F4U Corsair Design Features

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

Thank you for mentioning the A-26. My dad, rest his soul, was in the Air Force and fought in Korea. The A-26 was his ride. I had no idea what a hot-rod of an aircraft it was until we went to the Lyon Air Museum (An outstanding museum focused on WWII-era military aircraft, with many airworthy planes, with some very interesting period automobiles as well. It's located in Orange County, California, near John Wayne Airport.) to see their airworthy example take to the air. It was in black nightime livery, and a brief moment looking up through the hatch into that little tube with wings gave me even more respect for those brave souls who went up in them. The R2800 became my favourite engine of all time due to this visit; there was one on display and I could get close enough to see the very, very, fine work that P & W is known for. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. I was amazed at how compact it was, considering the cubic volune and horsepower. It was also an example of pure, metalworking art. It's one of those engines, like the Colombo V12, Cosworth DFV, Bugatti, Alfa~Romeo, and Lycoming/Duesenberg straight-8s (too many more to mention) that, aside from their awesome function, have real artistic merit. Just magnificent. I could've stared at it for hours. Okay, I've been blathering on long enough. Thanks for your excellent work, including your wonderful narration.

[@dewiz9596]

Sir, you can go off-topic that way anytime. Very informative!

[@fritzmaurer3679]

My grandfather was a german immigrant coming to this country in 1927. He was the foreman of the experimental department at Chance Vought in Stratford CT that worked on the development of the Corsair. He had a number of stories about this aircraft. He was proud of the work. Thanks for sharing.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I'm proud of his work as well. The Corsair was an engineering marvel.

[@TydalWind]

My father was a lead design engineer on this project, and he's the one that told me about the fact that they had originally designed it with the wing sticking straight out perpendicular to the fuselage, but, when they did the calculations for the propeller/engine combo, the propeller would go into the ground when the craft leveled off at takeoff. Since the optimal angle for the wing to attach to the fuselage was 90degrees, they rotated the wing down and then curved it up to provide the necessary dihedral. He mentioned that it was quite the task to make all the flaps, control linkages, landing gear and weaponry work right, and still be able to fold the wings. In fact, I have one of the original photos of the prototype flying over Stratford (CT) that hung in our vacation home.

[@blogman8712]

TydalWind ... That makes perfect sense as, and as you will know, all pilots of tail draggers are taught to be very careful when dipping the nose on the take off run up in order to lift the tail wheel.

[@deanwilliams4365]

Quite correct, however the change came about with the introduction of a supper charger. this required the motor to be pushed forward and the cockpit to be pushed back. and bigger paddles / dia no so much for the increased power but for the increased altitude now usable because of the supercharger.

[@cf6282]

TydalWind Thank you for sharing. The Corsair has been one of my favorite WWII aircraft. The wing position story is exactly what I read in a book on the Corsair. Always wondered how the folding mechanism was done. How it was locked and how they still made ailerons and flaps etc. Work.

[@bergssprangare]

YT is fantastic..Thanks for the info..

[@Dave5843-d9m]

Late model Spitfires running the 37 litre 2400 bhp Griffon engine didn't have the chance for a wing redesign. Instead they had smaller diameter counter-rotating propellers.

[@DurzoBlunts]

My grandfather was a night flying instructor for the Navy just after WW2 into Korea. He flew the F4U-4 and loved that plane. He immensely enjoyed it and it is probably his favorite of all the aircraft he flew. I remember him describing the startup procedure for a carrier deck environment. Using shotgun shells to ignite an engine just blows my mind. I'll have to show him your video, he might know a bit about the armor plating. He said you could get a 45° approach with the retractable gear used as air brakes. The brake lever had a half position it could lock into.

[@veritasvincit2745]

Great video, Greg. My grandad was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm rigger stationed in the (then) Ceylon but mostly at HMS Garuda in India where he worked on Corsairs. This was a repair yard and all kinds of machinery passed through. He enjoyed working on Wildcats (he never referred to them as Martlets) but his favourite was always the Corsair.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks for that comment. I always wondered if the actually referred to them as Wildcats for Martlets.

[@wlan246]

4:12 "Typically, the remaining engine will only serve to carry the plane to the crash site." So grim it's funny.

[@flyingfiddler90q]

It's a common saying regarding underpowered light twin engine aircraft in modern times as well...

[@chocolatte6157]

I love the design of this plane. Somehow it’s elegant, predatory, menacing and aesthetically pleasing all at the same time. As a kid, I had a Cox 0.49 gas engine “toy” of this plane.

[@tomeverhart6247]

I had the privilege of Flying the last Corsair built for the U.S. Military. It was a F4U-5NL manufactured, I Think in September 1951. The French ordered some F4U-7 that were built up into 1953. The F4U-5NL was designed to be a "Night Fighter" and had a Radar Pod located on it's right wing. What most people don't realize is that it had an Auto-Pilot that was connected to it's Weapons System. Land based Radar would guide the Corsair Pilot until the Enemy was in range of the Corsair's Radar. When the Corsair Pilot picked up an Enemy Aircraft, the Pilot would engage the Auto-Pilot and "Arm The weapons System". At that point the Pilot would let go and was just along for the ride. The Auto-Pilot was guided by the Radar and when the Aircraft got within about 200 yards of the Enemy, "The 20mm Canons Would Start Firing Automatically". Now the first time a Night Fighter Pilot experienced this, it would "Scare The Dickens Out Of Him". When those 20mm Canons automatically started firing, the Aircraft would shake enough that the Pilot's first thought was that "He Was Being Hit By Enemy Fire". He knew that the Enemy was very close and the Auto-Pilot was maneuvering the Corsair in the dark and then "Boom, Boom, Boom"! I have several more odd and interesting "Short Stories" like this if you are interested in hearing them. Regards, Tom

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Hi Tom, I love these stories, feel free to add all you want.

[@cafheber4344]

Tom - I have read that the -5 was significantly more challenging to fly than the -4 due to the electric pitch trim, APU supercharger, and "automatic" Cowl Flaps. was this your experience as well?

