Difference between revisions of "F4U-4"
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+ | {{About | ||
+ | |about= American fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}''' | ||
+ | |usage= other versions | ||
+ | |link= F4U (Family) | ||
+ | }} | ||
{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=f4u-4 | |code=f4u-4 | ||
− | | | + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}} |
− | + | |cockpit=cockpit_f4u-4.jpg | |
− | {{ | ||
− | | | ||
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}} | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
− | <!--''In the description, the first part | + | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> |
− | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American naval fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]]. | |
− | |||
− | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a | ||
− | The F4U-4 is excellent at Boom & Zoom fighting. Its high energy-retention and acceleration make it the true pinnacle of the Corsairs. Although you don't get an air spawn, the climb rate of the F4U-4 makes up for that. When engaging an enemy, | + | The F4U-4 is excellent at Boom & Zoom fighting. Its high energy-retention and acceleration make it the true pinnacle of the Corsairs. Although you don't get an air spawn, the climb rate of the F4U-4 makes up for that. When engaging an enemy, try and maintain an altitude advantage while keeping your speed up; speed is life, altitude is life insurance. When you gain an altitude advantage, dive on your opponent and fire. The engine lacks fuel injection, so experiencing negative G forces is likely to temporarily shut down the engine. The six .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns, while not as destructive as the quad 20 mm cannons of the [[F4U-4B]] or the eight .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns on the [[P-47 (Family)|P-47]], will destroy any lighter aircraft with ease, with plenty of ammunition that allows spraying (with firing discipline) and still being dangerous in the later stages of the match. |
== General info == | == General info == | ||
− | === Flight | + | === Flight performance === |
− | <!--''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. | + | {{Specs-Avia-Flight}} |
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | <!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' --> |
− | + | ||
− | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%" | |
− | + | ! rowspan="2" | Characteristics | |
− | ! | ||
− | |||
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 9,000 m) | ! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 9,000 m) | ||
− | ! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>( | + | ! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres) |
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds) | ! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds) | ||
− | ! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>( | + | ! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second) |
− | ! rowspan="2" |Take-off run<br>( | + | ! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres) |
− | |||
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|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! Stock |
− | + | | 682 || 662 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.0 || 21.8 || 14.3 || 14.3 || rowspan="2" | 200 | |
− | |||
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|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! Upgraded |
− | + | | 742 || 711 || 19.0 || 20.0 || 24.1 || 18.5 | |
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | ====Details==== | + | ==== Details ==== |
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
|- | |- | ||
! colspan="5" | Features | ! colspan="5" | Features | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! Combat | + | ! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear |
− | ! Take-off | ||
− | ! Landing | ||
− | ! Air brakes | ||
− | ! Arrestor gear | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ <!-- ✓ --> | | ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ <!-- ✓ --> | ||
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|} | |} | ||
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="7" | Limits |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! rowspan="2" | | + | ! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h) |
− | ! rowspan="2" | Gear | + | ! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h) |
− | ! | + | ! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h) |
! colspan="2" | Max Static G | ! colspan="2" | Max Static G | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! + | + | ! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! - |
− | ! - | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{Specs| | + | | 885 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 388 || 300 || 252 || ~11 || ~4 |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities | + | ! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h) |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! Ailerons | + | ! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator |
