F4U-1A
 

Hi there!

Is this designation official?
I have never been able to read anything else than "F4U-1" on Corsairs equiped with the new all-round vision canopy.
Thanks.

Chris

Re: F4U-1A
 

Yes, it's official. Not at home at the moment, but can probably provide BuNo's if needed.

F4U-1 - "birdcage canopy", http://www.largescaleplanes.com/arti...s/canopy04.jpg
F4U-1A - canopy with two braces over head, http://hsfeatures.com/features04/ima...U-1A_tb_49.jpg
F4U-1C - Four 20mm cannons
F4U-1D - canopy without braces, http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...air-canopy.jpg

FG-1
FG-1A
FG-1D

Mike

Re: F4U-1A
 

Hi Mike!

I'm not quite sure.
If you look carefully on some photographs (especially the well-known "29" of Kepford) you can read "F4U-1", while these aircraft have the new canopy.

Re: F4U-1A
 

Maybe some production blocks miss letter after? There is variations in stencils

Suffix letter
 

Hi,

As far as it is known, the suffix letter 'A' up to 1962 was is refering to:

Armament for unarmed aircraft
Arrester gear
Amphibian
LAnd-based
USAAF contract.

F4U-1A is not official, but F4U-1C is official as suffix 'C' refers to a cannon-version of a type.

All USN suffixes letters are available on many sites.

Phil

Re: F4U-1A
 

Hi Phil!

There was no reason to have a new designation just because the canopy was different (see the P-47D and the P-51D).
A new suffix, indicating a different variant/version, led to the printing of a new instruction book for mechanics. That was the case when changes concerned the engine, the armament or other essential parts of the aircraft.
"F4U-1A" is what I'd call a "comfort designation" for air historians.
This is part of the legend of the so-called "whispering death"!

Chris

Re: F4U-1A
 

Some additional info here, "F4U Corsair, Combat, Developement, and Racing History of the Corsair", Nicholas A. Veronico with John M. and Donna Campbell.

Re: F4U-1A
 

I owned the original data plate (until I was offered a obsene amount of $$ for it!) of F4U-1A #29 of VF-17 flown by Ike Kepford. It indeed does say F4U-1 not -1A.
The Brewster Corsair plate I has said F3A-1 and the Goodyear said FG-1 even though it was a -1D.

Re: F4U-1A
 

Considering the different manuals and handbooks available on the F4U-1, none of them specify the variant "A", while the variants "C" and "D" are duly recorded:

Flight Operating Handbook - F4U-1, 1C, 1D; FG-1, 1D; AN # 01-45HA-1 3/15/45 revised 12/1/52;

Maintenance Manual - F4U-1/-1C/-1D/F3A-1/FG-1/FG-1D (AN 01-45HA-2);

Even this:
Illustrated Parts Catalog - F4U-1/-1C/-1D/F3A-1/FG-1/FG-1D (AN 01-45HA-4).

To name but a few.

Re: F4U-1A
 

Maybe the letter a is given by the industry or designers? I will take a look today on some selected images and to see register letters on this early machines.

Re: F4U-1A
 

Theory

There was a C and a D and some historian, not understanding the USN system and thinking it worked in the same way as the USAAF, decided there must be an A and a B to fill the gap. Conveniently there were two different canopies, surely they must denote the missing sub types!

Theory may fall down as I do not know what would constitute the B

Martin

Re: F4U-1A
 

The listing of Bureau Numbers for Naval aircraft at http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP09.PDF does not show F4U-1A, only F4U-1 (and 1C and 1D). This is from the
Appendices from United States Naval Aviation 1910-1995

However, checking actual USMC flight logs I find the use of F4U-1A quite frequent. I suspect -1C and -1D to be official USN usage, and -1A to be informal "in the field" usage, based on the Army's use of A, B, C, D, etc to indicate changes.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: F4U-1A
 

Thanks Frank.

I eventually found out the answer.

See the attached scan from the book "F4U Corsair" by Nicholas A. Veronico et al, Motorbooks, 1994.
In fact, the designation F4U-1A was only officially approved in May 1944. But at that time, Vought was building F4U-1Ds, Goodyear FG-1Ds and Brewster had gone out of business.
Thus, not a single F4U-1/FG-1/F3A-1 with bubble canopy ever sported the suffix "A" on the rudder.

That settles the matter once and for all.

Thanks to all.

Chris

Re: F4U-1A
 

Martin,

The BuAer issued exhaustive lists of suffixes with their meanings.
You can find them on the net very easily.

Among other modifications:
"B" stood for "aircraft built for the British under Lend-Lease".
"C" was for cannon-armed aircraft.
"D" was for drop tanks.
Right on spot as far as the Corsair is concerned.

The only one-off designation regarding the Corsair was the night-fighter version, which was designed F4U-2, while it should have been F4U-1N.
But at that time, night-fighters were probably new to the BuAer and they had not yet made their mind up as how call them.

Re: F4U-1A
 

Thank You Chris.

Re: F4U-1A
 

However, I do believe that there are two designations that were taken the other way round by air historians hitherto and concern the FG-1 and FG-1A.

As far as I can ascertain, the FG-1 was a "denavalized" version earmarked for the USMC, while the FG-1A did have an arrester hook (but no folding wings or flottation devices).
This is the only reason why you can find FG1-As aboard US carriers in 1945 but no FG-1s.

If you look through the "A" suffixes of the BuAer, this specific case is mentionned with for example the SOC-3A, which indeed was a land-based aircraft equiped with an arrester hook.
And once again, the "A" suffix has nothing to see with the canopy.

All this leads me to believe that Green, Tillman, Bowman and many other renowned authors got it wrong: the F4U-1A never had any legal existence.
So many people can't be wrong but sometimes they are.

Veronico's explanation seems to have legs (see previous posts). However, at the time Vought's permission to distinguish its variant with the new canopy with an "A" suffix would have been granted, May 1944, the BuAer had already issued its exhaustive list for suffixes, excluding a change of canopy.

Re: F4U-1A
 

NATURALLY my F4U files are unavailable, stored somewhere in that warehouse with the Ark of the Covenant. Hard to believe the Naval Institute Book was published in 19-ought-79. However...

The -1A designation appeared on a Vought/LTV timeline that the PR shop provided me during the research phase. I suspect that it was (or became) a company designation that was not formally adopted by BuAer. But I do know that some squadrons made the distinction, including VF-17.

Re: F4U-1A
 

I suspect that it was (or became) a company designation that was not formally adopted by BuAer.

You make my day.

Chris

Re: F4U-1A
 

Found this report that uses the term F4U-1A,
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.o...f4u-1a-ads.jpg

This report uses the term F4U-1A (BuNo 17930) through out. It also seems to indicate two seperate models, F4U-1 (02390) & F4U-1A (17930)
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.o...1-navycomp.pdf