[@khaccanhle1930]

Really? I never knew the 5N had an autopilot connected to the radar. That is amazing.

[@olivialambert4124]

I would absolutely love to hear just about anything you have. Tales of yore are incredibly interesting when we've grown up in an age with a supercomputer in every phone, and frankly its important to remember the past.

[@logankincade661]

Tom, anymore updates, stories, experiences you could share would be greatly appreciated!!!! Do you have your own channel our some other place you would be willing to share your stories ? All of us here are anxiously awaiting to hear from you......... THANK You edit: if you need any kind of help I'm sure all of us would be will to do whatever we can to make it easier or just to help you, just for the previledge of hearing about your experiences and knowledge and any others like yourself......... again thank you

[@MilitaryHistoryVisualized]

thank you for the praise!!!

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

You're welcome. You and Bismark have two of the best channels on youtube that deal with military subject matter, especially in regards to WW2. Keep up the good work.

[@philiphughes9899]

He's right- do a video on British carriers in the pacific!

[@AkX1353]

Military History Visualized. I just watched your Midway Video. Very impressive.

[@johnd2058]

Yes, clearly there's not enough info about UN (as they were called by the time) partners in the later years of the Pacific War! I knew the RN was in there at the start, and the ANZACs were big in defending their neighbors from the "Greater East Asian [death] Sphere [of doom]", but, like nada in '44 and '45.

[@rvail136]

MHV you do a fantastic job of putting out esoteric information that most non-historian types would never have access to. Thanks for all the work you do for the rest of us

[@jonm1114]

Great video, Greg. The Corsair has long been a favorite of mine. I had the pleasure of knowing one of the more noteworthy Corsair pilots, Cook Cleland. He flew the SBD Dauntless in combat during World War II, but was a Corsair pilot in the US Navy reserves after the war. He commanded VF-653 during its combat tour in Korea, flying the F4U-4 Corsair. He is best known, however, as an air racer who owned and raced several of the F2G-1 "Super" Corsairs, winning the 1947 and 1949 Thompson Trophy air races. Cook was a fabulous guy, and he loved to tell stories about his combat flying and air racing. One of his best stories revolved around those F2G Corsairs. He had flown a fairly stock FG-1D Corsair in the 1946 Thompson Trophy race and finished in sixth place, behind several ex-Army fighter planes. So, according to Cook, he went to see Fleet Admiral William Halsey and told him it was unacceptable that Army planes were winning all of the air races. Halsey agreed and asked Cook what it would take to win against those Army planes, and Cook told him it would take an F2G. The Navy immediately began declaring F2G Corsairs as surplus and putting them up for sale. Cook bought three of them, and said he would have bought all of them if he could have afforded it, because he didn't want anybody else to get one! He bought a fourth one in 1948, just for spare parts, but ended up racing that one, too. Cook won the 1947 Thompson Trophy race, with one of his other F2Gs taking second place. Mechanical problems knocked him out of the 1948 race. He came back and won the Thompson Trophy again in 1949, with another of his planes coming in third place.

[@blackjack21pub]

Victory at Sea, Episode 7: Rings around Rabaul At 10:30, a Corsair makes the first, second, and third touchdowns on the just-finished Munda airstrip. Seeing it is better than a thousand words (except for Greg's).

[@chiefpontiac1800]

A very well documented piece here Greg. The Corsair is the only propeller driven plan to also shoot down a Mig 15. This is the ultimate plane IMO. My father had these on his aircraft carrier after WWII.

[@buddykarvois8196]

I love his videos ... but ... He seems to have forgotten that am A1-H Skyraider shot down a Mig-17 in Vietnam ( June 20, 1965) ... (The mistake is trivial ... I happen to be a great fan of the the Skyraider .... ) 😉

[@jamesbond8608]

A mig 15 was shot down by a British hawker sea fury during the Korean War.

[@kenneth9874]

I believe one was shot down by a p47 flown by Taiwan in battle with communist china

[@justinmoe3171]

@@buddykarvois8196 I know I’m two years late, but he explicitly mentioned “Piston engined fighter” which eliminates the A-1 from the running

[@brianaustin8989]

Love your videos, Greg, very informative. It was nice to see the Brits getting a mention in regard to the Pacific war. I give talks locally on The Forgotten Flyers of Task Force 57 (British Pacific Fleet) It was Captain Eric Winkle Brown who perfected the curved approach you related on in the video. We were desperate for decent carrier fighter or the fleet, as the likes of the Seafire, were just not robust enough for carrier operation plus lacked the rang, needed for use at sea. Eric Brown is famous as to having carried out the most deck landings of any pilot, some 2,400 in all. He was charged with finding out a way to use the F4u on our carriers, as it's potential was there for all to see. The British carriers had smaller hangars space than the US ones, due to the armoured flight decks, which resulted in the wing tips on the Corsairs, being clipped, by I think approx. 6 inches, so as they fitted into the hangar when folded. They claimed it had a minimal effect on the performance There was a problem as well on the oleo's on the undercarriage, having to be suppressed to avoid rebounding and throwing the aircraft over the side. The curved approach, also led to another problem of the port wing stalling, being the inboard wing in the turn. This led to a spoiler being fitted outboard of the starboard wing guns, to equalize out the wing dropping in the turn. Can be seen on some photo's, showing the wing from the front. Great read on the Corsair with the B P F, is " Carrier Pilot" by Ken Hanson.

[@LaminarSound]

Glad you mentioned the A26. Love those. The B26 variant was used in the film Always as a firefighting "bomber". I got to sit inside the exact one flown in the film about 5 years ago. So cool.

[@icewaterslim7260]

My dad had the privilege of crewing as gunner on one of the few, if not the only one, not grounded in the Pacific until the surrender. During the occupation they'd ferry A20s to Formosa and A26s back to Osaka. He loved the speed which was hard to catch from behind. I guess some of the A20 pilots said visibility was hindered by the wider nose of the Invader interfering with something . . . I'm guessing skip bombing as I don't see how parafrag passes would be affected. Maybe just running on the deck in general might be affected.