− | ! Rudder | ||
− | ! Elevators | ||
− | ! Radiator | ||
|- | |- | ||
| < 450 || < 220 || < 500 || > 450 | | < 450 || < 220 || < 500 || > 450 | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
− | <!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''--> | + | {{Specs-Avia-Armour}} |
+ | <!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' --> | ||
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of pilot. | * 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of pilot. | ||
* 3 mm Steel plates on top of fuel tank and in front of cockpit. | * 3 mm Steel plates on top of fuel tank and in front of cockpit. | ||
* 12.7 mm and 8 mm Steel plates behind pilot. | * 12.7 mm and 8 mm Steel plates behind pilot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Modifications and economy === | ||
+ | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
+ | {{Specs-Avia-Armaments}} | ||
=== Offensive armament === | === Offensive armament === | ||
− | <!--''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''--> | + | {{Specs-Avia-Offensive}} |
− | {{main|Browning | + | <!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' --> |
+ | {{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}} | ||
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with: | The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with: | ||
− | * 6 x 12.7 mm Browning | + | * 6 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (375 rpg outer + 400 rpg centre + 400 rpg inner = 2,350 total) |
=== Suspended armament === | === Suspended armament === | ||
− | <!--''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''--> | + | {{Specs-Avia-Suspended}} |
− | + | <!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' --> | |
− | The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following | + | The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance: |
+ | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 | ||
+ | | rowspan="7" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! [[AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|100 lb AN-M30A1]] bombs | ||
+ | | 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! [[AN-M57 (250 lb)|250 lb AN-M57]] bombs | ||
+ | | || || || 1 || || || 1 || || || | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! [[AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|500 lb AN-M64A1]] bombs | ||
+ | | || || || || 1 || 1 || || || || | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! [[AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb AN-M65A1]] bombs | ||
+ | | || || || || 1 || 1 || || || || | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! [[HVAR]] rockets | ||
+ | | 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | colspan="11" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,400 kg | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}} | ||
+ | {{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}} | ||
* Without load | * Without load | ||
− | * | + | * 8 x HVAR rockets |
− | * | + | * 8 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (800 lb total) |
+ | * 2 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (500 lb total) | ||
+ | * 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total) | ||
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total) | * 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total) | ||
− | + | {{Navigation-End}} | |
== Usage in battles == | == Usage in battles == | ||
− | <!--''Describe the tactics of playing in | + | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> |
− | Being true for the entire Corsair series the most distinctive features of this plane is its huge R-2800-P&W 18 Cylinder Radial engine and | + | Being true for the entire Corsair series the most distinctive features of this plane is its huge R-2800-P&W 18 Cylinder Radial engine and the inverted gull wing. |
− | One | + | One advantage of the inverted gull wing: |
− | :The | + | :The wing is impossible to rip in a dive as long as you don't pull a turn greater than 11 G's, which is almost impossible because the aircraft does suffer from compression above 800 km/h. |
One disadvantage of the aircraft is its high-speed dive characteristics; | One disadvantage of the aircraft is its high-speed dive characteristics; | ||
Line 176: | Line 151: | ||
The worst enemies for the F4U are the Ki-84, N1K1, A7M's, and some late mark Zeros. Their extreme turning ability would make any of the F4U-4's attempt at turn fighting worthless. In the worst case scenario when these aircraft managed to get an energy advantage over the F4U-4, escape from the encounter with a dive and try to lose the aircraft through the assistance of allied anti-air fire from friendlies or the airfield. | The worst enemies for the F4U are the Ki-84, N1K1, A7M's, and some late mark Zeros. Their extreme turning ability would make any of the F4U-4's attempt at turn fighting worthless. In the worst case scenario when these aircraft managed to get an energy advantage over the F4U-4, escape from the encounter with a dive and try to lose the aircraft through the assistance of allied anti-air fire from friendlies or the airfield. | ||
