F4u Corsair

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

How do you tell the difference between the different models ?

Serious question guys ?

Paul

[ALU]

Most of differences are visible, but it will be too long to explain. A good book with pictures and scheme would be better:

F4U Corsair in Action - Squadron signal
F4U Corsair - Warbird History (Veronico & Campbell)
F4U Corsair in detail & scale part 1&2
F4U Corsair Warbird tech

To Make it very short and simple there is the 3 bladed propeller Corsair from F4U-1 to the nightfighter F4U-2.
Concerning the 4 balded from XF4U-3 to F4U-7. we can easily make the difference between the short Corsairs -3 &-4 (airscoop under fuselage for the turbocompouded -3 will make the difference with-4) and the longest one -5; AU-1 & -7 (we can classified these Corsairs by looking the cowling, ordnance pylons and exhaust ring)
The F2G is the only one with tear drop canopy.

[Rob Mears]

Over the years there were distinct design changes made to the cowlings, windscreens & canopies, antenna arrangements, armament configurations, number of propeller blades, and exhaust configurations. That's what I generally look for to make a quick assessment of type. Of course you can judge from paint schemes too if you're dealing with period photos. The British stuff can be dificult to figure out sometimes. You almost need to cross reference the RNFAA fuselage number to determine if it's a Corsair II, III, IV, etc.

[kenlyco]

What about telling the difference between a FG-1D and a F4U-1D?

[RMAllnutt]

What about telling the difference between a FG-1D and a F4U-1D?

They were built to essentially the same specs. There is no discernable difference between them that I have ever heard of.

Cheers,
Richard

[Matt Gunsch]

What about telling the difference between a FG-1D and a F4U-1D?

easy, one is a FG-1D and the other is a F4U-1D

only difference in this case is who built it.

[corsair166b]

Well, that and a lot of the Goodyear birds were built with non folding wings because the Corsair had'nt yet passed muster for Carrier ops and was still too hot a plane...

My way of identifying...and don't take this as gospel...goes something like this...

The F4U-1 had a birdcage canopy.

The F4U-1A had a bubble canopy with some bracing.

The F4U-2 was a nightfighter, had a radome, basically the same as an F4U-1.

The F4U-1D had a bubble canopy with almost no bracing.

The F4U-4 had the chin scoop.

The F4U-5 had the double cheek scoops-fastest production F4U at 469 MPH.

The F4U-6 became the AU-1, ground attack bird with single staged engine-looked outwardly like a -7, but had all the equipment necessary (bomb racks and such) for attack missions.

F4U-7-looked essentially like the F4U-4 but still had the bulged cheeks of the -5 model but the scoop of the -4, antennae unique to its variant, and hard points for attack like the -5.

Need we discuss the unique look of the F2G series?

Obviously there are several other factors that determined model (engine variants, other mods like the F4U-4 having the first floorboard in ANY model, etc) but these are the outward clues. And we never even discussed the fastest Corsair, the experimental but never put into production XF4U-3 with the Birmann turbo supercharger that propelled it past 480 miles an hour, but the slightest turn at that speed would put it into a buffet because the bird was constantly on the edge of compressibility.

Mark

[RMAllnutt]

Nice run-down Mark. The only thing I could add is that the main difference between the -1A and -1D variants is that the -1D had the inner wing hard points for fuel tanks/bombs. Both the -1A and early -1D had the canopy with the side bracing strip. Only the -1D had the non-braced version though. Another commonality between -1A's and early -1D's is the position for the antenna wire tail attachment point (on the rudder for early -1D and -1A, and on the fin for the later -1D's).

Cheers,
Richard

[corsair166b]

Well, like I said, various little variations here and there but the basic rules still apply to ID certain models....

Was perusing the Vought site, how horrible is it in this day and age when even the company website labels the wrong models under the photos of its 'historic planes', specifically labelling an F4U-1A as an F4U-5 and so on....take a look for yourselves, go to the Vought company site (just enter Vought aircraft) and then look at the historical planes section....

My grandfather would turn over in his grave if he knew.....surely some of those old timers could jump in and correct the mistakes if they had access to the history section...

Mark