Corsair

VOUGHT F4U CORSAIR

CORSAIR SERVICE

Manufacturers:	Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, USA (In 1943, became Chance Vought Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, USA) (In 1948, offices and facilities relocated to Dallas, Texas, USA) Brewster Aeronautical Corp., Long Island City, New York, USA The Goodyear Aircraft Corp., Akron, Ohio, USA
Model:	V-166B (Developed from the Model V-166A)
Designations:	F4U; AU, F3A, FG, F2G
Names:	Corsair; Super Corsair (F2G, unofficial)

First official flight:	(XF4U-1) 29/05/1940
Factory production period:	1940 - 1952
Primary service period:	1942 - 1953
Last official flight:	(F4U-5) 1957

CORSAIR VARIANTS

Vought

1940	Model V-166B	XF4U-1	1	Total: 00001

1942	Model V-166B	F4U-1	758
?	Model V-166B	F4U-1A	2066
?	Model V-166B	F4U-1C	200
1944	Model V-166B	F4U-1D	1675	Total: 04699

1944	Model V-166B	XF4U-4	5
1944	Model V-166B	F4U-4	2351	Total: 02356

1946	Model V-166B	F4U-5	568	Total: 00568

1952	Model V-166B	AU-1	111
1952	Model V-166B	F4U-7	94	Total: 00205

Brewster

1943

Model: ?

F3A-1

735

Total: 00735

Goodyear

1943	Model: ?	FG-1	1704
1944	Model: ?	FG-1D	2303	Total: 04007

?	Model: ?	F2G-1	5
?	Model: ?	F2G-2	10	Total: 00015

Grand Total: 12586

The distinctive gull wing shape and massive prop of the
Corsair, which the Japanese named "Whispering Death".
This example is F4U-1A, BuNo. 17995, painted as RNZAF NZ2501.
NZ Fighter Pilots Museum, Wanaka, New Zealand, 1998.

CORSAIR PRODUCTION

Vought

XF4U-1
Prototype, carrier-based fighter, gull wings, ribbed canopy,
3-bladed prop.
Produced 1940
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

BuNo.1443

Total: 00001

F4U-1
As XF4U-1, relocated canopy, engine upgrade, 6 wing guns.
Produced
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

BuNo.02153 / 02736	?
BuNo.03802 / 03841	?
BuNo.17392 / 17455	?
BuNo.18122 / 18191	?	Total: 00758

F4U-1A
As F4U-1, single frame canopy, revised tailwheel, later
aircraft had engine upgrade.
Produced
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

BuNo.17456 / 18121	?
BuNo.49660 / 50359	?
BuNo.55784 / 56483	?	Total: 02066
237 to RNZAF as NZ5201 / NZ5396, NZ5461 / NZ5463, NZ5465, NZ5487, NZ5501 / NZ5536, designated as F4U-1.

F4U-1A, BuNo. 17995, features the "birdcage" canopy, distinctive of
the early Corsairs, this aircraft has been painted as RNZAF Corsair NZ2501.
Warbirds Over Wanaka, New Zealand, 1998.

F4U-1C
As F4U-1A, four 20mm wing cannons, clear canopy.
Produced
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

200 mixed with F4U-1D BuNo.'s.

Total: 00200

F4U-1D
As F4U-1A, engine upgrade, wing mounted rockets,
bombs or fuel tanks, clear canopy.
1675 as F4U-1D.
200 as F4U-1C.
Produced
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

BuNo.50360 / 50659	?
BuNo.57084 / 57983	?
BuNo.82178 / 82852	?	Total: 01675
127 to RNZAF as NZ5397 / NZ5460, NZ5464, NZ5466 / NZ5486, NZ5537 / NZ5577. 2 additional airframes cancelled.

XF4U-2 - Projected night-fighter prototype, cancelled.

XF4U-4
Prototype, engine upgrade, 4-bladed prop,
chin air intake below engine cowling.
2 F4U-1A's originally converted with this designation.
Produced 1944
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

BuNo.80759 / 80763

Total: 00005

F4U-4
As XF4U-4, 6 wing guns, rocket pylons, later aircraft
had flat windscreen panel, forward mast deleted.
1753 as F4U-4.
297 as F4U-4B, 4 wing mounted M3 cannons.
300 as F4U-4C, 20mm wing cannons.
9 as F4U-4P, photo reconnaissance version.
Produced 1944 - 1945
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)

BuNo.62915 / 63071	?
BuNo.80764 / 82177	?
BuNo.96752 / 97531	?	Total: 02351
3743 additional airframes cancelled.

F4U-5
As XF4U-5, engine upgrade, four 20mm wing cannons.
223 as F4U-5.
214 as F4U-5N, wing mounted radar scanner, autopilot.
101 as F4U-5NL, cold weather adaptions.
30 as F4U-5P, photo reconnaissance version.
Produced
Vought Stratford, Connecticut (U)
& Vought Dallas, Texas (U)

BuNo.121793 / 122066	?
BuNo.122153 / 122206	?
BuNo.123144 / 123203	?
BuNo.124441 / 124560	?
BuNo.124665 / 124724	?	Total: 00568

AU-1
Ground attack version of F4U-5 for USMC, extra
combat changes, engine upgrade, air intake deleted.
US Navy designation was F4U-6.
Produced 1952
Vought Dallas, Texas (U)

BuNo.129318 / 129417	?
BuNo.133833 / 133843	?	Total: 00111

F4U-7
As F4U-4B with AU-1 airframe, engine upgrade.
All delivered to the French Navy under MAP.
Produced 1952
Vought Dallas, Texas (U)

BuNo.133652 / 133731	?
BuNo.133819 / 133832	?	Total: 00094

Brewster

F3A-1
Brewster built version of the F4U-1, later
aircraft built as F3A-1D (F4U-1D).
Produced 1943 - 1944
Brewster Long Island, New York (A)

BuNo.04515 / 04774	?
BuNo.08550 / 08797	?
BuNo.11067 / 11293	?	Total: 00735
773 further airframes cancelled.