− | ===Manual Engine Control=== | + | In Simulator battles, the F4U-4 is exceptionally good at dogfighting due to its forgiving flight characteristics and excellent visibility. The six M2 Brownings are also easy to aim and can be sprayed for quite some time. Due to its stable nature, you can out-turn pretty much any opposing aircraft if it comes to it, though boom-and-zoom tactics are what you should be sticking to. Enemies especially worth noting are most Soviet and Japanese fighters. Soviet fighters can keep up with you in a dogfight quite well and the Japanese' turn rate is something to watch out for. On the other hand, however, both Soviet and Japanese fighters get set on fire quite easily, and once you get a good burst in, you have (in most cases) secured the kill. |
+ | |||
+ | === Manual Engine Control === | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! colspan="7" | MEC elements | ! colspan="7" | MEC elements | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! rowspan="2" |Mixer | + | ! rowspan="2" | Mixer |
− | ! rowspan="2" |Pitch | + | ! rowspan="2" | Pitch |
− | ! colspan="3" |Radiator | + | ! colspan="3" | Radiator |
− | ! rowspan="2" |Supercharger | + | ! rowspan="2" | Supercharger |
− | ! rowspan="2" |Turbocharger | + | ! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger |
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− | + | ! Oil !! Water !! Type | |
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|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Not controllable || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable<br>3 gears || Not controllable |
− | | | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
− | <!--'' | + | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> |
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
− | * Fast | + | * Fast at all altitudes (3rd supercharger gear isn't needed until over 6,500 m altitude). Once it reaches max speed, only the Yak-3 (VK-107), Yak-3U, La-9, and Do 335 B-2, can catch it at sea level. This means diving away and extending is a reliable escape tactic |
− | * Respectable armament of six .50 | + | * Respectable armament of six .50 cal machine guns with late war belts |
* Powerful engine, which allows for excellent energy retention | * Powerful engine, which allows for excellent energy retention | ||
* Decent secondary weapons for destroying ground targets | * Decent secondary weapons for destroying ground targets | ||
+ | * Excellent roll rate and good elevator authority at all speeds | ||
+ | * While turn-fighting is almost never "plan A" in this plane, turn performance is quite good above 400 km/h | ||
+ | * Longer WEP duration than previous corsairs (approximately 12 minutes total) | ||
+ | * Landing gear can be deployed at most speeds without breaking, which is immensely helpful when attempting to land at higher speeds (often necessary when damaged) | ||
+ | * Improved flight performance in all aspects over F4U-1s | ||
− | '''Cons''' | + | '''Cons:''' |
− | * Engine prone to overheating after prolonged usage of WEP (RB) | + | * Armament insufficient for high-speed snapshots, require more time on target than planes with cannons. |
− | * Turn-fighting heavy aircraft at low speeds is not advised | + | * Engine prone to overheating after prolonged usage of WEP (RB), though this can be mitigated with manual engine control |
+ | * Turn-fighting heavy aircraft at low speeds is not advised, as the engine isn't strong enough to compensate for the speed lost in prolonged turnfights | ||
+ | * Rudder becomes less responsive in high speed dives | ||
+ | * Supercharger setup leaves the plane weakest between 1,000 and 2,000 m and 6,000 and 7,000 m — at these altitudes, the previous supercharger gear is no longer able to maintain manifold pressure (plane begins to lose power and WEP does not increase power), yet the power draw from the engine to run the next supercharger gear is too much to make it worthwhile to switch until more altitude is gained | ||
+ | * Bleeds speed very quickly in vertical manoeuvres | ||
+ | * Supercharger setup allows for plane to be fast at high altitudes, but limited power-to-weight ratio on 3rd gear makes climbing or accelerating difficult above 7,500 m; this forces pilots to spend more time extending away from enemy planes before re-engaging | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
− | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too | + | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> |
