Overview
The Corsair was built around the most powerful piston engine of its time and a huge 4 m propeller. Its distinctive inverted gull wings gave the propeller ground clearance while keeping the undercarriage short and strong for carrier landings.
It was one of the best fighters of the Pacific War and stayed in production until 1953, longer than any other US piston fighter. Specifications are for the F4U-4.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 10.27 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 12.50 m |
| Height | 4.50 m |
| Wing area | 29.2 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 4,175 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 6,654 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 718 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range | 1,617 km |
| Service ceiling | 12,600 m |
| Rate of climb | 22.1 m/s |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 1 |
|---|
Powerplant
| Engines | 1 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp |
| Power (each) | 1,775 kW |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Armament
- Six 12.7 mm (.50 in) M2 Browning machine guns (four 20 mm cannon on some versions)
- Up to about 1,800 kg of bombs or eight 127 mm rockets
Did you know?
Corsairs fought in the last-ever dogfights between piston-engined fighters, during the 1969 "Football War" between Honduras and El Salvador.
Photos
Photo 1: Gerry Metzler / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
