Bowman, Martin W. The Men Who Flew the Vought F4U Corsair

The prototype of the Vought F4U Corsair, which first flew in 1940, immediately became the fastest fighter aircraft in the world. Powered by a huge 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp engine driving an enormous 4-metre diameter propeller, the first Corsairs reached speeds of 670 km/h. This figure rose to almost 450 mph in later versions, even though the fuel load and overall weight were increased. Production began in 1941, not only at Vought, but also at Goodyear and Brewster. The F4U entered service with the US Navy in September 1942, although its deployment on aircraft carriers began somewhat later, not by the Americans, but by the British Fleet Air Arm. The aircraft was subsequently used extensively by the US Marines, the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, both from land and sea. Famous squadrons such as VMF-214 The Black Sheep and VF-17 Jolly Rogers, as well as many others, maintained total superiority over the Japanese for the rest of the war a remarkable achievement for a single type. After the Second World War, the Corsair remained in production and was used successfully by the French in Indochina and again by the US Navy in Korea. Since then, Corsairs have achieved significant success in air races, and more and more are being restored to fly for museums and warbird enthusiasts around the world. Martin Bowman's comprehensive book combines technical information and a detailed development history with a fascinating combat history, in many cases told by the Second World War pilots themselves. Well researched, readable and illustrated with dozens of rare and previously unpublished photos, The Men Who Flew the Vought F4U Corsair is the perfect book for any fan of the Bent Wing Bird.