WarSimBox
Vought F4U-4 Corsair, the in-game model
1945USAFighter

Vought F4U-4 Corsair

The Vought F4U Corsair, instantly recognisable by its inverted gull wing and very long nose, was a fighter and fighter-bomber. It was the first American single-engined fighter to exceed 400 mph. In the Pacific it fought first from Marine Corps land bases; after the war it was the backbone of close air support in Korea, and production continued until 1953.

The inverted gull wing

The Corsair’s huge R-2800 engine turned a very large propeller. To keep it clear of the ground, the undercarriage had to be long; the inverted gull wing made room for the propeller while keeping the undercarriage short and strong. The long nose made it hard for the pilot to see ahead when landing, which is why the aircraft was only later cleared for carrier operations.

Vought F4U-4 Corsair, side view
Vought F4U-4 Corsair: the in-game model from the side.

The Pacific, Korea and the last dogfights

The Marines fought with the Corsair in the Solomon Islands; Gregory “Pappy” Boyington’s “Black Sheep” squadron is the most famous. In Korea, Corsairs flew close support for the ground troops. In the short war between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969, Corsairs met Mustangs in what were the last air battles between piston-engined fighters.

In WarSimBox

In the game it is in the heavy line, in the second stage of the research tree. It is fast, tough and carries a large load; its two-stage supercharger gives it power high up too. It has six .50 in guns and can be sent against ground targets with bombs and rockets.

Unlocked in the aircraft tree after researching Republic P-47D Thunderbolt.

Top speed
718 km/h · 7,000 m
Climb
18.4 m/s
Sustained turn
21.5 s
Stall speed
161 km/h

These figures come from the game’s flight model (climb, turn and stall at sea level).

Fly it in WarSimBox