The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contracts were given to Goodyear, whose Corsairs were designated FG, and Brewster, designated F3A.

Equipped with a new Pratt and Whitney engine and a sidewheel supercharger, it was a high-altitude fighter, designed to fight at 45,000 feet. The F4U-5 housed a R-2800-32W engine, developing approximately 2,300 horsepower which was 200 horsepower more than the “C” engine used in the F4U-4.

Vought engineers selected the new 2,000 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R2800 engine for the project that would become the Corsair. The powerful engine required a large 14-foot diameter propeller, which necessitated changes in the design to assure ground clearance was met during carrier landings.

The F4U-5N performed flawlessly, showcasing its powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine and showing why the Corsair was such a feared fighter for its time. This 1951 Chance Vought F4U-5N Corsair represents today one of the best examples of a completely restored vintage fighter plane.

F4U-5N Corsair The Corsair was the Marine Corps’ workhorse fighter and arguably the best fighter in World War II. It was originally designed for carrier operations by Chance Vought which gave it a massive engine and propeller, making it faster and more powerful than its contemporaries.

F4U-5N and F4U-5NL Corsair night fighters were used to attack enemy supply lines, including truck convoys and trains, as well as interdicting night attack aircraft such as the Polikarpov Po-2 "Bedcheck Charlies", which were used to harass United Nations forces at night.

Interest in night and all-weather fighters had grown to such an extent that the Navy ordered a large number of airplanes in the first group converted to night fighters (F4U-5N). This version is easily distinguished by its two-foot diameter radar dome in the leading edge of the right wing.

Widely regarded as the most capable carrier-based fighter of the Second World War, the F4U Corsair was designed to employ the largest engine and propeller ever fitted to a fighter up to that point.

Powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-2800-32W providing 2,450 h.p., the F4U-5 was the fastest piston-engine aircraft to ever operate from a USN aircraft carrier: 462 mph at 31,400 ft. Armament was upgraded from .50 caliber machine guns to four 20mm cannon as standard, with provision for two 1,000 lb. bombs and 8 5-inch HVARs.

Early versions wrought havoc against the Japanese during World War II. The “Dash 5” was loved by every infantryman who fought the communist invaders during the Korean War. Our example flew combat missions during that war.