- Introduction & Background
The F4U Corsair carrier-based fighter was developed by the American Chance Watt Company in early 1938 to participate in the NASA high-altitude and high-speed carrier-based fighter project. On June 11, 1938, the first prototype began to be manufactured; on May 29, 1940, the prototype flew for the first time. The F4U Corsair was the most produced carrier-based fighter jet during World War II, with a total production of more than 12,500 aircraft. In addition to equipping the U.S. Navy, it also equipped the United Kingdom, France, Australia and other countries. The F4U Corsair derived multiple modifications and was in service until the 1950s. The F4U Corsair also performed some attack missions during the Korean War and can be described as a "long-lived" fighter aircraft. The Japanese called it the "death whistle" due to the similar whistling sound produced by the radiators in the wings.