[@marinegunny826]

It's sad not to get the recognition for your effort. To the British Royal Navy in the Pacific, this U.S. Marine salutes you!

[@daveseniw2380]

Please don't apologize for occasions when you "get off topic". When you make connections to related design choices, other aircraft, and realities of how they interact, your videos become even more interesting. Many videos by others are about one thing almost in isolation of the world around them. Tying things together explains a bit of the bigger picture, and why something works in one situation, but not in another. This is a great series getting into the science and engineering of design choices. Please "drift about" more often.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Good point Dave, I'll do that more in the future. This video was actually the most fun one to make because I just took whatever liberties I felt like while making it.

[@terryvanicelli267]

Your insights are amazing! This is the first I ever heard about using the landing gear as dive brakes. Ditto for the aluminum alloy armor. I'd like to also compliment you on your narrative style. It's tops. The Wildcat is my sentimental favorite WWII fighter (Under-rated Underdog), but the F4U was probably the best all-around combat plane to serve in numbers during the Hitler War.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks. I did make a two part video about the Wildcat, you may like it.

[@jacktattis143]

Terry hardly any USN planes in the West

[@garyhooper1820]

Royal navy flew thousends of USN air craft . Over Norway ,and the Mediterranean .

[@rayschoch5882]

An excellent treatment, Greg. My dad flew a combat tour in the Pacific in 1944 in F6Fs on the Lexington with VF-19, than trained for 9 months in the F4U-4, including a shakedown cruise with VBF-150 aboard the Lake Champlain, until the end of the war. He was the engineering officer with both squadrons, as he had a mechanical engineering degree from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. It takes math skills I don't have to be an engineer, but I you manage to make the technical issues understandable for the rest of us, and I enjoy the asides, including the A-26.

[@philipboug]

Love your channel Greg. No flashy irrelevant intros, no wailing distorted guitar music, Just the facts man. :-) And those distractions you keep apologising for, like in this case the Douglas Invader, pure gold. Please keep getting distracted. Cheers from Australia.

[@EvoPulpPatriot]

I suppose if it doesnt make your ears bleed you just wont pay attention

[@Me2Lancer]

Thanks for sharing. In the late 1940s my family lived just south of the runway used by Chance Vought, the manufacturer of the F4U Corsair. I was preschool at the time but found it thrilling to watch these magnificent aircraft during takeoff and landing.

[@densealloy]

Excellent and you touched on the A-26! (Under rated for sure, served into Nam in the USA). Thank you, Sir.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I love the A26, and it was easy to fit it into the video because of the Dural connection. I know it cause a tangent with the whole prop feathering discussion, but I felt it was worth including.

[@cowboybob7093]

Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles - Good range of points, from elementary to esoteric. Apologize all you want but you don't need to! Your vocal delivery is strong enough you may want to contact an agency, often they contract for business videos.

[@iskandartaib]

I seem to recall it was involved with the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. This was 1961 - 16 years after WWII.

[@BikingVikingHH]

Cowboy Bob I agree I listen to his videos in bed, it’s so calming I fall asleep and dream about tech features on wwii airplanes lol

[@dominicviner6619]

Yeah I see what you mean but at the same time I feel he was fair. It served well. I love all aircraft and it come to the pilot but some planes are worse then others

[@gaufrid1956]

A great video about the last propeller-driven aircraft to shoot down another propeller-driven aircraft! During the "Football War" between Honduras and El Salvador from 14 to 18 July 1969, Honduran pilot Fernando Soto in his Vought F4U Corsair scored three kills, one a P51 Cavalier Mustang, a militarized version of air-racing P51's, and two Goodyear FG-1D Corsairs. His last kill was a Corsair, so the Corsair was not only the last propeller-driven aircraft to shoot down another propeller-driven aircraft, but also the last propeller-driven aircraft to be shot down in warfare by another propeller-driven aircraft. The "Football War" was not just over rioting at the Football World Cup qualifying matches, where two of the three were won by El Salvador, so they progressed further, but rather were over extended tensions between the two countries. Honduras is considerably larger, but El Salvador has a much larger population. Many Salvadorans had migrated, both legally and illegally, to Honduras, but were badly treated by the Honduran government, including an instance of the government taking over the land of poor farmers and giving it to a federation of large agricultural companies which was anti-peasantry and anti-Salvadoran. At the time, Salvadorans made up 20% of the entire population of Honduras. So, El Salvador won the football, but no-one really won the war. Both sides suffered economically as a result, and, as usual, there were more civilian deaths and injuries than among the military, mainly due to Honduran bombing raids on oil depots in El Salvador and most of the ground war being fought on Honduran soil. The Hondurans used converted C-47 Skytrains as bombers. The Salvadorans had a larger land army, including M3 Stuart light tanks, but while briefly successful in pushing into Honduras, they could not reach and capture the capital. The Salvadorans suffered about 900 deaths, mostly civilian, while the Hondurans lost about 2000 civilians and 250 combat troops. It was a video on War Thunder about the Corsair that got me interested in the Football War. Think about it... the last battle between propeller-driven aircraft took place only a couple of days before the Eagle from Apollo-11 landed on the Moon!

[@bernardw4842]

Far better researched and confirmable than most other videos of this type. Good stuff; and thanks for the piece on the RN in the Pacific. You're right, there should be much more of this history told

[@johngalt2506]

When i was a youngster, about 19, i was an EMT working on a BLS Ambulance in Southern California. One call was a basic transport from a convalescent home in south orange county to a residence in north Los Angeles. As we got underway i began chatting with the patient. Turns out he was a marine corps fighter pilot from WW2 and he flew a F4U. What a great conversation I'll never forget.

[@_DK_-]

Another point on the bent wing is that the smaller gear takes up less space in the wing, allowing for a shorter chord and overall more efficient wing. This also allows for much larger flaps, critical for lowering the stall speed for a carrier fighter which in turn allows for larger ailerons. This contributes to the excellent rolling capability of the aeroplane which was a quality noted by those who fought in and against it.

