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The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service in World War II and the Korean War (and in isolated local conflicts). Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and Brewster-built aircraft F3A. The Corsair served in some air forces until the 1960s, following the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–1952).[1] [2] Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II.[3] The U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio for every F4U shot down.[4] Naval aviation of the United States. ...
An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ...
An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ...
The VE-7 was the first plane to make a US carrier takeoff. ...
Rex Beisel (24 October 1893 – February 1972) was an aeronautical engineer who led the design of the Vought F4U Corsair. ...
For another meanings and similar spellings, see Sikorsky. ...
The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ...
is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
USN redirects here. ...
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ...
This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) is the air force arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. ...
The Goodyear F2G was a development by the Goodyear Aircraft Company of the FG-1/F4U-1 Corsair design as a special low-altitude version of a fighter equipped with a Pratt & Whitney R-4360 twenty eight cylinder, four row radial air-cooled engine. ...
The VE-7 was the first plane to make a US carrier takeoff. ...
Naval aviation of the United States. ...
An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ...
Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung...
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. ...
The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was a 1940s failure of the American aviation industry. ...
Development The Corsair started life as the result of a U.S. Navy requirement for a carrier aircraft which could match the performance of the best land and carrier-based fighter planes. Designed in 1938 by Rex Beisel, the first prototype Corsair designated XF4U-1 first flew on 29 May 1940.[5] When flown in 1940, the XF4U-1, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine, became the first U.S. single-engine production aircraft capable of 400 mph (640 km/h) in level flight.[6] It was a remarkable achievement for Vought; compared to land-based counterparts, carrier aircraft are "overbuilt" and heavier, to withstand the extreme stress of deck landings. USN redirects here. ...
Rex Beisel (24 October 1893 – February 1972) was an aeronautical engineer who led the design of the Vought F4U Corsair. ...
is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp was an aircraft engine, and part of the long-lived Wasp family. ...
Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft, acting as a sea-going airbase. ...
Design  The XF4U-1 prototype in 1940/41 The Corsair was designed by Rex Beisel and Igor Sikorsky, and incorporated the largest engine available at the time, the 2,000 hp (1,490 kW) 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial. To extract as much power as possible, a relatively large, 13 ft, 4 inch (4.06 m) Hamilton Standard Hydromatic three-blade propeller was used. To accommodate a folding wing, the designers considered retracting the main landing gear rearward, but for the chord of wing selected, it was difficult to fit gear struts long enough to provide sufficient clearance for the large propeller. Their solution was an inverted gull wing, the same layout used as Germany's infamous Stuka dive bomber, considerably shortening the length of the main gear legs[7] The "bend" in the wing also permitted the wing and fuselage to meet at the optimum angle for minimizing drag.[7] Offsetting these benefits, the bent wing was more difficult to construct and would weigh more than a straight one. Rex Beisel (24 October 1893 – February 1972) was an aeronautical engineer who led the design of the Vought F4U Corsair. ...
For another meanings and similar spellings, see Sikorsky. ...
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp was an aircraft engine, and part of the long-lived Wasp family. ...
The radial engine is an internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel. ...
Hamilton Standard, a famous aircraft propeller part supplier, was founded in 1910 by Thomas F. Hamilton. ...
For other uses, see Propeller (disambiguation). ...
Cross section of an airfoil showing chord In reference to aircraft, chord refers to the distance between the front and back of a wing, measured in the direction of the normal airflow. ...
The gull-winged PBM Mariner. ...
Stuka redirects here. ...
Parasitic drag (also called parasite drag) is drag caused by moving a solid object through a fluid. ...
 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 in a Goodyear FG-1 Corsair The Corsair's aerodynamics were an advancement over contemporary naval fighters. The F4U was the first U.S. Navy airplane to feature landing gear that retracted fully, exactly in the manner of the Curtiss P-40 in rotating through 90° during retraction with the wheel atop the lower end of the strut, leaving a completely streamlined wing.[8] Air intakes used slots in the leading edges of the wings rather than protruding scoops. Panels were attached with flush rivets, and the design took advantage of the newly-developed technique of spot welding. While employing this new technology, the Corsair was also the last American-produced fighter aircraft to feature fabric covered control surfaces, which were used for the top and bottom of each outer wing and the elevator surfaces. (The later Boeing B-29 bomber used a fabric-covered rudder.) Even with its streamlining and high speed abilities, with full flap deployment of 60 degrees the Corsair could fly slowly enough for carrier landings. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixel Image in higher resolution (1023 × 680 pixel, file size: 214 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history from the English Wikipedia : (former file name there : Image:F4u-2005COCwaspFG1. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixel Image in higher resolution (1023 × 680 pixel, file size: 214 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history from the English Wikipedia : (former file name there : Image:F4u-2005COCwaspFG1. ...
The Curtiss P-40 was a US single-engine, single-seat, low-wing, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft which first flew in 1938, and was used in great numbers in World War II. It was a direct adaptation of the existing P-36 airframe to enable mass production...
A miller spot welder Spot welding is a type of resistance welding used to weld various sheet metals. ...
An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ...
For other meanings of elevator see Elevator (disambiguation). ...
The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Edward Boeing. ...
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Boeing Model 341/345) was a four-engine heavy bomber flown by the United States Army Air Force. ...
For other uses, see Bomber (disambiguation). ...
Stern-mounted steering oar of an Egyptian riverboat depicted in the Tomb of Menna (c. ...
Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of an airplane wing which, when deployed, increase the lift (and drag) of a wing by changing the camber of the airfoil. ...
In part because of its advances in technology and a top speed greater than existing Navy aircraft, numerous technical problems had to be solved before the Corsair would enter service. Carrier suitability was a major development issue, prompting changes to the main landing gear, tail wheel and tailhook. Early prototypes had difficulty recovering from developed spins, since the inverted gull wing's shape interfered with elevator authority. A small spoiler was added to the leading edge of the starboard wing to reduce adverse stall characteristics.[9] Main and nosewheel undercarriage of a Qatar Airways Airbus A330 The undercarriage or landing gear is equipment which supports an aircraft when it is not flying. ...
The Piper Super Cub is a popular taildragger aircraft. ...
Many aircraft that land on aircraft carriers are equipped with a simple piece of equipment called a tailhook. ...
This KLM cityhopper Fokker 70 still has its spoilers deployed (the cream-coloured panels projecting above the top surface of the wing) after landing at Bristol International Airport, England. ...
The combination of an aft cockpit and the Corsair's long nose made landings hazardous for newly-trained pilots. The cockpit position in the prototype was 36 in (91 cm) further forward, but a desire for more powerful armament necessitated changes. Putting three 50 caliber guns in each outer wing panel eliminated fuel tanks there, and the fuselage tank above the wings was enlarged to compensate.[10] This required that the seat be moved rearward, behind the tank, an arrangement used in other piston fighters of the era. Because the more docile, and simpler to build, F6F Hellcat was coming into service, Corsair deployment aboard U.S. carriers could be delayed. Following Vought modifications to the landing gear, repositioning of the seat, addition of the stall block to the starboard wing, and after a landing technique using a curving approach was developed by the British Royal Navy that kept the LSO (landing signal officer) in view while coming aboard, Corsairs entered U.S. carrier service toward the end of 1944. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 683 pixel, file size: 63 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history from the English Wikipedia : (del) (cur) 07:31, 20 January 2007 . ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 683 pixel, file size: 63 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history from the English Wikipedia : (del) (cur) 07:31, 20 January 2007 . ...
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a fighter plane descended from the earlier F4F Wildcat, but was a completely new design sharing only a familial resemblance to the Wildcat. ...
This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...
Operational history
United States Navy and Marine Corps In February 1938, the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics published two requests for proposal, for twin-engined and single-engined fighters. For the single-engined fighter the Navy requested the maximum obtainable speed, and a stalling speed not higher than 70 mph (113 km/h). A range of 1,000 miles (1,610 km) was specified.[citation needed] The fighter had to carry four guns, or three with increased ammunition. Provision had to be made for anti-aircraft bombs to be carried in the wing. These small bombs would, according to thinking in the 1930s, be dropped on enemy aircraft formations.
In June 1938, the USN signed a contract for a prototype, the XF4U-1, BuNo 1443. After mock-up inspection in February 1939 construction of the XF4U-1 powered by an XR-2800-4 engine, rated at 1,805 hp (1,350 kW) went ahead quickly. The first flight of the XF4U-1 was made on 29 May 1940, with Lyman A. Bullard Jr. at the controls. The maiden flight was eventful; a hurried landing was made when the elevator trim tabs failed because of flutter.[11] is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
On 1 October, the XF4U-1 made a flight from Stratford to Hartford with an average ground speed of 405 mph (650 km/h), the first U.S. fighter to fly faster than 400 mph (640 km/h).[12] The XF4U-1 also had an excellent rate of climb. On the other hand, the testing of the XF4U-1 revealed some requirements would have to be rewritten. In full-power dive tests, speeds of up to 550 mph (885 km/h) were achieved, not without damage to the control surfaces and access panels, and, in one case, an engine failure.[13] The spin recovery standards also had to be relaxed, as recovery from the required two-turn spin proved impossible without recourse to an anti-spin chute.[12] The problems clearly meant delays in getting the type into production. is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
Hartford redirects here. ...
Reports coming back from the war in Europe indicated that an armament of two .30 caliber (7.62 mm) and two .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns was insufficient, and so when the U.S. Navy asked for production proposals in November 1940, heavier armament was specified.[14] The Navy entered into a letter of intent on 3 March 1941, received Vought's production proposal on 2 April, and awarded Vought a contract for 584 F4U-1 fighters on 30 June of the same year.[15] [16] On 25 June 1942 Boone Guyton flew the production F4U-1 on its maiden flight.[6] Brewster and Goodyear were already tooling up to join the Corsair production program, having been selected in late 1941 as additional contractors for the aircraft.[17] USN redirects here. ...
is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Boone Tarleton Guyton United States Navy, (September 4, 1913 - April 4, 1996) was a Naval Aviation Cadet, experimental test pilot, author and businessman. ...
The performance of the Corsair was impressive. The F4U-1 was considerably faster than the F6F Hellcat and 13 mph (21 km/h) slower than the P-47 Thunderbolt,[18][19][20] the two other fighters powered by the R-2800. But while P-47 achieved its highest speed at 30,020 ft (9,150 m) with the help of a turbocharger,[21] the F4U-1 reached its maximum speed at 19,900 ft (6,100 m),[22] and used a mechanically supercharged engine.[23] The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a fighter plane descended from the earlier F4F Wildcat, but was a completely new design sharing only a familial resemblance to the Wildcat. ...
