- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- No - I would not like to see the Kiwi Corsair in game.
Corsair 33 of No.23 Squadron at Emirau Island.
Description:
New Zealand first selected the F4U-1A Corsair in mid 1943 as to replace the ageing and battle-scarred P-40 Kittyhawks then in service throughout the RNZAF at the time. 424 aircraft would be delivered overall to the RNZAF, across the F4U-1A, F4U-1D, and FG-1D models.
In service, they would simply be referred to as Corsairs rather than their official designation of F4U-1A.
Large formation flight off Guadalcanal, the Solomon islands, ~ 1944
History:
Aircraft would start being delivered from March 1944, to the RNZAF Base Depot Workshops (Unit 60), which was based at the island of Espiritu Santo at the time. Across all F4U-1As delivered, they were assigned the serials NZ5201-5396, NZ5461-5463, NZ5465, NZ5487, and NZ5537-5536. Further corsairs would be procured as attrition replacements, but would carry the serials of the aircraft they replaced. By June 1944, over 100 airframes would be delivered, of which 5 were accidentally taken over by the US Marine Corps, which were replaced with new airframes.
These aircraft, once assembled, would be assigned to No.20 and No.21 Squadrons, along with their respective servicing units. By the end of 1944, all RNZAF pacific fighter squadrons had been equipped with the type. They would deploy from Green Island and Piva airfield, fighting on the Bougainville campaign.
Although intended to be used as a pure fighter, due to the lack of Japanese aircraft in the area they would mostly be used as ground attack aircraft, notably they were used in combination with RAAF Boomerangs, who would act as spotters, dropping flares on targets for the RNZAF Corsairs to attack. As these aircraft did not have wing stores, some F4U-1D were acquired to assist these duties, but would not make up most of the numbers.
RNZAF Corsairs, sitting waiting for disposal at RNZAF Rukuhia 1946.
By the end of the war in 1945, these aircraft were severely worn out due to heavy use, and the squadrons that operated them were de-mobbed as the RNZAF shrunk down to peacetime force numbers. These aircraft would be returned to New Zealand for storage at Rukuhia, being replaced in No.14 Squadron by new FG-1D corsairs.
However this storage would be poor, with the cost of proper storage being seen as unjustified for such worn out airframes. As such, they would sit in piles on fields post war, and as scrap value was so poor, they were simply burnt where they sat instead of being properly disposed. There are currently no surviving ex-RNZAF F4U-1As.
They were due to be replaced by the P-51D-25NT Mustang, but with the end of the war these aircraft would also be placed in storage, and eventually used by the TAF. They would actually be replaced by the de Havilland Mosquito, (and a single Meteor Mk.III), which would serve the RNZAF for many years.
| Dimensions: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Length: 33.8ft (10.3m) | |||||
| Wing Span: 41ft (12.5m) | |||||
| Height 14ft (4.5m) | |||||
| Weight (dry): 10,4504lb (4,740kg) | |||||
| Weight (gross): 12,610lb (5,720kg) | |||||
| Wing Area: 314ft² (29.17m²) | |||||
| Crew: 1 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Engine Performance: | |||||
| Engine: Pratt & Whitney double wasp R-2800-8W @ 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) | |||||
| Fuel: 100/130 Octane | |||||
| Prop: 3-bladed, constant speed, variable pitch, | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Aerial performance: | |||||
| Climb Rate: 40ft/s (12.3m/s) | |||||
| Wing Loading: (4508lb/ft² (196 kg/m² ) | |||||
| Maximum speed (clean) : 550mph (885kph) | |||||
| Range (full tanks & drop tanks) : 1,500mi (2,400 km) | |||||
| Ceiling: 36,900ft (11,247m) | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament: | |||||
| Guns: 6x .50 (12.7mm) Browning M2 (three per wing) with 2,350 rounds. (2x 375rpg, 4x400rpg | |||||
| Ventral stores: 1x 500lb Bomb, or 1x1000lb bomb, or Drop tank |
Corsairs upon delivery, with the roundels being sloppily painted over the US stars.
Sources:
R.Montgomery (2021) Pacific Corsair, the Vought Corsair in New Zealand Service.
Kiwi Aircraft Images : F4U-1 Corsair
Pacific Wrecks - Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Chance-Vought F4U Corsair
Vought F4U Corsair - Wikipedia