+ | {{main|F4U (Family)|l1=History of the F4U Corsair}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | The F4U-4 was based on the -1A Corsair. In order to improve and modernize the Corsair, so it would be able to fight the new Japanese planes in the Pacific, a number of changes were made. One of the major changes was the engine. The Pratt and Whitney R-2800-8W engine was replaced by the more powerful R-2800-18W engine. This -18W engine boosted the speed of the Corsair by up to 46.3 km/h (25 kn, 28.76 mph). When injected with an alcohol/water mixture, the performance could be boosted even further. In order for the propeller to be able to handle the more powerful engine, the propeller had to be changed from 3 blades to 4 blades. Modifications to the fuselage were required, including the addition of a scoop to the lower engine cowling. In addition, the cockpit was completely redesigned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The armament of the F4U-4-4 corsair was six .50 in machine guns, up to 4,000 lbs of bombs and/or eight 5 in rockets. There were multiple variants of the F4U-4. There was the F4U-4B, which had only slight modifications for the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. They were never actually delivered to the Royal Navy, as the US kept them instead.The F4U-4C was another variant, which had four 20 mm cannons instead of six .50 in machine guns. There were also two night fighter variants, the F4U-4E and the F4U-4N. The -4E had an APS-4 search radar on the starboard wing tip, while the -4N had an APS-6 search radar instead. Both night fighter versions replaced the six .50 in machine guns with four 20 mm cannons. There was also F4U-4K, an experimental drone variant, and the F4U-4P, a photo reconnaissance variant. | ||
− | '' | + | == Media == |
+ | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | ||
− | + | ;Skins | |
− | + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f4u-4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | |
− | + | ;Videos | |
− | |||
{{Youtube-gallery|LW_BVvR7CIg|'''The Shooting Range #122''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:50 discusses the fate of the F4U Corsair after WW2.}} | {{Youtube-gallery|LW_BVvR7CIg|'''The Shooting Range #122''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:50 discusses the fate of the F4U Corsair after WW2.}} | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | <!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ||
− | |||
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;'' | * ''reference to the series of the aircraft;'' | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
+ | |||
* [[F4U (Family)|F4U Family]] | * [[F4U (Family)|F4U Family]] | ||
− | |||
* [[F4U-4B]] | * [[F4U-4B]] | ||
* [[F4U-1A]] | * [[F4U-1A]] | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
− | <!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | + | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' |
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
− | + | * ''other literature.'' --> | |
− | * ''other literature.''--> | ||
− | * [ | + | * [[wt:en/news/4960-development-f4u-corsair-sky-pirates-are-back-en|[Devblog] F4U Corsair: Sky pirates are back!]] |
+ | * [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/378367-f4u-4/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance] | ||
− | + | === References === | |
− | |||
− | + | ;Bibliography | |
− | + | * "[https://www.jdsf4u.be/f4u-4-vought-corsair F4U-4 Vought Corsair]", ''F4U Corsair - The Bent Wing Bird plane site'', Retrieved on 28 March 2020. | |
+ | * "[https://www.jdsf4u.be/type-of-plane-f4u Types of Plane F4U - Variants]", ''F4U Corsair- The Bent Wing Bird plane site'', Retrieved on 28 March 2020. | ||
− | + | {{AirManufacturer Vought}} | |
− | + | {{USA fighters}} |
Latest revision as of 05:59, 30 May 2024
This page is about the American fighter F4U-4. For other versions, see F4U (Family). |
Contents
Description
The F4U-4 Corsair is a rank III American naval fighter with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB/RB) and 5.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A.".
The F4U-4 is excellent at Boom & Zoom fighting. Its high energy-retention and acceleration make it the true pinnacle of the Corsairs. Although you don't get an air spawn, the climb rate of the F4U-4 makes up for that. When engaging an enemy, try and maintain an altitude advantage while keeping your speed up; speed is life, altitude is life insurance. When you gain an altitude advantage, dive on your opponent and fire. The engine lacks fuel injection, so experiencing negative G forces is likely to temporarily shut down the engine. The six .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns, while not as destructive as the quad 20 mm cannons of the F4U-4B or the eight .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns on the P-47, will destroy any lighter aircraft with ease, with plenty of ammunition that allows spraying (with firing discipline) and still being dangerous in the later stages of the match.
General info
Flight performance
Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 9,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
Stock | 682 | 662 | 11500 | 21.0 | 21.8 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 200 |
Upgraded | 742 | 711 | 19.0 | 20.0 | 24.1 | 18.5 |
Details
Features | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
Limits | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
885 | 730 | 388 | 300 | 252 | ~11 | ~4 |
Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
< 450 | < 220 | < 500 | > 450 |
Survivability and armour
- 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of pilot.
- 3 mm Steel plates on top of fuel tank and in front of cockpit.
- 12.7 mm and 8 mm Steel plates behind pilot.