[@jacktattis143]

DK In Degrees /second what was the Number. I cannot find it. I know the FW190 was 160 deg/sec which was the best in WW2

[@patnolen8072]

@@jacktattis143 There is some roll rate data in this flight test report of an F4U-1 at www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/f4u/f4u-1-02155.pdf

[@rjb91366]

I love the Corsair, my favorite as a kid because of the old war show BAA BAA BLACKSHEEP!!

[@leggomyeggo2073]

I always remember one of Major Boyington's quotes (and I am paraphrasing here): "Show me any hero and I'll prove he's a bum" True more often than not once you learn the back story years later.

[@SergeyPRKL]

mine too. I don't think i ever saw the show, but i just loved the wing setup and overall looks.

[@paulnutter1713]

Forgot to mention the fleet air arm corsairs introduced a seat that could be raised for landing. Manually operated as Lucas are still working on the electric version.

[@petesheppard1709]

I just rewatched it; a very fascinating refresher. One thing I caught this time: The Bearcat's main gear also had a double-fold feature to get the length required for prop clearance. A small part near the attach point folded outboard, so the main struts and tires would clear each other when they folded into the gear wells..

[@bucyruserie1211]

Hi Greg, I thought I would just leave a short comment on the great job you did researching this plane.. It seems more and more people just watch video's without ever leaving a comment or even a thumbs up.. I'm not really into planes, but did enjoy the information and the way you put it all together.. Thanks, Tom

[@giorgiotoso1039]

Greg, Thank you so much for putting together all this fantastic videos. Your technical knowledge is amazing, and it does show that you are a professional pilot, and probably engineer. You have a talent for explaining very complex things in such a way as to make them as understandable as possible to non technically-inclined people. As for myself, I am an avid flying model builder, and amateur historian. Bad eyes prevented me to fly as a pilot, so my only link to aviation history is my great uncle Cap. Pilota Luigi Boer, who died in 1931, on a Savoia Marchetti S.55 seaplane, during the South Atlantic crossing by the Italian air force. I also like your sense of humor: "...the remaining engine will only carry the plane to the crash site..." How true!!! Please don't stop doing what your are doing, and a most sincere thank you for your efforts!

[@opfor_8876]

My father is a business man, it has nothing to do with Corsair, but he raised me and I love corsair. Thank you for listening to my story.

[@claudedornier9858]

Learnt so much from Greg about the corsair in this video , and from his other highly educational videos about aviation engineering.and all done in a very easy to understand conversational way . Oh Greg! if I only had teachers like you at school my life would have been so different . Very much appreciated Greg ! your videos are just superb and finest videos out there. I cant say thank you enough !!!

[@holton345]

Okay, I have been watching your videos for about a week now, since I first stumbled across your P-47 series. All are excellent. But this video got me to subscribe. Excellent work, sir. Keep them coming! (I liked the fact that you took time to explain about the chance to accidentally lock the gear down by opening the wrong bottle valve. I have read comments about that system and how it was not clearly visible and accessible to a very stressed out young kid being shot at and needing either of them for emergency reasons. I think I have read the same story you did, and I think it *was* a young man in the old VF-17 Jolly Rogers. If you learn more about this I personally would love to hear about it. You almost never hear about either of these two systems. Thanks!)

[@thomaspinney4020]

I love it when Greg goes 'off topic'. He covers lots of interesting stuff on his digressions

[@sethmogk9538]

Great video, as ever. On the 1943 decision to not deploy the F4U to carriers, I have read elsewhere that it was the difficulty in landing which led to it. However, since you read Tom Blackburn's account of VF-17, I am a little surprised you didn't mention they did qualify for carrier landing and were scheduled to to deploy on Bunker Hill. The decision to change that was made due to logistics difficulties rather than the landing characteristics of the Corsair, I've read elsewhere .

[@nikolatasev4948]

Every time you meet a complex side topic you want to extend and explain it so the main topic is understood better... including the soccer/football! I love it! This is exactly the way I read wikipedia, branching from topic to topic. Having it all in a single video is very cool!

[@leavemealoneiknowhatimdoing]

This is very quickly becoming my favourite KZbin Channel

[@TheDDRED]

Another great video My wife is from England, We live in Dallas where I am from, Her Dad was in WWII the entire war and had nothing but praise for the British Corsairs being used on their carriers they could haul a heavier Bomb load and yet not lose much speed . He claimed the British used the Corsairs in Both WWII and Korea much more extensively to their full capability, I tend to believe him, but then again to his chagrin I used to beat him at darts, which the British always pat themselves on the back twice before they ever throw them, LOL. I miss him he was such great conversations of technical info and how they used the equipment on subjects like this in a pub over a pint of bitter. Thanks again for the great video.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks DDRED. Something you might find interesting, the propeller from the Lusitania is in Dallas at a hotel. Quite a surprising piece of British nautical history to find at a hotel in Dallas.

[@jimattrill8933]

I don't think the British used Corsairs or Hellcats in Korea. The aircraft were pushed over the side in 1945 at the end of Lend Lease. They were both replaced by the Sea Fury.

[@rubenthuma]

This is one of my favorite channels now, so glad I found it. Thanks for the great content, I really enjoy all the small details.

[@caseyjongko7475]

I too pretty much left the wing design up to clearance.. but the techie inside me was screaming there’s GOT to be more THERE! Thank you for explaining and expanding! After spending five months in England over ‘18 & ‘19 I was amazed to see my beloved Corsair with RAF markings! Thanks for covering a bit of its history w. the Brits in the Pacific! This discovery REALLY meant ALOT to me.. as I was in England supporting yet another colonies based aero platform donning her Majesty’s RAF markings once again... :) Peace!

[@cannonfodder4376]

Even more stuff about the F4U I never knew about, was nice to have the inverted gull wing cleared up for me too. Never knew all the thinking that went into it. Good and informative as always.

[@geoffdearth8575]

Not all knowledge is of recent vintage.

[@dillank3240]

To me, the most fascinating tidbit of information from this video was the bombshell you dropped during the aside about the A-26 Invader: only 67 were lost during WWII. I find that incredible!