The American Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as Jug, was the largest single-engined fighter of its day. ...
Carrier qualification trials on the escort carrier USS Sangamon Bay, on 25 September 1942, caused the U.S. Navy to release the type to the U.S. Marine Corps.[24] After all, the U.S. Navy still had the Grumman F6F Hellcat, which did not have the performance of the F4U but was a far better deck landing aircraft. The Marines needed a better fighter than the F4F Wildcat. For them it was not as important the F4U could be recovered aboard a carrier, as they usually flew from land bases. Growing pains aside, Marine Corps squadrons readily took to the radical new fighter.[25] The second USS Sangamon (CVE-26) (originally an oiler designated AO-28, then after conversion AVG-26 and later ACV-26), was one of twelve tankers built on a joint Navy-Maritime Commission design later duplicated by the T3-S2-A1 type, was laid down as Esso Trenton (MC hull...
is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Despite the decision to issue the F4U to Marine Corps units, two Navy units, VF-12 (October 1942) and later VF-17 (April 1943) were equipped with the F4U. By April 1943, VF-12 had successfully completed deck landing qualification.[26] However, VF-12 soon abandoned its aircraft to the Marines. VF-17 kept its Corsairs, but was removed from its carrier, Bunker Hill (CV-17), due to perceived difficulties in supplying parts at sea.[27] In November 1943, while operating as a shore-based unit in the Solomon Islands, VF-17 reinstalled its tail hooks so its F4Us could land and refuel while providing top cover over the task force participating in the carrier raid on Rabaul. The squadron's pilots successfully landed, refueled and took off from their former home, Bunker Hill, and the USS Essex (CV-9) on 11 November 1943.[28] VA-12 was United States Navy Attack Squadron 12. ...
Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (the Jolly Rogers) as a Strike Fighter Squadron flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at NAS Oceana. ...
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, nicknamed Holiday Express for her many attacks launched around the end of the year. ...
Combatants United States, Australia, New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders George Kenney (land air forces), William Halsey, Jr. ...
The fourth USS Essex (CV-9) (also CVA-9 and CVS-9) was a United States Navy aircraft carrier, the lead ship of her class. ...
is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The U.S. Navy did not get into combat with the type until September 1943 and the FAA would qualify the type for carrier operations first. The U.S. Navy finally accepted the F4U for shipboard operations in April 1944, after the longer oleo leg was fitted, which finally eliminated the tendency to bounce.[29] The first Corsair unit to be based effectively on a carrier was the pioneer USMC squadron, VMF-124, which joined USS Essex. They were accompanied by VMF-213. The increasing need for fighters as a protection against kamikaze attacks resulted in more Corsair units being moved to carriers.[30] Gasfilled Shock absorber. ...
Marine Attack Squadron 124 (VMA-124) was a fighter squadron in the Marine Forces Reserve based out of Naval Air Station Memphis flying the A-4 Skyhawk. ...
USS Bunker Hill was hit by Ogawa (see picture left) and another kamikaze near Kyūshū on May 11, 1945. ...
From February 1943 onward, the F4U operated from Guadalcanal and ultimately other bases in the Solomon Islands. Corsairs were flown by the famous Black Sheep Squadron (VMF-214, led by Marine Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington) in an area of the Solomon Islands called "The Slot." Boyington was credited with 22 kills in F4Us (of 26 total, including four in an AVG P-40). Other noted Corsair pilots of the period included VMF-215's Robert M. Hanson and Don Aldrich, VMF-124's Kenneth A. Walsh, Joe Foss, James E. Swett, and Archie Donohue, and VF-17's Tommy Blackburn, Roger Hedrick, and Ira Kepford. Nightfighter versions equipped Navy and Marine units afloat and ashore. At war's end, Corsairs were ashore on Okinawa, combating the kamikaze, flying from fleet and escort carriers. VMF-312, VMF-323, VMF-224, and a handful of others met with success in the Battle of Okinawa.[31] This article is about the island in the Pacific Ocean. ...
Marine Attack Squadron 214 (VMA-214) is a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets. ...
Colonel Gregory Pappy Boyington, USMC, (December 4, 1912 - January 11, 1988) was an American fighter ace. ...
Categories: Oceania geography stubs | Solomon Islands ...
For the airline, see Flying Tiger Line. ...
The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally...
Marine Fighting Squadron 215 (VMF-215) was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was activated and fought during World War II. Known as “The Fighting Corsairsâ€, they fought in many areas of the Pacific War, including the Battle of Bougainville. ...
First Lieutenant Robert Murray Hanson (1920-1944) was a Marine Corps aviator who shot down 25 Japanese planes from the South Pacific skies. ...
Kenneth Ambrose Walsh (24 November 1916 - 30 July 1998) was a leading United States Marine Corps fighter ace in World War II. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Walsh enlisted in the Marines at age 17, becoming a mechanic and radioman. ...
Joseph Jacob Joe Foss (April 17, 1915 – January 1, 2003) was an American politician, an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor in 1943. ...
1stLt James E. Swett, with other members of his VMF-221 squadron, describing his Medal of Honor actions. ...
Okinawa Island heads up the Ryukyu islands chain, a part of Japan. ...
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. ...
Official force name Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 Other names Death Rattlers Motto N/A. Branch United States Marine Corps Chain of Command Marine Aircraft Group 11 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Description Combat ready expeditionary aviation forces. ...
Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Australia New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders Simon B. Buckner †Joseph W. Stilwell Ray Spruance Mitsuru Ushijima †Isamu Cho †Strength 548,000 soldiers, 1,300 ships, ? aircraft 100,000 regulars and militia, ? ships, ? aircraft Casualties 12,513 dead or missing, 38,916 wounded, 33...
The Corsair was in frontline service by early 1943. A dozen USMC F4U-1s arrived at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal (code name "Cactus") in the Solomon Islands on 12 February 1943. The first recorded combat engagement was on 14 February 1943, when Corsairs of VMF-124 under Major William E. Gise assisted P-40s and P-38s in escorting B-24 Liberators on raids against Japanese installations in the Solomons. Japanese fighters contested the raid and the Americans got the worst of it, with four P-38s, two P-40s, two Corsairs, and two Liberators lost. No more than four Japanese Zeroes were destroyed. A Corsair was responsible for one of the kills, but it wasn't anything to boast about since it was due to a midair collision. The fiasco was referred to as the "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre."[32]. Honiara International Airport (IATA: HIR, ICAO: AGGH), formerly known as Henderson Field, is an airport located on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. ...
This article is about the island in the Pacific Ocean. ...
is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
P-38 redirects here. ...
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber that was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft during World War II and still holds the record as the most produced allied aircraft. ...
 A Corsair fires its rockets at a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa Although the Corsair's combat debut was not impressive, the Marines quickly learned how to make better use of the machine and demonstrate its superiority over Japanese fighters. By April 1943, the Corsair was getting the upper hand. By May, VMF-124 had produced the first Corsair ace, 2nd Lieutenant Kenneth A. Walsh, who would rack up a total of 21 kills during the war.[33]. Download high resolution version (1125x1358, 149 KB)157. ...
Download high resolution version (1125x1358, 149 KB)157. ...
Corsairs also served well as fighter bombers in the Central Pacific and the Philippines. By spring 1944, Marine pilots were beginning to exploit the type's considerable capabilities in the close-support role during amphibious landings. Charles Lindbergh flew Corsairs with the Marines as a civilian technical advisor for United Aircraft Corporation in order to determine how best to increase the Corsair's warload and range in the attack role and to help evaluate future viability of single- versus twin-engine fighter design for Vought.[34] Lindbergh managed to get the F4U into the air with 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) of bombs, with a 2,000 lb (900 kg) bomb on the centerline and a 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb under each wing.[35] In the course of such experiments, he performed strikes on Japanese positions during the battle for the Marshall Islands.[34] Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) (nicknamed Lucky Lindy and The Lone Eagle) was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and peace activist who, on May 20–21, 1927, rose instantaneously from virtual obscurity to world fame as the result of his piloting of the first solo...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
By the beginning of 1945, the Corsair was a full-blown "mudfighter," performing strikes with high-explosive bombs, napalm tanks, and HVARs. She proved surprisingly versatile, able to operate everything from Bat glide bombs (without sacrificing a load of 2.75 in {70 mm} rockets) to 11.75 in (300 mm) Tiny Tim rockets.[36] The aircraft was a prominent participant in the fighting for the Palaus, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa Prefecture, with the ground-pounders calling it the "Sweetheart" for its welcome services when things were getting nasty.[citation needed] The SWOD MK 9 Bat was a radar-guided glide bomb that was built by the United States during World War II. It lacked any form of propulsion, but is still often, incorrectly, referred to as a missile. ...
A glide bomb is an aerial bomb that is modified with aerodynamic surfaces to modify its flight path from a purely ballistic one, to a flatter, gliding, one. ...
Herbert Buckingham Khaury (April 12, 1923–November 30, 1996), better known by the stage name Tiny Tim, was an American singer, ukulele player, and musical archivist. ...
For other uses, see Iwo Jima (disambiguation). ...
Okinawa redirects here. ...
Statistics compiled at the end of the war indicate that the F4U and FG flew 64,051 operational sorties for the U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy through the conflict (44% of total fighter sorties), with only 9,581 sorties (15%) flown from carrier decks.[37] F4U and FG pilots claimed 2,140 air combat victories against 189 losses to enemy aircraft, for an overall kill ratio of over 11:1.[38] The aircraft performed well against the best Japanese opponents with a 12:1 kill ratio against Mitsubishi A6M, 7:1 against Nakajima Ki-84, 13:1 against Kawanishi N1K-J, and 3:1 against Mitsubishi J2M during the last year of the war.[39] The Corsair bore the brunt of fighter-bomber missions, delivering 15,621 tons of bombs during the war (70% of total bombs dropped by fighters during the war).[38] The Mitsubishi A6M Zero (A for fighter, 6th model, M for Mitsubishi) was a lightweight, carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. ...
The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (疾風, Gale) was a single-seat fighter used by the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II. It was the last in Nakajimas line of classic fighters and considered one of the best-performing craft from any country. ...
The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (é›·é›», Thunderbolt) was a single-engine, land-based fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The Allied codename was Jack. // The J2M was designed by Jiro Horikoshi, creator of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. It was strictly a local-defense interceptor intended to...
