The Royal Navy was the first service to operate the Vought Corsair from aircraft carriers. Although it had a dangerous reputation, modifications by the Fleet Air Arm improved pilot visibility, reducing landing hazards. Changes included a bubble canopy, raising the pilot’s seat 7 inches and wiring the upper cowling flaps shut, diverting hydraulic fluid and oil spray down the fuselage sides. Additionally, eight inches was removed from each wing tip to enable them to fit in the smaller hangers of British carriers. This had the additional benefit of increasing the sink rate of the aircraft, which assisted in the Corsair’s tendency to float over the deck while landing.
Initial pilot training was undertaken in the US, from where pilots and aircraft were shipped to the UK for deployment.
The Royal Navy’s first combat use of the Corsair was in April 1944 during raids on the Tirpitz in Norwegian waters where they flew escort duty.
Operations in the Far East followed with raids in the Dutch East Indies, followed by strikes against the Japanese mainland. A total of 2012 Corsairs were delivered to the Royal Navy in four versions:
Corsair Mk I :Fleet Air Arm designation of F4U-1 (95)
Corsair Mk II : Fleet Air Arm designation of F4U-1A (540)
Corsair Mk III : Fleet Air Arm designation of F3A-1D (430)
Corsair Mk IV : Fleet Air Arm designation of FG-1D (977)
Of these marks, only the first two were used operationally.
HMS Arbiter in Suez Canal with Vought Corsair fighters on deckCrashed Vought Corsair on HMS Arbiter after an accidentHellcat and Corsair fighters aboard HMS Arbiter
Ranging Corsairs on board HMS Formidable July 1944A damaged Vought Corsair being moved on HMS Formidable July 1944Crewmen aboard HMS Formidable pushing a damaged Vought Corsair which had just landed, off Norway, Aug 1944Vought Corsair fighters on board HMS Formidable off Norway, July 1944Vought Corsair on HMS Formidable. The bombs are for Barracuda bombers. August 1944Vought Corsair lands HMS Formidable with its tail elevator shot away by enemy flak after the August raids off the Norwegian coastHMS Formidable at Leyte, Philippines in 1945 with Vought Corsairs on deckCorsairs in HMS Formidable’s hangar.
Vought Corsair on HMS Glory (R62) off Rabaul 1945Vought Corsair fighters on HMS Glory (R62)Vought Corsair on HMS Glory (R62) off Rabaul 1945Vought Corsair landing on HMS Glory (R62) off Rabaul 1945Vought Corsair on HMS Glory (R62) 1945
Vought F4U Corsair landing on HMS IllustriousVought Corsair landing on HMS Illustrious Dec 1943Vought Corsair taxiing away from the deck landing area of HMS Illustrious.Vought F4U Corsair having just landed on HMS IllustriousVought Corsair is brought up from the hangar on the forward lift of HMS Illustrious May 1944Corsairs lined up on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious May 1944Damage to a Corsair after a raid on the Andaman Islands 21 June 1944.21 June 1944 Barracudas and Corsairs on the forward end of the flight deck of HMS Illustrious being stowed after the raid on the Andaman IslandsVought Corsair fighters on HMS Illustrious during a strike on BelawanApril 1945 Sub Lieut (A) M Barbour, RNZNVR, of Wellington, NZ in his Corsair aboard HMS Illustrious21 June 1944 Sub Lieut (A) John R examining a bullet hole and anti-aircraft damage to his Corsair after an attack on the Andaman IslandsApril 1945 Vought Corsair Sub Lieut (A) J W Maybank, RNZNVR, and Maintenance Crew. Left to right: AME John Cassidy, AMA C G Tombs HMS IllustriousSub Lieut (A) G S Salmon of Harrow, fighter pilot of HMS Illustrious in his CorsairVought Corsair, pilot and ground crew aboard HMS Illustrious April 1945Corsairs of the HMS Illustrious ranged before taking off to strafe Japanese airfields in SumatraA Chance-Vought Corsair JT208 buckles a wing on landing