Land/Carrier based Corsair...

[Raptor]

Early F4U models were land based, but the raising number of kamikazi's outrunning Hellcats made them remodel Corsair to be a carrier based plane. Why then are all the AH Corsairs carrier based?

[Rafe35]

Originally posted by Raptor01
Early F4U models were land based, but the raising number of kamikazi's outrunning Hellcats made them remodel Corsair to be a carrier based plane. Why then are all the AH Corsairs carrier based?

After the first delivery of an F4U-1 on 31 July 1942, more than two years passed before the US Navy cleared the type for shipboard operations. The Corsair was found to be much too difficult to land on a carrier deck. First of all, the pilot could hardly see the deck, because he sat so far aft of the bulky engine. The F4U tended to stall without warning, and was then certain to drop the starboard wing. Quick action had to be taken to prevent a spin. Spin recovery was difficult. In landing configuration, the F4U-1 would stall at 141km/h. A warning light would light at 148km/h. On touchdown, the F4U-1 had sluggish controls and insufficient directional stability. It also was prone to "bounce" because of overly stiff landing gear oleo legs.

[Arlo]

Raptor01 posted
Early F4U models were land based, but the raising number of kamikazi's outrunning Hellcats made them remodel Corsair to be a carrier based plane. Why then are all the AH Corsairs carrier based?

Whoops ... methinks you need to do a bit more research. The Corsair was always intended to be a carrier-borne aircraft and was designed so from it's inception - tailhook and all. The Navy shifted it to land-based status primarily over a logistics concern with a secondary concern over it requiring more skill to operate off of a carrier than the F6F. With time it was proven that it could be utilized just as effectively as any other fleet stationed plane. The FAA used it off of their carriers from day one.

[SunTracker]

Certain F4Us had non-folding wings.

[Arlo]

Which ones, SunTracker? This might be quite enlightening.

http://www.f4ucorsair.com/tdata/history.htm

[SunTracker]

Think they were called FG-1s.  They had non-folding wings, no tailhooks, and were lighter than Navy Corsairs.  The Marines used the FG-1.

[Arlo]

Don't think just yet. Read the link.

[phobia]

http://www.vought.com/heritage/special/html/sf4u4.html


"Goodyear’s version was designated FG-1.  In 1943, Goodyear delivered 377 FG-1’s. In 1944, Goodyear boosted the production rate six-fold to 2,108 aircraft. Another 1,521 FG-1’s were accepted in the 8 months of hostilities during 1945 for a wartime total of 4,006 aircraft.  This amounted to over one-third of all Corsairs produced during World War II.  Many of these FG-1’s were built with non-folding wings during the period before Corsairs were put aboard carriers, and these aircraft went to land-based Marine squadrons."

[Furball]

I thought the Royal Navy were first to use the Corsair on carriers?

Dont say read the link - because i cant be bothered and i dont care

[Arlo]

If you can't be bothered and you don't care ... watcha doin?

[Arlo]

Originally posted by phobia
http://www.vought.com/heritage/special/html/sf4u4.html


"Goodyear’s version was designated FG-1.  In 1943, Goodyear delivered 377 FG-1’s. In 1944, Goodyear boosted the production rate six-fold to 2,108 aircraft. Another 1,521 FG-1’s were accepted in the 8 months of hostilities during 1945 for a wartime total of 4,006 aircraft.  This amounted to over one-third of all Corsairs produced during World War II.  Many of these FG-1’s were built with non-folding wings during the period before Corsairs were put aboard carriers, and these aircraft went to land-based Marine squadrons."

Boy is my face red! Ok, I agree. If HTC models the FG-1 (the non-Vought Goodyear non-folding wing use on land only version) it shouldn't be a carrier bird.

[MiloMorai]

It was the FAA that showed the USN that a curving approached got around the lack of forward visibility during carrier approach for landing, err controlled crashes.

All WW2 a/c had forward visiblility problems over the nose.

[Furball]

Originally posted by Arlo
If you can't be bothered and you don't care ... watcha doin?

I hadn't posted anything in a while... lol

Originally posted by MiloMorai
All WW2 a/c had forward visiblility problems over the nose.

[MiloMorai]

Furball, let re-phrase that.

All single engine tail dragger fighters......

[Replicant]

Originally posted by Furball
I thought the Royal Navy were first to use the Corsair on carriers?

Dont say read the link - because i cant be bothered and i dont care

Correct Furby.  The Royal Navy's 'Fleet Air Arm' (FAA) used the Corsair from day one.  They overcome poor deck landing by making a circuit approach rather than straight in approach.