Corsair losses in World War II were as follows:
- By combat: 189
- By enemy anti-aircraft artillery: 349
- Accidents during combat missions: 230
- Accidents during non-combat flights: 692
- Destroyed aboard ships or on the ground: 164[38]
One particularly interesting kill was scored by a Marine Lieutenant R.R. Klingman of VMF-312 Checkerboards, over Okinawa. Klingman was in pursuit of a Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu ("Nick") twin engine fighter at extremely high altitude when his guns jammed due to the gun lubrication thickening from the extreme cold. He simply flew up and chopped off the Ki-45's tail with the big propeller of the Corsair. Despite missing five inches (127 mm) off the end of his propeller blades, he managed to land safely. He was awarded the Navy Cross.[40]. The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (屠龍, Dragon Slayer) was a two-seat, twin-engined fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The army gave it the designation Type 2 two-seat fighter; the Allied codename was Nick. ...
The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. ...
Korean War During the Korean War, the Corsair was used mostly in the close-support role. The AU-1 Corsair was a ground-attack version produced for the Korean War; its Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, while supercharged, was not as highly "blown" as on the F4U. As the Corsair moved from its air superiority role in World War II into the close air support role in the Korean Conflict, the gull wing proved to be a useful feature. A straight, low-wing design would have blocked most of the visibility from the cockpit toward the ground while in level flight, but a Corsair pilot could look through a "notch" and get a better ground reference without having to bank one way or the other to move the wing out of the way.[citation needed]
The AU-1, F4U-4B, -4C, -4P, and -5N logged combat in Korea between 1950 and 1953.[41] There were dogfights between F4Us and Soviet-built Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters early in the conflict, but when the enemy introduced the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, the Corsair was outmatched, though one Marine pilot did get lucky. On 10 September 1952, a MiG-15 made the mistake of getting into a turning contest with a Corsair piloted by Captain Jesse G. Folmar, with Folmar shooting the MiG down with his four 20 millimeter cannon.[42] The MiG's wingmen quickly had their revenge, shooting down Folmar, though he bailed out and was swiftly rescued with little injury. Yak-9 Yak-9D The Yakovlev Yak-9 was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union in World War II. Like the Yak-3, it was a development of the earlier Yak-1. ...
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (Russian: ) (NATO reporting name Fagot) was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. ...
is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Corsair night fighters were used to an extent. The enemy adopted the tactic of using low-and-slow Polikarpov Po-2 intruders to perform night harassment strikes on American forces, and jet-powered night fighters found catching these "Bedcheck Charlies" troublesome. U.S. Navy F4U-5Ns were posted to shore bases to hunt them down, with U.S. Navy Lieutenant Guy Pierre Bordelon, Jr. becoming the Navys only ace in the conflict, as well as the only ace to not score any victories in a jet plane.[43] "Lucky Pierre" was credited with five kills (two Yakovlev Yak-18 and three Po-2).[42] Navy and Marine Corsairs were credited with a total of 12 enemy aircraft.[42] The Polikarpov U-2 or Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik (Russian: , from Russian kukuruza (кукуруза) for corn), NATO reporting name of Mule.1 The reliable, uncomplicated and forgiving aircraft served as a trainer and crop-duster. ...
The Yakovlev Yak-18 (Russian: Як-18, also transcribed as Jak-18, NATO reporting name Max) was a Soviet tandem two-seat military primary trainer aircraft. ...
More generally, Corsairs performed attacks with cannon, napalm tanks, various iron bombs and unguided rockets. The old HVAR was a reliable standby, however sturdy Soviet-built armor proved resistant to the HVAR's punch leading to a new 6.5 in (16.5 cm) hollow-charge antitank warhead being developed. The result was called the "Anti-Tank Aircraft Rocket (ATAR)." The big 11.75 inch (29.8 cm) Tiny Tim was also used in combat, with two under the belly.[44] There is a story of a Corsair pilot who cut enemy communications lines by snagging them with his arresting hook.[citation needed]
Lieutenant Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., flying with naval squadron VF-32 off the USS Leyte, was awarded the Medal of Honor for crash landing his Corsair in an attempt to rescue his squadron mate, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, whose aircraft had been forced down by antiaircraft fire near Changjin.[45] Lt. ...
The third USS Leyte (CV-32) (also CVA-32, CVS-32, AVT-10) was a United States Navy Ticonderoga-class aircraft carrier. ...
For other uses, see Medal of Honor (disambiguation). ...
Jesse LeRoy Brown (13 October 1926 – 4 December 1950) was the first African-American naval aviator in the United States Navy. ...
Royal Navy FAA introduced the Corsair into carrier service before the USN. British units solved the landing visibility problem by approaching the carrier in a medium left-hand turn, which allowed the pilot to keep the carrier's deck in view over the dip in the port wing, allowing safe carrier operations.[46]
In the early days of the war, RN fighter requirements had been based on cumbersome two-seat designs, such as the Blackburn Skua, Fairey Fulmar, and Fairey Firefly, on the assumption they would only be fighting long range bombers or flying boats. The RN hurriedly adopted higher performance but less robust types derived from land based aircraft, such as the Supermarine Seafire. The Corsair was welcomed as a much more robust and versatile alternative.[citation needed] The Blackburn Skua was a navaI combat aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm and combined the dual functions of dive-bomber and fighter. ...
The Fulmar was a carrier-borne fighter aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm built by Fairey Aviation during 1940. ...
The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. ...
Seafire F XVII SX336 (Kennet Aviation) The Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire, specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. ...
