Warbird Information Exchange

Did F4U-4B Corsairs serve during WWII? I'm pretty sure they didn't but I'm not 100% positive.

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"Keep 'em Flying!"

I would agree with you, I know -4's served in the last 6 months of the war but not 4B's, which had 20mm cannon in place of the 6 50's.....they more served in the Korean war.

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Mark Morris

This dicussion i participated in on the 12 o'clock high board maybe of interest
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=5116

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Don't touch my junk!!

I have a uniform/ephemea collection that belonged to a pilot on the USS Shangri-La. When I interviewed him, he told me flew Corsair's with 20MM cannons in combat. They were used only in the later stages of the war, against Okinawa. He told me that they were removed from service after a month or so due to unacceptable structural damage from the cannons, but that they were brought back later. That's all I have.

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

Well, we have to remember that the F4U-1C had the 20mm cannons (200 were constructed) and they did have trouble with the cannons shutting down in service. But they were not F4U-4B's...

M

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Mark Morris

I'm going to say "no" on the F4U-4B (20mm) in WWII. I can't find exact data, so it's a best guess with what I have.

Depending on the source, I get between 296-300 B models were built. There was no A model, just plain old F4U-4 for the .50cal a/c.

First F4U-4 in combat is either April or May 1945 depending on source.

Information extracted from "America's Hundred Thousand" Francis H. Dean is somewhat confusing,

Page 507, There were 1859 F4U-4 aircraft accepted by the end of August 1945, 2050 was the total F4U-4 production through April 1946.
(The author may have intended this to show just F4U-4 a/c and not B models.)

Page 524, Vought continues low level F4U-4 production until mid-1947, producing a total of 2356, with 1912 -4's before VJ Day.

Nick Veronico's book "F4U Corsair" shows 5- XF4U-4, 2045-F4U-4, 296-F4U-4B 20mm cannon a/c & 11 F4U-4Bs ( Bat Bomb?).

I have an original Vought Tech Rep Manual for the F4U-4. It's not dated, so I don't know exactly how far along in F4U-4 production that it's accurate. Interestingly they refer to the a/c as Corsair IV and no it's not a British manual.

What it does show is a list of MCR's (Master Change Records) which shows Corsair development from the beginning, F4U-1 thru F4U-4.

MCR 379 Wing-20mm Cannon, started July 44, small batches of 20 a/c per month. 200 a/c = 10 months, July 44 - May 45 (?), see pic.

Regards,
Mike

Aaaaannd that might even be some of my grandfather's artwork on the cover of that Corsair 4 pamphlet....so I'm bound to ask, does it say anywhere on the pamphlet if the artwork was done by one Blaine Morris? he worked a s a commercial artist for Vought and did several nice pieces of Corsair art, some of which I still have in GOOD shape...

Mark

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Mark Morris

Hi Mark,

This manual was done by Everett Barclay. It's not clear in the pic, but the name is just to the right and above the word "Connecticut".
Barclay must have worked with your Grandfather. I have a few prints with his name on it.

PM me your e-mail and I can send pics of the original art work that I have. I would like to see pics of yours as well.

Regards,
Mike