Navy FG-1D Corsair

One of the most powerful and unique fighter planes of the Second World War was developed by the Chance Vought Corporation during the late 1930's. The inverted gull wings and abnormally large propeller put the Vought Corsair in the record books as the first U.S. war plane to exceed 400 mph. The earliest XF4U-1 prototype was tested in 1938 and three years later, the U.S. Navy placed its initial order for 584 aircraft. The first F4U-1A Corsairs were powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine that produced 2,000 hp. The strong engine and large propeller pulled the Corsair at speeds up to 425 mph. The war time demand for these airplanes required Vought to contract out much of the production to the Goodyear and Brewster aircraft plants.