In Royal Navy service, many Corsairs had their outer wings clipped to assist with carrier storage as well as benefitting its low-altitude performance.[citation needed] Despite the clipped wings and the shorter decks of British carriers, RN aviators found landing accidents less of a problem than they had been to USN aviators due to the curved approach used. RN Corsairs saw widespread service with the British Pacific Fleet from late 1944 until the end of the war, some six carrier-based squadrons flying intensive ground attack/interdiction operations and also claiming 47.5 aircraft shot down.[citation needed] The British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was a multinational Allied naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was comprised mainly of British Commonwealth naval vessels. ...
The Royal Navy received 95 Corsair Mk Is and 510 Mk IIs, these being equivalent to the F4U-1 and -1A. Goodyear-built aircraft were known as Mk IIIs (equivalent to FG-1D), and Brewster-built aircraft as Mk IVs (equivalent to F3A-1D). British Corsairs had their wing tips clipped, 20 cm being removed at the tips, to allow storage of the F4U on the lower-overhead British carriers. The Royal Navy was the first to clear the F4U for carrier operations. It proved the Corsair Mk II could be operated with reasonable success even from escort carriers. It was not without problems, one being excessive wear of the arrester wires due to the weight of the Corsair and the understandable tendency of the pilots to stay well above the stalling speed.[citation needed] The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, was a small aircraft carrier developed by the U.S. Navy in the early part of World War II to deal with the U-boat crisis of the Battle of the Atlantic. ...
Fleet Air Arm units were created and equipped in the US, at Quonset Point or Brunswick and then shipped to war theaters aboard escort carriers. The first FAA Corsair unit was No. 1830, created on the first of June 1943, and soon operating from HMS Illustrious. At the end of the war, 19 FAA squadrons were operating with the Corsair. British Corsairs operated both in Europe and in the Pacific. The first, and also most important, European operations were the series of attacks in April, July and August 1944 on the German battleship Tirpitz, for which Corsairs from HMS Victorious and HMS Formidable provided fighter cover.[47] It appears the Corsairs did not encounter aerial opposition on these raids. The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ...
Quonset Point is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay. ...
Seal of Brunswick, ME Brunswick is a town located in Cumberland County, Maine. ...
HMS Illustrious (87), the fourth Illustrious of the British Royal Navy, was an aircraft carrier which saw service in World War II, the lead ship of the Illustrious class of carriers which also included HMS Victorious (R38), HMS Formidable (R67), and HMS Indomitable (R92). ...
Tirpitz was the second Bismarck class battleship of the German Kriegsmarine, sistership of Bismarck. ...
HMS Victorious (R38) was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. ...
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Formidable. ...
FAA Corsairs originally fought in a camouflage scheme with a Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey disruptive pattern on top and Sky undersides, but were later painted overall dark blue. Those operating in the Pacific theater acquired a specialized British insignia - a modified blue-white roundel with white "bars" to make it look more like a U.S. than a Japanese Hinomaru insignia to prevent friendly-fire incidents. A total of 2,012 Corsairs were supplied to the United Kingdom.[24] Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Japan, (vexillological symbol: ) known as the Nisshohki (日章旗) or Hinomaru (日の丸 sun disc) in Japanese, is a base white flag with a large red disc (representing the sun) in the centre. ...
In the Pacific, FAA Corsairs began to operate in April 1944, participating in an attack on Sabang, and later in the attack on oil refineries at Palembang. In July and August 1945, Corsair squadrons Nos. 1834, 1836, 1841, and 1842 took part in a series of strikes on the Japanese mainland, near Tokyo. They operated from the carriers HMS Victorious and Formidable.[48] Location of Palembang Palembang is a city in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ...
At least one Corsair was captured by the Germans, this was Corsair JT404 from No. 1841 squadron (HMS Formidable). Wing Leader Lt Cdr RS Baker-Falkner made an emergency landing on 18 July 1944 in a field at Sorvag, near Bodø, Norway. The Corsair was captured intact and it is not known if it was taken to Germany.[49] is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Bodø within Nordland Coordinates: , Country County District Salten Municipality ID NO-1804 Administrative centre Bodø Government - Mayor (2005) Odd-Tore Fygle (Ap) Area (Nr. ...
On 9 August 1945, days before the end of the war, FAA Corsairs from Formidable were attacking Shiogama harbor on the northeast coast of Japan. Royal Canadian Navy pilot, Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, was hit by flak but pressed home his attack on a Japanese destroyer, sinking it with a 450 kilogram (1,000 pound) bomb but crashing into the sea. He was posthumously awarded Canada's last Victoria Cross, becoming the second fighter pilot of the war to earn a VC as well as the final Canadian casualty of the Second World War.[50]. is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...
Robert Hampton Gray, VC , DSC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) during World War II. The VC is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...
For other uses, see Victoria Cross (disambiguation). ...
Royal New Zealand Air Force Equipped with obsolescent Curtiss P-40s, RNZAF squadrons in the South Pacific performed impressively compared to the American units they operated alongside, in particular in the air-to-air role. The American government accordingly decided to give New Zealand early access to the Corsair, especially as it was not initially being used from carriers. Some 424 Corsairs equipped 13 RNZAF squadrons, including No. 14 Squadron RNZAF and No. 15 Squadron RNZAF, replacing SBD Dauntless as well as P-40s.[citation needed] The Curtiss P-40 was a US single-engine, single-seat, low-wing, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft which first flew in 1938, and was used in great numbers in World War II. It was a direct adaptation of the existing P-36 airframe to enable mass production...
