The F4U Corsair was an odd duck. The wings looked like they were broken, the cockpit was too far back, the propellers too big and the landing gear too short, yet it stands as one of America’s most potent weapons in the Pacific theatre during World War II, shifting the balance of power in the Allies’ favour. It was a formidable aircraft that earned the respect of both its pilots and adversaries.
The story that the Vought F4U Corsair was supposedly nicknamed ‘Whistling Death’ by the Japanese – due to the noise it made during dives – is probably wartime American propaganda, but it was more than a match for Axis aircraft. Indeed, the F4 Corsair was so exceptional that Japanese Navy and Air Force chiefs reportedly considered it the best Allied plane in the entire Pacific theatre.
The History of the F4U Corsair
The iconic gull wings of the F4U Corsair (Credit: NNehring via Getty Images)
In the late 1930s, with the looming threat of global conflict, the US Navy recognised the need for a plane that could ensure air superiority, particularly in the expansive Pacific theatre. The Vought Corsair was designed to fulfil this critical role, aiming to deliver unprecedented speed, firepower, and manoeuvrability to dominate aerial engagements against Axis forces.
Design & Development
The F4U Corsair – sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Corsair FU4 – was developed to meet the US Navy’s urgent demand for a high-speed, carrier-based fighter aircraft capable of outperforming enemy planes during World War II. Designed by legendary aviation pioneer Rex Beisel and his team at Vought Aircraft, a division of United Aircraft Corporation, the order for the prototype was signed by the Navy in June 1938.
The Corsair was a groundbreaking creation that didn’t directly evolve from any previous models but incorporated innovative engineering solutions, and its maiden flight was on 29th May 1940. Just under two years later, the Navy awarded Vought a contract for 584 F4U-1 fighter planes which were named Corsair, after the company’s 1920s Vought O2U Corsair, a biplane scout and observation plane.
One of its most distinctive features was the inverted gull wing design, developed to accommodate the huge four metre propellers driven by the powerful 46-litre radial engine.
The Corsair addressed the Navy’s need for a carrier-based fighter and it became a vital weapon in America’s air arsenal, providing the Navy and Marine Corps with a remarkable aircraft that significantly impacted air combat during World War II and the Korean War.
Production
It’s safe to say that the first tranche of Vought F4U Corsair planes weren’t well received by the pilots tasked with flying them. The position of the canopy made taxiing on the decks of aircraft carriers difficult, and the long nose was an issue for straight-line visibility. In addition, it was so powerful that inexperienced aviators had trouble keeping it under control. Such was their dislike for the F4U, some pilots called it the ‘bent-wing widow maker.’
However it was much faster than the Grumman F6F Hellcat and almost exactly the same speed as the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and the F4U was certified ready for combat from land bases by late 1942 or early 1943, and from carriers a few months later.
The demand for the Corsair in the latter stages of the war was such that additional build contracts were awarded to the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation and the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation.
The Corsair F4U in Combat
Illustration of the F4U Corsair over the Pacific Ocean (Credit: Mark Stevenson/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images)
The F4U Corsair first saw combat on St. Valentine’s Day 1943. It was deployed in the Solomon Islands campaign over the skies of Guadalcanal and Bougainville, where it helped secure air superiority against Japanese forces. It also played a pivotal role in the Battle of Okinawa in spring 1945, providing close air support for ground troops and defending naval vessels from Japanese kamikaze attacks.
Corsairs were also instrumental in the Philippines campaign, supporting operations in Leyte and Luzon by disrupting enemy supply lines and providing aerial support for advancing Allied forces. Additionally, they contributed significantly during the Battle of Iwo Jima between 19 February and 26 March 1945, helping to neutralise Japanese fortifications and supporting the US Marines.
According to American military data, the Corsair F4U and the FG (the model built by Goodyear) flew just over 64 thousand operational sorties, claiming 2,140 combat victories and suffering 189 losses. It was more than a match for some of the best Japanese planes – the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Nakajima Ki-84, and the Mitsubishi J2M – and delivered over 14,000 tonnes of bombs.
Beyond World War II, the Vought Corsair continued to see combat in several conflicts around the globe, including during the Korean War where it served primarily in a ground-attack role. It also saw action with the French Navy in the First Indochina War, and was particularly instrumental at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The French also used the Corsair during the Suez Crisis in 1956, in Algeria in 1958, and in Tunisia in the early 1960s.
The final combat mission for the F4 Corsair – one of the last occurrences of piston-engined fighters engaging in aerial combat – was during the ‘Football War’ between Honduras and El Salvador, so-called from an alleged disagreement over a game of football. Interestingly, both the Honduran and Salvadoran air forces deployed the Corsair, with the latter believed to have enlisted former US pilots with experience in both the F4U Corsair and the P-51 Mustang, however it’s unknown whether they flew combat missions.
Specification
An F4U Corsair in flight (Credit: rancho_runner via Getty Images)
There were a number of different variants of the Corsair fighter, but the figures listed below are the specifications of the F4U-4, introduced just after World War II. Of a total production run of more than 12,500 planes, over 2,300 were the 4 variant.
- Length | 10.26 metres
- Wingspan | 12.5 metres
- Height | 4.5 metres
- Engine | 1 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial, 2,380 hp
- Propeller | Hamilton Standard Hydromatic, 4-bladed, 4.06 metres in length
- Crew | 1
- Maximum Speed | 446 mph
- Cruise Speed | 215 mph
- Range | 1,005 miles
- Combat Range | 328 miles
- Service Ceiling | 41,500 feet
The armaments for the Corsair WW2 fighter varied depending on the individual configuration, but would usually consist of six 0.50 in M2 Browning machine guns, and either eight 0.50 in high-velocity aircraft rockets, or 4,000 lb of bombs.
The F4U Corsair: WWII Fighter Extraordinaire
A restored US Navy F4U Corsair (Credit: DenGuy via Getty Images)
The F4U Corsair was a colossal figure in the annals of military aviation. Its distinctive design, formidable performance, and versatility not only transformed aerial combat in the Pacific theatre during World War II, but also played a vital role in later conflicts such as the Korean War. Yet as the jet age began, the Vought Corsair gracefully transitioned from its dominant combat role to a revered piece of aviation history.
Today, of the more than 12,500 F4U Corsairs built between 1942 and 1953, only a few hundred remain, most of which are preserved as static displays in museums and at military bases. A handful are held in private collections, and it’s estimated that as few as thirty remain airworthy, occasionally showcased at airshows and special events.