Goodyear

FG-1
Goodyear built version of the F4U-1, later
aircraft built as FG-1A (F4U-1A).
Produced 1943 - 1944
Goodyear Akron, Ohio (G)

BuNo.12992 / 14685	?
BuNo.76139 / 76148	?	Total: 01704

FG-1D
Goodyear built version of the F4U-1D.
Produced 1944 - 1945
Goodyear Akron, Ohio (G)

BuNo.14686 / 14991	?
BuNo.67055 / 67099	?
BuNo.76149 / 76739	?
BuNo.87788 / 88453	?
BuNo.92007 / 92701	?	Total: 02303
60 to RNZAF as NZ5601 / NZ5660. 755 additional airframes cancelled.

The last flying RNZAF Corsair!
FG-1D, BuNo. 92044, was RNZAF s/n: NZ5648 during World War II.
The RNZAF operated 424 Corsairs from 1942 to 1949 with 60 being of
the FG-1D variant which was the Goodyear built version of the F4U-1D.
Warbirds Over Wanaka, New Zealand, 2004.

A now repainted FD-1G, BuNo. 92044 (NZ5648 / ZK-COR), flares for landing.
Warbirds Over Wanaka, New Zealand, 2012.

FG-2 - Not used.
FG-4 - F4U-4 equivalent, 2 were built then destroyed, 2371 orders cancelled.

F2G-1 Super Corsair
As XF2G-1, land based version, engine upgrade, 4 wing guns.
Produced
Goodyear Akron, Ohio (G)

BuNo.88454 / 88458	?	Total: 00005
403 additional airframes cancelled.

F2G-2 Super Corsair
As F2G-1, carrier version, arrestor hook, folding wings.
Produced
Goodyear Akron, Ohio (G)

BuNo.88459 / 88468	?	Total: 00010
3 additional airframes cancelled.

Grand Total: 12586

CORSAIR CONVERSIONS

US Navy

F4U-1P	1+	F4U-1, photo reconn. aircraft with camera in aft cockpit.
F4U-2	34	32 F4U-1 / 2 F4U-1A, 1942-1945, night fighter with wing radome and revised exhausts, modified by the Naval Air Factory (NAF), Pennsylvania.
XF4U-3	1	F4U-1(02157), supercharger fitted, air scoop under fuselage, 4-bladed prop.
XF4U-3A	1	F4U-1A(17516), similar to XF4U-3.
XF4U-3B	1	F4U-1A(49664), engine upgrade, test aircraft for ground attack role.
XF4U-4	2	F4U-1A, 1944, engine / supercharger upgrade, chin air scoop, 4-bladed prop. Modified as: F4U-4XA(49763), F4U-4XB(50301). 5 airframes new built with redesigned cockpit / canopy layout.
F4U-4E	1	F4U-4C, night fighter conversion with APS-4 wing mounted radar.
F4U-4N	1	F4U-4C, night fighter conversion with APS-6 wing mounted radar.
XF4U-5	3	F4U-4(97296, 97364, 97415), 1946, widened fuselage, engine upgrade, twin chin air intakes, all metal wing surfaces, retractable tailwheel.
XF4U-6	1	F4U-5N(124665), ground attack prototype, later redesignated XAU-1.
FG-1E	1+	FG-1, deliveries with APS-4 radome, four 20mm wing cannons.
FG-1K	1+	FG-1, radio controlled target conversions.
FG-3	13	FG-1, conversions to XF4U-3 standards for high-altitude tests.
XF2G-1	8	FG-1(12992, 13471, 13472), 1945, prototypes with redesigned fuselage, bubble canopy and non-folding wings for low-altitude roles. 5 FG-1D's for RN repossessed and also converted.

British Royal Navy

Corsair Mk. I	70	F4U-1, aircraft in service with the Royal Navy. Assigned RN s/n: JT100 / JT169.
Corsair Mk. II	869	395 F4U-1A / 140 F4U-1D / 334 F3A-1, aircraft serving the RN. Assigned RN s/n: JS469 / JS802, JT170 / JT704.
Corsair Mk. III	96	F3A-1, aircraft in service with the Royal Navy. Assigned RN s/n: JS803 / JS888, JT963 / JT972.
Corsair Mk. IV	977	104 FG-1A / 873 FG-1D, aircraft in service with the Royal Navy. Assigned RN s/n: KD161 / KD999, KE100 / KE117, KE310 / KE429.

FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- Corsairs delivered post WW2 to Argentina, El Salvador and Honduras.
- Many Corsairs sold on the civil market as circuit racers and Warbirds.

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