For other uses, see Pacific War (disambiguation). ...
14 Squadron RNZAF is an air force squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. ...
15 Squadron RNZAF Former 1 June 1942 Whenupai Auckland, under Sqn Ldr A. Crighton. ...
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was the U.S. Navys main scout bomber and dive bomber from mid-1940 until 1943, when it was replaced by the SB2C Helldiver. ...
In late 1944, the F4U equipped all twelve Pacific-based fighter units of the RNZAF.[51] The first squadrons to use the Corsair were Nos 20 and 21 Squadrons on Espiritu Santo island, operational in May 1944. In the RNZAF Corsair units, only the pilots and a small staff belonged to the squadron; aircraft and maintenance crew were grouped in a pool.[citation needed]
By the time the Corsairs arrived, there were virtually no Japanese aircraft left in New Zealand's allocated sectors of the Southern Pacific, and despite the RNZAF Squadrons extending their operations to more northern islands, they were primarily used for close support of American, Australian and New Zealander soldiers fighting the Japanese. New Zealander pilots were aware of the Corsair's poor forward view and tendency to ground loop, but found these drawbacks could be solved by pilot training in curved approaches before use from rough forward airbases.[citation needed]
The RNZAF Corsairs mainly flew close-support missions, and as a consequence did not claim a single enemy aircraft shot down. At the end of 1945, all Corsair squadrons but one (No. 14) were disbanded. That last squadron was based in Japan, until the Corsair was retired from service in 1947.[52]
No. 14 Squadron took its Corsairs to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Only one airworthy example of the 424 aircraft procured survives: NZ5648/ZK-COR, owned by the Old Stick and Rudder Company at Masterton, NZ. One other mostly complete aircraft and the remains of two others were known to be held by a private collector at Ardmore, NZ, in 1996. Their current whereabouts are unknown.[53].[54] The 2nd Battalion, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles marching through Kure soon after their arrival in Japan. ...
French Navy A total of 94 F4U-7s were built for the French Navy in 1952, with the last of the batch, the final Corsair built, rolled out on December 24, 1952.[55] The F4U-7s were actually purchased by the U.S. Navy and passed on to the Aeronavale through the U.S. Military Assistance Program (MAP). The French used their F4U-7s during the end of the First Indochina War in the 1950s, where they were supplemented by at least 25 ex-USMC AU-1s passed on to the French in 1954, after the end of the Korean War.[56] The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ...
The Mutual Defense Assistance Act commonly known as the Battle Act was a 1949 law passed by the United States. ...
Belligerents French Union France, State of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos Viet Minh Commanders French Expeditionary Corps Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (1945-46) Jean-Étienne Valluy (1946-8) Roger Blaizot (1948-9) Marcel-Maurice Carpentier (1949-50) Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (1950-51) Raoul Salan (1952-3) Henri Navarre (1953-4...
French Corsairs also performed strikes in the Algerian War in 1955 and 1956 and assisted in the Anglo-French-Israeli seizure of the Suez Canal in October 1956, codenamed Operation Musketeer. The Corsairs were painted with yellow and black recognition stripes for this operation. In 1960, some French Corsairs were rigged to carry four SS-11 wire-guided missiles. This was a more or less experimental fit and it is hard to believe it worked well, since it required a pilot to "fly" the missile after launch with a joystick while keeping track of a flare on its tail – an exercise that could be very tricky in a single-seat aircraft under combat conditions. All French Corsairs were out of service by 1964, with some surviving for museum display or as civilian warbirds.[53] Belligerents FLN (1954-62) MNA (1954-62) France (1954-62) FAF (1960-61) OAS (1961-62) Commanders Mostefa Benboulaïd Ferhat Abbas Houari Boumedienne Hocine Aït Ahmed Ahmed Ben Bella Krim Belkacem Larbi Ben MHidi Rabah Bitat Mohamed Boudiaf Messali Hadj Paul Cherrière (1954-55) Henri Lorillot...
For other uses, see Suez (disambiguation). ...
Operation Musketeer was the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis. ...
Critical Mass, a modified Sea Fury air racer. ...
The "Football War" Corsairs flew their final combat missions during the 1969 "Football War" between Honduras and El Salvador. The conflict was famously triggered, though not really caused, by a disagreement over a football (soccer) match. Both sides claimed various numbers of kills, and each side disputed the claims of the other.[57] Combatants El Salvador Honduras Commanders Fidel Sánchez Hernández Salvador HenrÃquez Oswaldo López Arellano Oscar Colindres Strength 20,000 (Army) 1,000 (Air Force) 12,000 (Army) 1,200 (Air Force) Casualties 700 (including civilians) 1,200 (including civilians) The Football War (La guerra de fútbol...
Legacy The Corsair entered service in 1942. Although designed as a carrier fighter, initial operation from carrier decks proved to be troublesome. Its low-speed handling was tricky due to the port wing stalling before the starboard wing.[citation needed] This factor, together with poor visibility over the long nose (leading to one of its nicknames, "The Hose Nose"), made landing a Corsair on a carrier a difficult task. For these reasons, most Corsairs initially went to Marine Corps squadrons who operated off land-based runways, with some early Goodyear built examples (designated FG-1A) being built with fixed, non-folding wings.[24] The USMC aviators welcomed the Corsair with open arms as its performance was far superior to the contemporary Brewster Buffalo and Grumman F4F-3 and -4 Wildcat. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ...