[@keithwortelhock6078]

Very enjoyable, Thank you. Thanks especially for the shout-out to the British fleet. Subscribed!

[@bobdyer422]

Very informative and very entertaining through out the vid. You offer no bias against any other AC, just getting out the facts. Always a pleasure to watch, listen and learn. Thanks!

[@brudenell27]

I didn’t realise we (British) had a fleet and involvement in the Pacific in that capacity. Every days a school day, thank you for the new knowledge and more I can research and learn about.

[@jimattrill8933]

I think the RN and the FAA will give you a medal for setting the record straight for once!

[@peddler931]

A Canadian naval aviator, Robert Hampton-Gray won a Victoria Cross flying a Corsair from a British carrier, sinking a destroyer under heavy fire.

[@jacktattis143]

Carl: They also had an Army in Burma

[@Dave5843-d9m]

You Tube put this (and another) back to me today. Another of Greg’s excellent presentations. The other was an old film about Royal Navy Seafire. The Spit was too fragile for carriers but they made it work. RN pilots developed the curved landing and 10* side slip approach to cope with the Spit’s long nose and high landing speed.

[@DCFusor]

Excellent! Go off topic all you want if it's this informative of the bigger picture.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks Doug.

[@jasongraham1768]

To answer your query Greg, in Norman Hanson's book Carrier Pilot, published in 1979, his personal experiences flying for the British Pacific Fleet. He stated that it was standard to empty the wing fuel tanks before going into action and vent them with the CO2 system. On one occasion a Corsairs wheels were accidentally lowered by the inadvertent use of the emergency CO2 system by Sub Lt Gordon Aitken 1833 Sqn RNVR. The date I think was the 19th June 1944. Detailed on page 157. Reason for activation, according to the author, was the pilot "has his head in the clouds." Outstanding work on this channel, keep up the good work!

[@paulwoodman5131]

I appreciated the bent wing reasoning, hearing that it was for prop clearance many times seemed to be far too simple for such an innovative design.

[@blogman8712]

Prop clearance was a part of the wing design as well as that described in the video.

[@spindash64]

Same, especially since, once again, the Hellcat was another carrier fighter that used the very same engine

[@julianneale6128]

Yet again, another fantastic video. Please don't stop doing them in a hurry, as I for one find what you talk about extremely facinating. You seem to have cornered a niche in the market, because your talks are unique... One thing I'd like to mention is that I'm pretty sure that all developed countries of the time used duraluminium within the constitution of aircraft. Many high strength parts such as propeller blades and wing spars to mention just two...

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Hi Julian, thanks. I suspect most countries used it, as I said in the video it wasn't a secret, although the Japanese had another type of aluminum that was a secret. As far as using it for armor, I think that was pretty rare. I don't know of any non US planes that did that, but it wouldn't surprise me if some German planes had it.

[@niblack11]

I love it when you stray off topic

[@kevinwestrom4775]

All of this information was very neat to learn. I had no idea for why all the elements that comprised the Vought F4U Corsair were, what the reasoning was for its differences from other WWII warplanes as such. Thank you.

[@karlbrundage7472]

F6F pilots also used their landing gear as a rudimentary dive brake, by simply unlocking the maingear. The unit then fell via gravity into the slipstream while maintaining the wheels' perpendicular (stowed) configuration, creating a fair amount of drag. At the conclusion of the attack run the pilot reselected gear-up, though I am unclear whether any manipulation of the hydraulics was required for the procedure. Excellent video, as always................................

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I have heard that about the Hellcat, but when I looked into it I couldn't find a single official reference for it. I don't doubt that some pilots did it, but that doesn't mean the plane was designed for it, the Corsair was. Don't take this as me being anti-Hellcat. The Hellcat was certainly an awesome plane. If I had to fly one of the two off of a carrier, I would probably chose the Hellcat. However, if I was an Admiral in WW2 and had to chose which plane to send to stop inbound Kamikazes, it would be the Corsair.

[@karlbrundage7472]

No, it certainly wasn't a design feature, merely something pilots developed in the course of their work. I first read about it in an account of the fighting on Saipan, where the F6Fs flying close-air-support needed to get pretty tight into the hills to hit targets. The procedure gave them a few extra seconds to get eyes on and line-up. I'll go back through my library (unlike Google, it's not got a good search engine) and see if I can get you the title.

[@karlbrundage7472]

Also, a supplemental report on the F2G- specifically designed to counter the Kamikaze threat would be appreciated.

[@johnparker3832]

Enjoyed the video very much. My lead engineer on a missile test program around 1960 was a USN WWII pilot. He would tell stories during test holds about the planes and combat. I thought he was partially blowing smoke when he told of swapping whiskey for oil and fighting over gas. Then Baa Baa Black sheep came on TV and there were all his stories! Unfortunately I only remember some of the details of his last crash after the war which was in the US. I have regretted not writing down his WWII and Korean war info.

[@johnmcmickle5685]

There are people that have been scrambling for years to get that information written down, and because the number of World War II veterans is decreasing so rapidly they effort is very important now.

[@ridermak4111]

You are an aero-knowledge junkie with a skillfully pleasant knack for sharing. Videos in this genre sometimes bore me so much I can’t continue watching. Keep ‘em coming. 👍

[@tommytwotacos8106]

I feel directly called out by your comment about not confusing the A-26 from the B-26.

[@DavidRLentz-b7i]

After WW2, the A-26 became the B-26. How odd! Well, maybe to confuse those who set themselves in opposition to us.

[@waynetokarz174]

one of the best videos I have seen, I like the proffessional/layman way you bring true facts to life. Im an afficiado of the design and applaud your work sir.

[@semillerimages]

When I was a kid and super into aircraft, the Corsair was my fave of the time. The man who I rented my apartment from RIP was a P51 pilot in WWII and my chemistry professor in 1989 at Cal Poly SLO.

