The Corsair performed well during World War II, claiming 2,140 air combat victories against 189 losses—an overall kill ratio of over 11:1.
During World War II, many Japanese regarded America’s Vought F4U Corsair fighter aircraft as the most capable aircraft in the conflict. This belief was based on more than a feeling; by the end of the conflict, the Corsair achieved an incredible 11:1 kill ratio against Japanese planes.
Developed to operate from aircraft carriers, the Corsair was mass produced and entered service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps on December 28th, 1942, as war in the Pacific Theater was raging. However, problems with the Corsair’s carrier landings led to the aircraft being overshadowed; the Grumman F6F Hellcat came to be regarded as America’s most dominant carrier-based fighter. Still, over 12,000 Corsairs would be produced, and the type would serve in both World War II and the Korean War.
Introducing the F4U Corsair
In 1938, the U.S. Navy issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a single-engined fighter capable of hitting high speeds, a minimum stalling speed below 70 miles per hour, and a range of 1,000 miles. Additionally, the Navy RFP held that the new fighter would carry four guns, or three guns with extra ammunition allotted. And the aircraft needed to be able to carry bombs beneath each wing. In short, the Navy wanted something that could fly fast, fly far, land on carriers, and inflict plenty of damage. Vought’s answer was the F4U Corsair.
The Corsair became the first single-engine U.S. fighter to exceed 400 miles per hour. The record was achieved when a Corsair flew at an average speed of 405 miles per hour on a route from Stratford, Connecticut to Hartford, Connecticut. That was flying straight and level, of course. In a dive, the Corsair was able to reach 550 miles per hour—although doing so caused structural damage to the plane.
The key to the Corsair’s speed was its enormous engine. The Corsair was built around the largest engine available at the time, the Pratt & Whitney R-2800, capable of generating 2,000 horsepower. The engine was paired with a large-bladed, three-blade Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propeller.
But possibly the most aesthetically distinct feature of the Corsair was the inverted gull wing. The anhedral angle, where the wing met the fuselage, allowed for minimized drag. Further minimizing drag was the retractable landing gear—a first for a Navy aircraft. The result was an aircraft with superlative aerodynamic performance, indeed, the best aerodynamic performance in naval aviation to that point.
The Corsair Goes to War
The Corsair performed well during World War II, claiming 2,140 air combat victories against 189 losses—as noted, an overall kill ratio of over 11:1. The Corsair was also used, extensively, as a fighter-bomber. Tasked with the brunt of the fighter-bomber missions during the war, the Corsair dropped 15,621 short tons of bombs, or 70 percent of the bombs dropped during the war.
By the Korean War, the development of far faster jet aircraft on both sides relegated the Corsair to close-support and ground-attack roles. You can see the Corsair today, featured prominently in the 2022 Korean War film, Devotion.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Shutterstock / Kev Gregory.