The Brewster F2A Buffalo was an American fighter plane which saw limited service during World War II. In 1939, the F2A became the first monoplane fighter aircraft used by the US Navy. ...
F4F-3 Wildcat of Lt. ...
Moreover, the Corsair was able to outperform the primary Japanese fighter, the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero". While the Zero could out-turn the F4U at low speed, the Corsair was faster and could out-climb and out-dive the A6M.[58] Tactics developed early in the war, such as the Thach Weave, took advantage of the Corsair's strengths. The Mitsubishi A6M Zero (A for fighter, 6th model, M for Mitsubishi) was a lightweight, carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. ...
An example of the Thach Weave The Thach Weave was an aerial combat tactic developed by naval aviator John S. Thach of the United States Navy early during World War II. Thach had heard of the Japanese Mitsubishi Zeros extraordinary maneuverability and climb rate before he ever experienced it...
This performance advantage, combined with the ability to take severe punishment, meant a pilot could place an enemy aircraft in the killing zone from the F4U's six .50 (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns and keep him there long enough to inflict major damage. The 2,300 rounds carried by the Corsair gave over one full minute of fire from each gun, which, fired in three to six-second bursts, made the F4U a devastating weapon against aircraft, ground targets, and even ships.[citation needed] .50 BMG rounds and 20MM Vulcan round, with a golf ball and a stick of RAM posed to provide scale. ...
This article is about the . ...
Beginning in 1943, the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) also received Corsairs and flew them successfully from Royal Navy carriers in combat with the British Pacific Fleet and in Norway.[59] These were clipped-wing Corsairs, the wingtips shortened eight inches (20 cm) to clear the lower overhead height of RN carriers. FAA also developed a curving landing approach to overcome the F4U's deficiencies.[60] The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ...
This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...
A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull[1] of a ship. ...
Corsairs served with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well the French Aeronavale and other services postwar. It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear (as the FG-1) and Brewster (as the F3A-1). 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,[61] in 16 separate models.[62][63] The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) is the air force arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. ...
The Aviation Navale (Naval Aviation) of the French Navy includes 162 airplanes (138 of them combat-capable) and 6,800 men, both civilians and military personel. ...
Infantrymen nicknamed the Corsair "The Sweetheart of the Marianas" and "The Angel of Okinawa" for its roles in these campaigns. Among Navy and Marine aviators, however, the aircraft was nicknamed "Ensign Eliminator" and "Bent-Wing Eliminator" because it required many more hours of flight training to master than other Navy carrier-borne aircraft. It was also called simply "U-bird" or "Bent Wing Bird".[61]The Japanese allegedly nicknamed it "Whistling Death", for the noise made by airflow through the wing root-mounted oil cooler air intakes.[64][65] In the Pacific theater of World War II, the American Marianas Campaign, known as Operation Forager, pushed westward from the Marshall Islands in the summer of 1944 to capture the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. ...
Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Australia New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders Simon B. Buckner †Joseph W. Stilwell Ray Spruance Mitsuru Ushijima †Isamu Cho †Strength 548,000 soldiers, 1,300 ships, ? aircraft 100,000 regulars and militia, ? ships, ? aircraft Casualties 12,513 dead or missing, 38,916 wounded, 33...
The Corsair has been named the official aircraft of Connecticut,[66] due to its connection with Sikorsky Aircraft, in legislation sponsored by state senator George "Doc" Gunther; Gunther had also organized a Corsair Celebration and Symposium at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, Connecticut, on Memorial Day, 29 May 2006.[67] Official language(s) none (de facto English) Demonym Connecticuter or Connecticutian[2] Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[3] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[4] Area Ranked 48th in the US - Total 5,543[5] sq mi (14,356 km²) - Width 70 miles (113 km) - Length 110 miles (177 km...
Sikorsky is an American aircraft and helicopter manufacturer. ...
The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly. ...
Connecticut state senator George Doc Gunther (born 1919) is the longest-serving state legislator in Connecticut history. ...
Sikorsky Memoral Airport (IATA: BDR, ICAO: KBDR) is an airport located in Stratford, Connecticut and east of Bridgeport, Connecticut. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
This article is about the holiday in the United States. ...
is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Variants During World War II, Corsair production expanded beyond Vought to include Brewster and Goodyear models. Allied forces flying the aircraft in World War II included FAA and RNZAF. Eventually, more than 12,500 F4Us would be built, comprising 16 separate models.[62] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 484 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (530 × 656 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Formation photograph of six British Naval Airmen in training over the Maine countryside. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 484 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (530 × 656 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Formation photograph of six British Naval Airmen in training over the Maine countryside. ...
F4U-1: The first Corsair with the original cockpit seat height and "bird cage" canopy. It was based on the XF4U, but differed with the addition of a larger fuel tank and the removal of the fuselage windows behind the canopy as well as a modified armament consisting of six Browning MG53-2 0.50" machine guns. A land-based version for the USMC, without the folding wing capability, was built by Goodyear under the designation FG-1. In Fleet Air Arm service the F4U-1 was given the name Corsair Mk I.[68] Vought also built a single -1 two-seat trainer; the Navy showed no interest.[69]
F4U-1A: Variant incorporating the new "Malcolm" hood with only two struts, similar to the canopy of the Supermarine Spitfire. The cockpit seat was also raised to allow the pilot to see o
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