[@markscion]

I agree - I loved this ... wander aimlessly, frequently

[@gideonokun5538]

What a great picture at 16:50! The angle and image quality makes the Bearcat look almost identical to the Hellcat (apart from the canopy). Never realised just how similar their form is. Same goes for the Helldiver and Avenger, though the differences are way more obvious.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

I actually looked at that for a long time myself before noticing that was a Bearcat back there. It worked out in my favor because I was able to mention its telescoping gear without it being forced or out of place.

[@PigEqualsBakon]

Great video as usual. Love the corsair, up in my top 5 favourite WWII planes. What a looker! Cant wait for that R2800 video. That engine was used in so widespread throughout the war.

[@anitamiller6175]

Great video. I've been a WWII buff (especially aviation) for as long as I can remember, and still learned a lot from you

[@jamespfp]

22:00 -- ".... I know I got off topic a few times..." -- All due respect, Greg, I think your digressions have adequate explanatory value to justify the delayed time of arrival. :P Let me say exactly why -- comparisons with the A-26 and the Vought F4U are apt because of the power-plant. IN much the same way, it is difficult to talk about any one early-war American fighter without talking about most of them, because they all used the same engines until more powerful, turbo-charged alternatives were developed. Let's see -- the A-36, the P-40, the P-39, the P-38....

[@admaioremdeiglorium]

Greg: Thanks very kindly for your diligence in research, the clarity of your expression, and the very engaging and positive tone you maintain throughout your presentations. The respect you have for the designers, builders, and pilots to whom we owe so much comes through in every one of your videos. It is their effort & dedication that was the price paid so we can have the freedom & leisure to study & appreciate their achievements.

[@Henschmen38]

Great video again Greg definitely didn't mind that you wandered off topic here and there, the information was excellent and I didn't know that the British had a sizeable carrier group in the pacific or that they were primarily flying corsairs. I'm very excited for the next engine heavy video.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback.

[@daniellastuart3145]

ya we did a it something US historians do not like to talk about because there have to admit to US Navy not being alone in the pacific

[@chopchop7938]

@@daniellastuart3145Why would US historians talk about other countries? The overall minor British contribution wasn't needed and they probably just got in the way. The British carriers mostly had American planes.

[@daniellastuart3145]

Chop Chop you like you US historians need to educate them self in what other country s have achieve .if you did you Americans might come across less arrogant here some information on the Royal Navy BPF The British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was a Royal Navy formation which saw action against Japan during the Second World War. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944 from the remaining ships of the former Eastern Fleet then being re-designated the East Indies Fleet and continuing to be based in Trincomalee. The British Pacific Fleet's main base was at Sydney, Australia, with a forward base at Manus Island. One of the largest fleets ever assembled by the Royal Navy, by VJ Day it had four battleships and six fleet aircraft carriers, fifteen smaller aircraft carriers, eleven cruisers, and numerous smaller warships, submarines, and support vessels. Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm used Grumman Avengers, Supermarine Seafires and Fairey and Corsea which we showed you Americans how fly of carriers. Major actions in which the fleet was involved included Operation Meridian, air strikes in January 1945 against oil production at Palembang, Sumatra. These raids, conducted in bad weather, succeeded in reducing the oil supply of the Japanese Navy. A total of 48 FAA aircraft were lost due to enemy action and crash landings; they claimed 30 Japanese planes destroyed in dogfights and 38 on the ground. In March 1945, while supporting the invasion of Okinawa, the BPF had sole responsibility for operations in the Sakishima Islands. Its role was to suppress Japanese air activity, using gunfire and air attack, at potential kamikaze staging airfields that would otherwise be a threat to US Navy vessels operating at Okinawa. The British fleet carriers with their armoured flight decks were subject to heavy and repeated kamikaze attacks, but they proved highly resistant, and returned to action relatively quickly. The USN liaison officer on Indefatigable commented: "When a kamikaze hits a US carrier it means 6 months of repair at Pearl [Harbor]. When a kamikaze hits a Limey carrier it's just a case of 'Sweepers, man your brooms'." Fleet Air Arm Supermarine Seafires saw service in the Pacific campaigns. Due to their good high altitude performance, short range and lack of ordnance-carrying capabilities (compared to the Hellcats and Corsairs of the Fleet) the Seafires were allocated the vital defensive duties of combat air patrol (CAP) over the fleet. Seafires were thus heavily involved in countering the kamikaze attacks during the Iwo Jima landings and beyond. The Seafires' best day was 15 August 1945, shooting down eight attacking aircraft for a single loss.

[@richardprice5978]

yep i evan had family stuff from that time period and got to ask him before passing a way and yes kamikazes tried to kill him he was so close he saw the mans face and the engine taking 50 calibrater rounds directly head on in the cylinder barrels / wings not stopping entail 20 feet or less and falling like a rock rite in fount of the gunnery possession @ started off duty rotation on smoke break AA gun not @ the ready no one else nearby helping out / seeing it right after coming up out of the engine room and lighting up one puff in looking up /out at sea in the clouds a twinkling caught his attention and noticed it was starting to turn in for the ship and thats just one ww2 story. i wonder the first time he mentioned that the commonwealth service in the pacific ocean that or he was having some memory loss ( he was 17-25 years old at that time ) given the information nope just have trumbled time specking about the war / ptsd ship id number = 143 landing amphibious assault class ships mechanic diesel engine room

[@waynemausbach2831]

Greg, love this series, as a life long engineer I love the technical details. as a kid I built model airplanes and love the history. The Corsair was and is my favorite even though it was harder to make a flying model. I have a friend who has a WW 2 museum with a flyable Corsair called Texas Flying Legends. Now I love finding out the thought process in the designs and the trade offs that were done arriving at a design. I have been just watching your videos, but this time I read all the comments which took me another hour. Keep up the good work ! I know from your comments that you may miss this but this is the first time i have written.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Hi Wayne, thanks for commenting. I do try to read all comments. The way the comments come into the youtube creator studio is that they come in in chronological order, but if you post in response to an older comment, I probably won't see it because it won't come up as a new comment. For example if it's in response to a one year old comment it will be one year of comments down on my list and I'll probably never see it. Anyway, I have been trying to get down to T.F.L. that looks like a great museum.

