Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 8 : Corsair Aces of World War 2

The speed with which the Corsair was rushed into service as a land-based fighter obliged the pilots to learn on the job. The aircraft soon proved to be superior to the Japanese Zero and played a major part in the destruction of Japan's elite air forces in the South Pacific. One of the original cadre of pilots sent to the Solomons, Lt Kenneth A Walsh, observes: 'Delivery of the F4U commenced in late October 1942. There were many refinements that had to be carried out before the planes were combat ready, which delayed out proper conversion to the type. After we gained a complement of 25 aircraft and 29 pilots, we deployed to the Pacific, having only averaged about 20 hours in the F4U. The F4F Wildcats were out there at Guadalcanal doing a marvellous job of defence, but no way could they take the offensive. There were only two planes that could do the job - the Corsair and the Army's P-38'. Later, in an effort to counter the Kamikaze threat, the Corsair was once again hurriedly pressed into service; this time in its originally intended role as a shipboard fighter. This versatile aircraft saw service with the US Navy and Marines, the British Fleet Air Arm and the RNZAF. Most of the 4FU pilots who recount their experiences within these pages considered it to be the best all-round fighter in the Pacific theatre. Text by Mark Styling with illustrations by Mark Styling and John Weal.

Contents

• Guadalcanal Debut
• More F4Us Arrive
• Tororkina and Munda
• The 'Black Sheep' Squadron
• US Navy Corsairs
• Success in the South West
• British Corsairs
• The Central Pacific
• Appendices