Figure 1.--The first Navy fighters in the Pacific were badly outclassed by the Japanese Zero. Tactics were developed to reduce the Japanese advantage. It was not until the arrival of the F4U Corsair, however, the air war began to shift in favor of the Americans. This Marine Corsair group is scrabling to intercept attacking Japanese aircraft. The photograph was taken in the Solomons, we think at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Notices how the front of the fuselage points up this and the length of the fuselage inhibited vision, causing difficulties in carrier operations. It was not a serious problem for ground operations, but it was for carrier operations . It took the Navy some time to develop techniques to enable carrier operations.

The Chance Vought F4U Corsair is perhaps the most destinctive and and certainly one of the most potent of the World War II fighters. Vought designers began working on a new advanced fighter for the Navy before the War (1938). The first prototype was delivered to the Navy (1940). Pearl Harbor and a need for a top of the line fighter to deal with the Mitsubishi Zero accelerated production. The Japanese couldbuild large numbers of light-weight figters, but they were incapable of building heavily armored fighters with massive engines. Thus the Japanese quickly lost air superority after the first year of the War. The Corsair was one of the new Anericans planes that turned the balance of power in the air. The Corsair included many advanced features and had a top speed greater than any existing Navy aircraft. There were a variety of technical problems that had to be resolved before the Corsair could enter service. Carrier suitability was a major development issue and the long front fuselage as well as the way it set upward on the ground created problems for carrier operations which is what the Navy desperately needed in 1942. As a result, the F4F Hellcat was designed for carrier use and adopted as the Navy's primary carrier fighter. The Navy worked on carrier operations. The Corsair was thus at first used primarily as a ground support fighter bomber, appearing in the Solomons (late-1942). It eventually became the most capable carrier-capable fighter-bomber of World War II. Many Japanese pilots came to see it as the most dangerous American fighter of the War. Hellcats downed more Japanese planes, largely because they were the Navy's primary carrier fighter. The Corsairs managed to pile up, however, an 11:1 kill ratio against the Japanese. It not only was the Navy's most formidable air superiority fighter, but its powerful engines enabled it to carry a massive weapons load for supporting the Marines and Army troops as they moved up the Slot in the Solomons. After the disaterous suisidal Banzai charges on Guadalcanal, the Japanese adopted a new tactic, digging in entrenched positions. Ground support was thus essential for the success of the Pacific Fleets' island hopping operations. As a result, the first Corsair squadrons were Marine units in the Sollomons, but as carrier operations were developed, the Navy also formed Corsair squadrons. Vought built 12,571 F4U Corsairs in 16 separate models. Demand for the Corsairs quickly overwhelmed Vought's limited manufacturing capacity. The planes were also built by Goodyear and Brewster. As a result of its advanced capabilities, the Navy continued using the Corsair almost a decade after the War, including in Korea.

Development

The Chance Vought F4U Corsair is perhaps the most destinctive and and certainly one of the most potent of the World War II fighters. Vought designers began working on a new advanced fighter for the Navy before the War (1938). The most destinctive design feature was the angled wings, as far as we know the only World War II plane with this design feature. We are not sure why it was designed this way and the performance beneits achieved. A reader tells us, "From what I have read they were angeled like that as an experiment in making a plane more maneuverable in flight and that forced them to use those huge landing gears. Yes I think you are right that it was the only plane designed like that."

Designation

U.S. Navy aircraft designations are a little complicated and for some reason different from thiose of the Army Air Corps. The F in the F4U stood for fighter. The number means the design number by the manufacturer, in this case Vought's fourth fighter design sunmitted to the Navy. The last letter designates who manufactured the plane which in World War II was often different from who designed it. This letter was assigned by the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which oversaw these matters. The U for some reason was the designation for Vought.

Deployment

The first prototype was delivered to the Navy (1940). Pearl Harbor and a need for a top of the line fighter to deal with the Mitsubishi Zero accelerated production. The Japanese could build large numbers of light-weight figters, but they were incapable of building heavily armored fighters with massive engines. Thus the Japanese quickly lost air superority after the first year of the War. The Corsair was one of the new American planes that turned the balance of power in the air.

Technical Problems

The Corsair included many advanced features and had a top speed greater than any existing Navy aircraft. There were a variety of technical problems that had to be resolved before the Corsair could enter service. Carrier suitability was a major development issue and the long front fuselage as well as the way it set upward on the ground created problems for carrier operations which is what the Navy desperately needed in 1942. As a result, the F4F Hellcat was designed for carrier use and adopted as the Navy's primary carrier fighter. The Navy worked on carrier operations. The British Royal Navy worked out procedures for Corsair carrier operations. I am not sure what they did. The British never develoed carrier ircraft of their own durung the War. Exceot for a few midified Spitfires, they were dependent on American aircraft for their carriers. Besides the poor visibility forward while taxing on a flight deck there was a problem with the landings in that the Corsair had a bad habit of bouncing on the 1st touch down and bouncing right over the arresting cables.