[@bagelgon992]

Glad you mentioned the a-26! Also the history was interesting, very relevant to the rest of the video I think.

[@barryervin8536]

Great video. I was hoping you'd mention that all Corsairs up until the F4U-5 in 1945 had fabric covered outer wing panels, and they all had fabric covered control surfaces except for some Goodyear built planes with metal ailerons. Nobody ever believes me about the fabric wings, because all but one of the Corsairs flying today have had the wings metalized. The one in the Planes of Fame museum is the only exception.

[@randykelso4079]

I believe it was in the early seventies when Paul Thayer, President of LTV (Ling-Temco-Vought, successor to Chance Vought Corporation which produced the F4U aircraft) enjoyed flying the company's restored F4U (he was a WW2 ace) but during one hop an oil line broke and he had to dead-stick the aircraft into a field, going through a barbed wire fence in the process. The airplane was returned to the plant for repairs but nobody knew how to repair the fabric covered control surfaces, so some Vought retirees were contacted and they did the job.

[@barryervin8536]

@@randykelso4079 Actually, fabric covered control surfaces were common all through WW2, with a few exceptions. Even most planes designed during the war, like the P-61 and even the B-29, had fabric covered tail surfaces. But the Corsair's fabric covered outer wing panels were an anachronism already at the start of the war. It seems strange to me that fabric covering persisted for so long, but I guess the idea was that it worked so why slow down the assembly line to make changes.

[@spindash64]

13:30 I’ve heard that one of the things that made the P-51 such an icon was actually just that the cockpit was layed out in a way that made sense, and that it was much roomier than most. I’m assuming that the roominess was necessary for those long flights Also, more in line with the video, given how much more vulnerable to damage at high speed the gear is on most planes, I would imagine that the sturdiness of the gear was designed in part to also allow them to be used as airbrakes. And you can’t use the gear as airbrakes if they are fragile, which telescopic gear would probably be

[@blogman8712]

Just a comment on Corsairs, Hellcats and Swordfish. All of these aircraft ..... though not so many of each (not a large purpose built carrier involved here) ... were on board HMS Speaker, a converted ship to carrier. My Dear Dad was member of the RN crew on this carrier from around 1942 to the end of the war. I'm a private pilot and took him up a few times and had him fly the plane (Pa 28) straight and level, following a main road on two occasions and for around 20 miles. It didn't take long for him to grasp the relationship between the aircraft's nose and the horizon whilst occasionally looking at the vertical speed indicator to ensure he was in level flight. He loved it.

[@vincentperiolat4610]

Enjoyed very much, thank you for keeping it understandable. The short deviations only added to the experience, in my opinion, so you know.

[@johndonaldson3619]

Greg, every sentence you utter is 100% entertaining and informative!...100 PERCENT!!!

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks!

[@paynezerfaust4282]

I learned about the feathering pump today. Thank you.

[@Snuckster2]

The Corsair and the P-38 are my favorite all time planes. Got to see them both in person a few years back and even ran my hand over em. Simply gorgeous aircraft

[@jamespfp]

I have always been a bigger fan of the F4U for looks than the P-38, but yet, the P-38 has always been the close second favorite, better than the P-51 in many respects and definitely easier to handle (in simulator / games) than the F4U. I also think its no surprise to find out that Richard Bong preferred his P-38, and Charles Lindbergh thought highly of it.

[@CaesarInVa]

My dad flew Corsairs and his mom built P-38s at Lockheed's Burbank, Ca facilities during the war.

[@philgiglio9656]

jamespfp... Lindbergh shot down 2 Japanese fighters: since he was a civilian and not supposed to be engaged the credit went to someone else. He taught the pilots how to maximize the range that led directly to the shoot down of Yamamoto.

[@juanangelcanale1151]

but any one had the beautiful design of the Supermarine Spitfire

[@danzervos7606]

I read much of Lindbergh's diary many years ago. Lindbergh flew Corsairs and then Lightnings in the Pacific. He made a number of ground attacks with Corsairs and had an incident on an island where all inhabitants were declared hostile and targets. He came upon a Japanese man fishing with a net, naked. The man looked at him and walked back toward the jungle, Lindbergh said that if he had run, he would have killed him.

[@aaronbuckmaster7063]

Thanks for the video. That is my all time favorite war bird. Most people’s favorite is the Mustang, but mine is the Corsair.

[@jimmadonna1436]

My uncle was in the Korean war, 1st Marine Corps 3rd battalion, told me that Marine F4U-4 CORSAIR ground attacks were conducted at such said low altitudes that they could see the pilots grinning faces and the jesters! They dropped the M69s or Napalm. I love this plane.

[@pops9190]

To the King of aviation fanaticism: I am an aviator and a lifelong aviation enthusiast since childhood with, every single conceivable World War II aircraft hanging from my childhood ceiling. Your channel is hands-down the best thing I've ever come across, I have learn more stuff the last handful of months then the last 30 years. Love your delivery and how you grind deeply into technical details. I plugged in a bunch of my friends to your channel too so thank you very much for all your efforts. Just never forget, There's no place like cloud base!

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks POPS, I really appreciate that.

[@Cheka__]

Excellent video. I love the Corsair. She's a beautiful bird.

[@billcraig]

Just watched this in 2024. Another very well done. informative video. Great presentation also, Greg.

[@eshafto]

I remember hearing that moving the vertical stabilizer forward moves it out of the turbulent stream coming from the horizontal stabilizers in the case of a stall.

[@roypiltdown5083]

yep, it's got nothing to do with structural integrity: in a flat spin (falling belly-first), the horizontal stabilizer tends to block any (useful) air from flowing past the rudder, and the only way out of a flat spin is to get the rudder to bite the airstream - by moving the hor/stab rearward (or rudder forward), it diminishes this 'masking' effect - take a look at Dan Raymer's SIMPLIFIED AIRCRAFT DESIGN FOR HOMEBUILDERS, page 38

[@RalphPhilbrook]

Perhaps would facilitate a tighter turning radius

[@localcrew]

There is a Corsair on exhibit at the USS Midway museum in San Diego. Also many other prop and jet aircraft. You can get in for 18 dollars if you purchase your tickets in advance. 23 for walk-ups. It's a great tour. The docents are great. That's all I got. Just subscribed!

