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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 0706.PDF
FLIGHT Fortieth of the Latest Recognition Series Aircraft Types and VOUGHT-SIKORSKY CORSAIR ONE is now growing accustomed to abnormally hightop speed claims whenever a new type of Americanfighter is publicised ; wildly exaggerated claims, it will be recalled, were made for the Lightning shortly after its initial appearance, and there have been other instances. Now it rather seems as if the U.S. Navy's latest single- seater fighter, the Vought-Sikorsky Corsair, or F4U-2, is a similar subject for this particular brand of '' ballyhoo,'' which, it also appears, has been put over so successfully that even the usually cautious B.B.C. recently fell for it. Most of us, however, are inclined to receive the claim for a cruising speed of*over 400 m.p.h., recently made for this fighter, with a certain amount of reserve to say the least of it. It was not so very surprising when the daily news- papers gave wide publicity to this claim, but it came almost as a shock to hear it announced as an item of official news, since the British public has grown accustomed to placing complete reliance on statements broadcast by the B.B.C. The machine's top speed was said to be appreciably higher! In any case, due allowance has to be made as between speeds achieved during makers' tests of the aircraft and those possible when loaded up with all its operational equipment. No doubt the Corsair, with its 2,000 h.p. Pratt and Whitney Double-Wasp 18-cylinder engine, exceeded the 400 m.p.h. mark fairly comfortably before it was saddled with its full operational equipment, but it is its speed in actual fighting trim that counts. When the Corsair first appeared, as the E4U-1, its Double-Wasp was then rated at 1,500 h.p. at 2,400 r.p.m. at 7,500ft., with 1,850 h.p. for take-off. The top speed was then quoted at 366 m.p.h., so with the Double-Wasp boosted to its present 2,000 h.p., a top speed of 400 m.p.h. plus might reasonably be expected; cruising speed, how- ever, is another matter. That it is the fastest fleet-fighter in the U.S. Navy may be accepted without question. Its main characteristic is the inverted-gull type wing which is more heavily cranked than that of the Master but rather less so than that of the JU87. In plan its low- aspect-ratio wings taper slightly to broad round tips, but the wide-span tailplane has a higher aspect ratio; the undercarriage retracts backwards and the tail wheel is also retractable. Complete armament details are "not available, but it includes six machine guns in the wings, presumably of 0.5m. calibre. Top speed about 400 m.p.h. DIMENSIONS Span Length ,, Height Wing atea I OF CORSAIR 40ft. 3|/n 31ft. 6in. .. lift. approx. 290 sq. ft. SLICHT 'TAPER SQUARE CENTRE SECTION J
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