F4U-4 Corsairĭue to the urgent need for fighter squadrons in the Solomon Islands area in the summer of 1943, Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214) was unorthodoxly cobbled together in theater, utilizing replacement pilots intended for other squadrons. The F4U-4, with its more powerful engine, was the last Corsair variant to see service during World War II. Renowned for its speed, ruggedness, and firepower, the Corsair excelled as both a fighter and an attack aircraft in support of ground forces. The F4U Corsair entered combat in 1943, and gave Allied naval aviators a winning edge against their opponents. Nearly 13,000 examples would be produced by the end of the F4U’s production run in 1952. The Navy was sold on the speedy fighter and ordered Vought to begin production. On the Corsair’s maiden flight, she broke the speed record for a single-seat fighter aircraft by exceeding 400 miles per hour in level flight. By May 1940, Vought had produced a prototype the new fighter’s inverted gull wings gave the aircraft an unmistakably recognizable face when viewed head-on, and were designed to provide ground clearance for the massive 13-foot propeller. Development of the F4U Corsair began in early 1938, headed-up by Vought Aircraft’s Chief Engineer, Rex Biesel.
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