Vought F4U Corsair

The Vought F4U Corsair is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft built by Chance Vought, entering United States Navy and Marine Corps service in 1942 and remaining in production, in various forms, until 1953, one of the longest production runs of any piston-engined fighter. Built around the most powerful aircraft engine available at the time, paired with a distinctive inverted gull wing designed to give ground clearance for a large propeller while keeping the undercarriage legs reasonably short, the Corsair was initially considered too difficult to land safely aboard aircraft carriers and was used first by Marine Corps land-based squadrons, where its speed and firepower earned it the nickname Whistling Death from Japanese pilots, before carrier landing issues were resolved and it entered full naval service. The Corsair went on to serve extensively in the Pacific theater of the Second World War and later in the Korean War, achieving a favorable kill ratio against Japanese aircraft and establishing a reputation as one of the most capable piston-engined fighters of its era.