Capabilities

The Corsair was thus at first used primarily as a ground support fighter bomber, appearing in the Solomons (late-1942). It eventually became the most capable carrier-capable fighter-bomber of World War II. Many Japanese pilots came to see it as the most dangerous American fighter of the War.

Pratt & Whitney Radial Engine

The Corsair was powered by the venerable Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine. This was a two-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of 2,804 in³ (46 L), and is part of the long-lived Wasp family. The engine was done in many variants. The R-2800 is widely classed as one of the premier radial piston engines ever designed. It was widely used in American aircraft during World War II becoming the workhorse radial aircraft engine for the war effort. The engine was developed before the War and cinstantly refined and upgraded during the War. During the war years, Pratt & Whitney continued to develop innovations to upgrade their World War II workhouse. Water injection gave emergency power in combat. The R-2800 was used to power some of Americ's most important aircraft, including both fighters and medium bombers. The U.S.Navy's Vought F4U Corsair to be powered by R-2800. The Corsair becme the first single-engine American fighter plane to exceed 400 mph (640 km/h) in level flight (October 1940). The R-2800 also powered the Corsair's primary rival, the Grumman F6F Hellcat. In addition it was used for the the U.S. Army Air Forces' fighter-bomber, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The R-2800 was also used for the the twin-engined Martin B-26 Marauder and Douglas A-26 Invader. And it was used as the first purpose-built twin-engined radar-equipped night fighter--the Northrop P-61 Black Widow. The R-2800 was more power then the better publiciazed Rolls-Royce inllne Merlin engine used for the Spitfire and P-51 Mustang. Not only was it more powerful, but a radial engine could still work even after a few cylinders were damaged in combat. An in-line engine even one cylinder damaged could bring down the plane. The in-line engines had the advantage of being more streamlined, making up for the lower power. Areader writes, "I have read numerous war-air history, bios and autobios. about numerous pilots flying these three radial engine fighters and they all mentioned having at least one occasion to have to fly back with less then a complete engine. The other advantage to radials was no need for a radiator which could bring down a plane with one bullet hit. The P-51 had that weakness. In the case of the Hellcat and the Thunderbolt these planes were designed around the use of R-2800t engine."

Battle Record

Hellcats downed more Japanese planes, largely because they were the Navy's primary carrier fighter. The Corsairs managed to pile up, however, an 11:1 kill ratio against the Japanese. It not only was the Navy's most formidable air superiority fighter, but its powerful engines enabled it to carry a massive weapons load for supporting the Marines and Army troops as they moved up the Slot in the Solomons. After the disaterous suisidal Banzai charges on Guadalcanal, the Japanese adopted a new tactic, digging in entrenched positions. Ground support was thus essential for the success of the Pacific Fleets' island hopping operations.

Squadrons

As a result, the first Corsair squadrons were Marine units in the Sollomons, but as carrier operations were developed, the Navy also formed Corsair squadrons.

Carrier Operations

The Corsairs were a problem at first for carrier ops and that is why the early squadrons were Marine for land based ops. Thus througout 1942 anbd 43 the Cirsair was used almost exclusivlky used by the Marines who until this were stuill using the onsoleted woldct. The high performance Hellcats were delivered to the Fleet. The Navy worked on the issie and benefitted by Royal Nvy efforts to work out the needed refinements. The first Fleet codair squadrons were deactivated. The Corsair was not finally apprived for carrier operations until late in the war (April 1944). As a result the Marianasa operations was almost entirely conducted with Hellcats. When the Japanese began turning to Kamikazees, there was an effort to ctivate more of the Corsair squadrins because of its high-performance capvilities. They were active in the Okinawa campaign (April-June 1945). A reader tells us, "I remember reading a book by a Japanese pilot who survived the war and he (they) feared the most was going against the Corsair. The Hellecats got the numbers of kills because they were built in larger numbers because as you wrote they were better for carrier ops." We think it was jus a matter of time. Not only wre theremore Hellcats, but the Hellcat squadrons operated for alonger period.

Production Runs

Vought built 12,571 F4U Corsairs in 16 separate models. Demand for the Corsairs quickly overwhelmed Vought's limited manufacturing capacity. The planes were also built by Goodyear and Brewster.

Post-war Usage

As a result of its advanced capabilities, the Navy continued using the Corsair almost a decade after the War, including in Korea.

Created: 3:56 AM 4/9/2011
Last updated: 5:26 AM 6/24/2015