Silhouette drawings of the Chance Vought F4U Corsair aircraft used for aircraft recognition ...

Silhouette drawings of the Chance Vought F4U Corsair aircraft used for aircraft recognition purposes. Developed from a United Station Navy specification the Corsair was very successful in the air combat role and operated mainly from aircraft carriers. The first to use the Corsair from carriers were squadrons of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm followed by large numbers of units of the United States Marine Corps. Subsequent to a shaky start in early 1943, the Corsair enjoyed a career of total ascendancy over the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. The Royal New Zealand Air Force also operated nine squadrons of Corsairs in the South West Pacific Area. Production of the Corsair continued to December 1952, the longest run of any American piston engined fighter aircraft. In the Korean War more than 1800 Corsair aircraft saw action in all kinds of ground attack and air combat missions, partnering the new jets in offering short field length and long flight endurance.