck. As a result, the F4U was initially limited to land-based USMC squadrons. Vought addressed several of these problems, and the Royal Navy deserves credit for perfecting an appropriate landing strategy for the F4U. They found that if the carrier pilot landed the F4U while making a sweeping left turn with the port wing down, that sufficient visibility was available to make a safe landing. With a kill ratio of 11 -to- 1 in WW 11 combat, the F4U proved superior in the air to almost every opposing aircraft it encountered. More than 12,000 F4Us were built and fortunately a few dozen remain in flyable condition to this date. |
| Top Aces for : Corsair | |
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown this aircraft. | |
| Name | Victories |
| James Swett | 15.50 |
| Archie Donahue | 14.00 |
| Roger Hedrick | 12.00 |
| John Blackburn | 13.00 |
| Stanley Vejtasa | 11.00 |
| Jefferson DeBlanc | 9.00 |
| Daniel Cunningham | 7.00 |
| Dean Caswell | 7.00 |
| Robert Porter | 7.00 |
| Robert Baker | 7.00 |
| Robert McClurg | 7.00 |
| John Bolt | 6.00 |
| Arthur Conant | 6.00 |
| Ronald Hay | 13.00 |
| D Sheppard | 5.00 |
|
Contact Details |
|
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
|
|