May 1944Grumman Avengers and Vought Corsairs on the flight deck May 1944 Indian OceanGrumman Avengers and Vought Corsairs on the flight deck May 1944 Indian OceanVought Corsair taking off from HMS Illustrious 21 Dec 1944Vought Corsair takes off from the flight deck of HMS IllustriousVought Corsairs in the hanger of HMS IllustriousVought F4U Corsair after colliding with HMS Illustrious islandLieut P S Cole DSC, RN, back from a straffing airfields in Formosa makes a crash landing in his Chance-Vought Corsair and finishes up near the island. He climbed out and firefighters saw that the machine did not catch fire.After strafing Formosa airfields in his Chance-Vought Corsair fighter, Sub Lieut (A) J H Clarke, RNZNVR, escaped unhurt from this crash-landingVought F4U Corsair with one wheel of the flight deck of HMS IllustriousVought Corsair crash aboard HMS Illustrious
Corsair taking off from HMS SlingerCorsair 7P of 1845 squadron having made a poor landing approach has missed all the wiresCorsair 7P of 1845 squadron having made a poor landing approach has missed all the wires and is caught by the barrierThe Corsairs of 1845 Squadron working-up in the Clyde, December 1944Replacement aircraft in the hanger of HMS Slinger, these were loaded in Sydney
HMS Smiter transporting Vought CorsairsVought Corsair landing on HMS SmiterVought Corsair taking off from HMS SmiterVought Corsair T8G crashing on SMS Smiter May 1945 during operations against Sakashima. The pilot escaped with a bruised thumbVought Corsair T8G crashed on SMS Smiter May 1945 during operations against Sakashima. The pilot escaped with a bruised thumb
Reserve aircraft stowed in one of HMS Unicorn’s hangars, there are 3 Corsairs and 1 Firefly parked along the hangar wallCorsair is lowered onto one of HMS Unicorn’s aircraft lighters for ferrying ashoreFebruary 1945 HMS Unicorn at Fremantle, Australia. Chance Vought Corsairs and Grumman Wildcats are seen on the flight deck.
Vought Corsair landing accident April 1945 on HMS Venerable while in the MediterraneanVought Corsair on the lift of on HMS VenerableHMS Venerable with Vought Corsair and Fairey Barracuda aircraft on deckHMS Venerable with Vought Corsair fighters on deck
Vought Corsair landing-on HMS Vengeance March 1945
HMS Victorious
Vought Corsair folding its wings after landing on HMS Victorious after bombing a German convoy off Bodo, NorwayVought Corsair fighters on HMS Victorious during the raid on Sigli Sumatra. HMS Howe and HMS Indomitable are in the background. 18 Sep 1944Vought Corsair’s auxiliary petrol tank became detached during an emergency landing on HMS Victorious following the Sigli Raid
RAF Wittering
Vought Corsair at RAF WitteringVought Corsair at RAF WitteringVought Corsair at RAF WitteringVought Corsair at RAF Wittering 27 Oct 1943
Training in the USA
Vought Corsairs of 738 NAS flying over New England countryside while training in America at Lewiston, MaineVought Corsairs flying over New England countrysideVought Corsair I of 1830 NAS White 6A JT162 over Quonset Point Rhode Island United States 1943Vought Corsair I of 1830 NAS White 6A JT162 over Quonset Point Rhode Island United States 1943A Vought Corsair of the Royal Navy in the USA. At Roosevelt Field Long Island New York Oct 1943Vought Corsair of the Royal Navy taxis in at Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New YorkVought Corsair training in the USA Dec 1943Engine fitters of the FAA swing the airscrew of a Vought Corsair at an American base where naval pilots are training.
Miscellaneous Vought Corsair Photos
Vought Corsair being transported to a carrierStripping the protective erenol coating from a Vought Corsair. NAS Cochin May 1945Vought Corsair being armedVought Corsair being armed at RNAS HMS Rajalyia, Ceylon Feb. 1945Vought Corsair cockpit