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Offensive armament
The F4U-4 is armed with:
- 6 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (375 rpg outer + 400 rpg centre + 400 rpg inner = 2,350 total)
Suspended armament
The F4U-4 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
250 lb AN-M57 bombs | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
HVAR rockets | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,400 kg |
Default weapon presets | |
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Usage in battles
Being true for the entire Corsair series the most distinctive features of this plane is its huge R-2800-P&W 18 Cylinder Radial engine and the inverted gull wing.
One advantage of the inverted gull wing:
- The wing is impossible to rip in a dive as long as you don't pull a turn greater than 11 G's, which is almost impossible because the aircraft does suffer from compression above 800 km/h.
One disadvantage of the aircraft is its high-speed dive characteristics;
- During the dive the aircraft tends to yaw severely to the right making you roll, possibly making the shot you need miss.
The worst enemies for the F4U are the Ki-84, N1K1, A7M's, and some late mark Zeros. Their extreme turning ability would make any of the F4U-4's attempt at turn fighting worthless. In the worst case scenario when these aircraft managed to get an energy advantage over the F4U-4, escape from the encounter with a dive and try to lose the aircraft through the assistance of allied anti-air fire from friendlies or the airfield.
In Simulator battles, the F4U-4 is exceptionally good at dogfighting due to its forgiving flight characteristics and excellent visibility. The six M2 Brownings are also easy to aim and can be sprayed for quite some time. Due to its stable nature, you can out-turn pretty much any opposing aircraft if it comes to it, though boom-and-zoom tactics are what you should be sticking to. Enemies especially worth noting are most Soviet and Japanese fighters. Soviet fighters can keep up with you in a dogfight quite well and the Japanese' turn rate is something to watch out for. On the other hand, however, both Soviet and Japanese fighters get set on fire quite easily, and once you get a good burst in, you have (in most cases) secured the kill.
Manual Engine Control
MEC elements | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
Oil | Water | Type | ||||
Not controllable | Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Separate | Controllable 3 gears |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Fast at all altitudes (3rd supercharger gear isn't needed until over 6,500 m altitude). Once it reaches max speed, only the Yak-3 (VK-107), Yak-3U, La-9, and Do 335 B-2, can catch it at sea level. This means diving away and extending is a reliable escape tactic
- Respectable armament of six .50 cal machine guns with late war belts
- Powerful engine, which allows for excellent energy retention
- Decent secondary weapons for destroying ground targets
- Excellent roll rate and good elevator authority at all speeds
- While turn-fighting is almost never "plan A" in this plane, turn performance is quite good above 400 km/h
- Longer WEP duration than previous corsairs (approximately 12 minutes total)
- Landing gear can be deployed at most speeds without breaking, which is immensely helpful when attempting to land at higher speeds (often necessary when damaged)
- Improved flight performance in all aspects over F4U-1s
Cons:
- Armament insufficient for high-speed snapshots, require more time on target than planes with cannons.
- Engine prone to overheating after prolonged usage of WEP (RB), though this can be mitigated with manual engine control
- Turn-fighting heavy aircraft at low speeds is not advised, as the engine isn't strong enough to compensate for the speed lost in prolonged turnfights
- Rudder becomes less responsive in high speed dives
- Supercharger setup leaves the plane weakest between 1,000 and 2,000 m and 6,000 and 7,000 m — at these altitudes, the previous supercharger gear is no longer able to maintain manifold pressure (plane begins to lose power and WEP does not increase power), yet the power draw from the engine to run the next supercharger gear is too much to make it worthwhile to switch until more altitude is gained
- Bleeds speed very quickly in vertical manoeuvres
- Supercharger setup allows for plane to be fast at high altitudes, but limited power-to-weight ratio on 3rd gear makes climbing or accelerating difficult above 7,500 m; this forces pilots to spend more time extending away from enemy planes before re-engaging
History
The F4U-4 was based on the -1A Corsair. In order to improve and modernize the Corsair, so it would be able to fight the new Japanese planes in the Pacific, a number of changes were made. One of the major changes was the engine. The Pratt and Whitney R-2800-8W engine was replaced by the more powerful R-2800-18W engine. This -18W engine boosted the speed of the Corsair by up to 46.3 km/h (25 kn, 28.76 mph). When injected with an alcohol/water mixture, the performance could be boosted even further. In order for the propeller to be able to handle the more powerful engine, the propeller had to be changed from 3 blades to 4 blades. Modifications to the fuselage were required, including the addition of a scoop to the lower engine cowling. In addition, the cockpit was completely redesigned.
