Goodyear FG-1D Corsair – Louis Horschel

The Corsair was designed and originally produced by Chance Vought. It is powered by a 2,100-horsepower, Pratt and Whitney radial engine, and can easily be recognized because of its distinctive “gull wing” shape and its huge propeller.

The Corsair entered combat in 1943 and quickly made its mark thanks to its speed, ruggedness and firepower. It proved to be highly successful as a not only a fighter aircraft, but also a attack aircraft in support of ground forces. The Corsair could also take off and land on carrier ships.

Due the success of the Corsair in combat demand soared and eventually Vought had to contract other manufacturers in order to keep up with the demand. One of the companies that earned this contract was Goodyear, which is designated as “FD-1D” as opposed to the Corsairs manufactured by Vought which are designed as “F4U.”

Production of the Corsair ended in 1952 with just over 12,000 made. Today, many of the surviving Corsairs can be found in museums across the country. Only a handful remain airworthy and are actively flying at events such as air shows.