F4U Corsair
The F4U was designed as a carrier based fighter at the request of the US Navy in 1938. The most distinctive feature of the F4U is arguably the gull-winged or “bent-wing” airframe design which helped pull the most powerful engine available at the time. The F4U was a legendary fighter during World War II. With its supercharged engine it made a whistling sound that garnered the nickname “Whistling Death” and with its positive kill rate of 11:1 it was a highly feared and respected aircraft.
FACTS & STATS:
| First Flown | 1940 |
| Range | 1,560 miles (2,511 km) |
| Length | 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m) |
| Engine | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W radial engine, 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) |
| Wingspan | 41 ft (12.5 m) |
| Max Speed | 425 mph (684 kmh) |
| Ceiling | 36,900 ft (11,247 m) |
| Weight |
Empty: 8,982 lbs (4,073 kgs) |
|
Number Built
|
12,571 |
| Armament |
Four 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns; |
Image Description: Vought F4U-1 Corsair fighters of fighter squadron VF-17 in 1943.
Image Description: A Corsair fighter shoots rockets at a Japanese stronghold in Okinawa, Japan ca. June 1945
Image Description: Standard Aircraft Characteristics (SAC) for the Vought AU-1 (F4U-6) Corsair, June 1953