Fugazi
1st November 2003, 05:40
Is there any way to know if the corsair F4U-4C saw combat operation during the ww2?
So far in the research I made, few sources are stating that this plane was in combat operation in Okinawa with the MAG 31. Some other sources are saying that in fact only the F4U-4 was in operation along with some F4U-1D.
Also it seems that 297 corsairs F4U-4B/-4C were produced, and from what I have read F4U-4B were in fact designed for the fleet air arm (difference from F4U-4 was that those planes were equiped with 4 20mm Hispano mkII instead of the regular 6 .50 machine guns). Because the war ended, the F4U-4B was never dispatched to GB and instead the planes were given to the Marine Corps in 1946. If we assume like some are saying that in fact the F4U-4C was a field modification (with 4 20mm Hispano mkIII) then the 297 cannon version produced were in fact F4U-4B... So we may be able to think that F4U-4C could have seen operations in ww2 after being refited on the field swapping the 6 machine guns for 4 cannons, but this is hard to proove and the only think that we can say so far is that it could have been technically possible, with the assumption that Hispano mkIII were available on the field for MAG31, or more exactly for Okinawa of the two escort carriers were those planes were supposed to be deployed.
Another point raising my suspicion on the -4C,-4B seeing operations during ww2, is that on every pictures I have seen so far of a -4C/-4B, the US national marking looks like a post war one.
This raise the following question: Is there any expert that can provide a detail history of the US marking on airplanes? My problem lies in the fact that on each pictures I have seen, the white boxes; around the star; do have a red stripe in the middle. When did that red stripe was added? Sure it is on every plane from the 1950, but even in 1948 some planes do not have it (I have seen a picture of Sam Sheppard's F4U-4, taken in 1948 in mediteranean sea, without those stripes)...
Thanks in advance for your comments.
So far in the research I made, few sources are stating that this plane was in combat operation in Okinawa with the MAG 31. Some other sources are saying that in fact only the F4U-4 was in operation along with some F4U-1D.
Also it seems that 297 corsairs F4U-4B/-4C were produced, and from what I have read F4U-4B were in fact designed for the fleet air arm (difference from F4U-4 was that those planes were equiped with 4 20mm Hispano mkII instead of the regular 6 .50 machine guns). Because the war ended, the F4U-4B was never dispatched to GB and instead the planes were given to the Marine Corps in 1946. If we assume like some are saying that in fact the F4U-4C was a field modification (with 4 20mm Hispano mkIII) then the 297 cannon version produced were in fact F4U-4B... So we may be able to think that F4U-4C could have seen operations in ww2 after being refited on the field swapping the 6 machine guns for 4 cannons, but this is hard to proove and the only think that we can say so far is that it could have been technically possible, with the assumption that Hispano mkIII were available on the field for MAG31, or more exactly for Okinawa of the two escort carriers were those planes were supposed to be deployed.
Another point raising my suspicion on the -4C,-4B seeing operations during ww2, is that on every pictures I have seen so far of a -4C/-4B, the US national marking looks like a post war one.
This raise the following question: Is there any expert that can provide a detail history of the US marking on airplanes? My problem lies in the fact that on each pictures I have seen, the white boxes; around the star; do have a red stripe in the middle. When did that red stripe was added? Sure it is on every plane from the 1950, but even in 1948 some planes do not have it (I have seen a picture of Sam Sheppard's F4U-4, taken in 1948 in mediteranean sea, without those stripes)...
Thanks in advance for your comments.