One of the most iconic aircraft from the Pacific theatre of WWII, the Corsair was also arguably one of the best performing. Deployed primarily with the US Marines, the aircraft achieved a staggering 2,140 air combat victories against 189 aerial losses – an overall kill ratio of 11:1. The Corsair also carried over 70% of the total bombs dropped by US fighter aircraft during that conflict, flying just over 64,000 sorties combined.
It’s really no surprise that such feats required an exceptional aircraft, which the Corsair indeed was. Powered by the 2000 hp R-2800 Double Wasp coupled to a huge three blade propeller that measured 13 feet and 4 inches, the aircraft was a fair bit faster than the F6F Hellcat and only slightly slower than the P-47 Thunderbolt, with the difference more than acceptable considering that top speed on the P-47 was reached at an altitude of 30,000 feet, while the supercharged Corsair reached it’s maximum speed at 19,900 feet!
Our Corsair is loosely based on a FG-1D that was produced too late for active service in WWII; BuNo. 92132 spent it’s naval career in the Reserves before it was retired in 1957. Brought back to life in the 70’s for a brief stint in the television show Baa Baa Black Sheep (later syndicated as Black Sheep Squadron), this particular aircraft then languished again for a few decades before being acquired by the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio, where it is now being lovingly restored to original condition.