[@roscothefirst4712]

Lol...21.31 ...warm beer and Lucas electronics...never change Greg 👍🦖

[@jfan4reva]

The propeller clearance issue kept reminding me of the old story about a newspaper reporter asking Abraham Lincoln how long a man's legs should be. Supposedly he answered "long enough to reach the ground." I'd heard about the 'cranked' wing making for a short, strong landing gear, but the low drag, right angle attachment to the fuselage was new to me. How long should a landing gear be? Long enough so the propeller DOESN'T reach the ground - lol! Thanks for the video.

[@terrytewell5507]

Great information. The bent wing as stated by you makes more sense than just to get the prop off the deck. The feathering part was very interesting to me.

[@jacktattis143]

Terry. Read Browns Wings of the Navy/ to house such and immense engine and keep a 18 inch Ground clearance for the Prop the Wings were designed for that in mind first The other attributes came as a result of that

[@daveg.6820]

Greg, great overview of my favorite WWII fighter. I have a retired RC model Corsair in Navy insignia hanging over My desk. Cheers.

[@Tuck-Shop]

"Will only fly as far as the crash site" is my new favourite quote.

[@michaelkonieczny863]

How could anyone give this a thumbs down? Greg's videos and presentations are top shelf. I love the bit about soccer and the comments about it. Hilarious. Would love to see a video about the vw vanagon or the deuce and a half. A boat video, about a hydrodyne hotshot would be really fun to see.

[@vicnighthorse]

Any video even coming close to implying that one plane or another was better than other planes in any way enrages the fanboys of the other planes. It's bizarre and irrational behavior, but disappointingly common.

[@clayz1]

That was a great video. So are the techy ones of course, but the Corsair story deserves to me told. Thanks.

[@HarryP457]

Referring to your comments about the British Pacific Fleet, I recently read a book about their exploits and found a very interesting/entertaining quote from an American naval officer who was posted to one of the British carriers. He commented that when a kamikaze struck an American carrier it was a disaster with major damage and the ship probably needing to return to port for repairs, but when the same happened to a British carrier the call was for sweepers to muster on the main deck. One one particular case, the "dint" left by such an impact was repaired by simply pouring concrete into the depression and the ship was operational again in short order.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks for that comment.

[@FarmerTed]

Greg, great job as always. Love the reference of Lucas electric aka the prince of darkness

[@burbank46]

EXCELLENT discussion, I really enjoyed it because you use RELEVANT photos and videos.

[@derin111]

Great video and your narrative style is really clear and enjoyable. One small point regarding your foray into matters off-topic to the main subject of this video... Whilst the word "Soccer" (as is also the game itself) technically of 19th Century British origin, it is not 'the' British word for Association Football. This word is almost never heard or used here in Britain in relation to this sport and is thought of as much more of an Americanism or American term for said sport. Here in Britain we call it "Football"...as does most of the rest of the world. We tend to differentiate other forms by prefixes such: "American Football", "Aussie Rules Football", even "Rugby Football" occasionally although simply "Rugby" followed by "Union" or "League" to differentiate the two major forms is most common. Here in the UK the word "Soccer" tends to conjure up images of American mothers collecting their children from an after-school, ball-based game, played on a flat surface and not Association Football as we know it. Great channel and subscribed!

[@atatexan]

Apropos your comments about generally poor cockpit ergonomics, my late father, a Wildcat/Hellcat/Corsair pilot, told me the original Curtiss SB 2 Helldiver caused many accidents. It’s dive brake actuator switch was originally located on the control column. Pilots often accidentally tripped the switch pulling back on the stick during a catapult launch. Not a good time to deploy dive brakes. Rectified on the SB2C. Excellent video, sir.

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thanks Charles. Ergonomics are one often overlooked factor in WW2 planes.

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

first model aircraft I ever had 6 years old and a favourite ever since

[@xenomorphphantom8991]

I still have mine,a 1978 Revell 1/72 release...just got the spares to restore it = )

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

Jesus Gilberto Solis Casillas mine I think got downed in a game of soldiers a couple of years after I got it, I'm not exactly sure what happened to it, wish I took better care of it, it was in that time frame too in 1978 I was 6 years old,

[@xenomorphphantom8991]

At the time several houses were being built,the mounds of building materials were Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima....propellers and landing gears are in all of those houses...but I always retrieved the fuselages,wings and stabilizers,just finished restoring my Revell Zero and Wildcat,still working on my Airacobra,Corsair is next = )

[@aeromagnumtv1581]

Funny, me too. (1977)

[@carlbernas1220]

My Dad flew this aircraft in the Pacific theater as well in Korea. His squadron was VMF 322. His squadron was land based but he also did fly off carriers and doing all this at 23 yrs old. Kids nowadays would crash land because they were texting on their phones. My Dad lived to be 91 years old and there isn’t many of those vets around as we speak.

[@markstone2138]

Please continue to wander off topic.

[@geraldnelson5808]

Love your channel! Might want to check your sources about who used the Corsair on carriers first. VF-17 qualified in mid 1943, and VF(N)-101 started full operations around the same time. If you read Blackburn’s book again, you will be reminded of why they were disembarked in the Solomon Islands. More to do with supply chain issues since the Hellcat became operational first...

[@PlaneDrawings109]

You should do design features of many of the famous aircraft in WW2 cause this video is really good!

[@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles]

Thank you. I will do that, in fact I have already done it for the Wildcat, and to some extent the 109 and P-51. By the way, your drawing are great.

[@PlaneDrawings109]

@@GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles thank you for your kindness!

[@cf6282]

Greg, you mentioned the soccer war. You coincidently showed the world famous Dutch Soccer player Johan Cruijff in a match for the Dutch National Team against the German National Team. Must be the seventies. The Dutch and the Germans have a long lastig rivalry with great soccer on both sides. Thank you for the video on the Corsair it has been one of my favorite WWII aircraft.