The armament of the F4U-4-4 corsair was six .50 in machine guns, up to 4,000 lbs of bombs and/or eight 5 in rockets. There were multiple variants of the F4U-4. There was the F4U-4B, which had only slight modifications for the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. They were never actually delivered to the Royal Navy, as the US kept them instead.The F4U-4C was another variant, which had four 20 mm cannons instead of six .50 in machine guns. There were also two night fighter variants, the F4U-4E and the F4U-4N. The -4E had an APS-4 search radar on the starboard wing tip, while the -4N had an APS-6 search radar instead. Both night fighter versions replaced the six .50 in machine guns with four 20 mm cannons. There was also F4U-4K, an experimental drone variant, and the F4U-4P, a photo reconnaissance variant.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
External links
- [Devblog] F4U Corsair: Sky pirates are back!
- Official data sheet - more details about the performance
References
- Bibliography
- "F4U-4 Vought Corsair", F4U Corsair - The Bent Wing Bird plane site, Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
- "Types of Plane F4U - Variants", F4U Corsair- The Bent Wing Bird plane site, Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
Chance Vought Aircraft | |
---|---|
Fighters | |
Corsair | F4U-1A · F4U-1A (USMC) · F4U-1C · F4U-1D · F4U-4 · F4U-4B · F4U-4B VMF-214 |
Float planes | O3U-1 · OS2U-1 · OS2U-3 |
Attackers | AU-1 |
Bombers | SB2U-2 · SB2U-3 |
Jet aircraft | |
Corsair II | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
Crusader | F8U-2 · F-8E |
Export | V-156-B1 · V-156-F · ▄Corsair F Mk II · F4U-7 · ▄F-8E(FN) |
Captured | ▅F4U-1A |
USA fighters | |
---|---|
P-26 Peashooter | P-26A-33 · P-26A-34 · P-26A-34 M2 · P-26B-35 |
P-36 Hawk | P-36A · Rasmussen's P-36A · P-36C · ○P-36C · P-36G |
P-39 Airacobra | P-400 · P-39N-0 · P-39Q-5 |
P-40 | P-40C · P-40E-1 · P-40E-1 TD · P-40F-10 |
P-43 Lancer | P-43A-1 |
P-47 Thunderbolt | P-47D-22-RE · P-47D-25 · P-47D-28 · P-47M-1-RE · ⋠P-47M-1-RE · P-47N-15 |
P-51 Mustang | P-51 · P-51A (Thunder League) · P-51C-10 · P-51D-5 · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · P-51D-30 · P-51H-5-NA |
P-63 Kingcobra | P-63A-5 · P-63A-10 · P-63C-5 · ␠Kingcobra |
Prototypes | XP-55 |
F2A Buffalo | F2A-1 · Thach's F2A-1 · F2A-3 |
BF2C | BF2C-1 |
F3F | F3F-2 · Galer's F3F-2 |
F4F Wildcat | F4F-3 · F4F-4 |
F4U Corsair | F4U-1A · F4U-1A (USMC) · F4U-1D · F4U-1C · F4U-4 · F4U-4B · F4U-4B VMF-214 · F2G-1 |
F6F Hellcat | F6F-5 · F6F-5N |
F8F Bearcat | F8F-1 · F8F-1B |
Other countries | ▃Ki-43-II · ▃Ki-61-Ib · ▃A6M2 · ▃Bf 109 F-4 · ▃Fw 190 A-8 · ▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc |