Goodyear F2G Corsair

Last updated
F2G "Super" Corsair
Ray Wagner Collection Image (16158678227).jpg
XF2G-1
Role Carrier-based fighter aircraft
Manufacturer Goodyear Aircraft
First flight15 July 1945
Introduction 1945
Retired1945
Primary user United States Navy
Produced1945
Number built10 + 7 prototypes
Developed from Vought F4U Corsair

The Goodyear F2G Corsair, often referred to as the "Super Corsair", is a development by the Goodyear Aircraft Company of the Vought F4U Corsair fighter aircraft. The F2G was intended as a low-altitude interceptor and was equipped with a 28-cylinder, four-row Pratt & Whitney R-4360 air-cooled radial engine.

Contents

Such a fighter was first conceived in 1939, when Pratt & Whitney first proposed the immense, 3,000  hp (2,200 kW) R-4360, [1] and design work began in early 1944.

Design and development

A U.S. Navy F2G-1 in 1945 F2G-1 NAN11-45.jpg
A U.S. Navy F2G-1 in 1945

Using experience gained building the F4U-1 under license – a variant known as the FG-1 – in early 1944, Goodyear modified seven standard Corsair airframes to take advantage of the 50% increase in take-off power provided by the Pratt and Whitney R-4360 engine. Known as the XF2G-1, [N 1] these aircraft also featured a new all-round vision bubble-type canopy in place of the original cockpit and turtle deck. [2]

A land-based variant, with manually-folding wings, was to be known as the F2G-1, while a carrier version with hydraulically-folding wings and arrestor hook was to be called the F2G-2. [3] In March 1944, Goodyear was awarded a contract to deliver 418 F2G-1 and 10 F2G-2 aircraft. The vertical stabilizer's height was also increased by 12 inches, and an auxiliary rudder was added to counteract engine torque. [4] With all these design modifications, the rate of climb of the F2G was increased to 7,000 feet per minute, which was double that of a standard Corsair and higher than jet fighters in service at that time.

The aircraft was intended to be operated from land bases as opposed to aircraft carriers. The F2G-1 had manually folding wings and no tail hook, allowing for reduced weight. The F2G-2 had hydraulically powered wing fold mechanisms and tail hooks installed to allow for carrier operations.

Armament was to include four or six wing-mounted 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) machine guns and eight 5-inch (127 mm) rockets or two 1,000lbs (454kg) Mk.83 GP bombs or 1,600lbs (725kg) AN-Mk.1 armor piercing bombs. The internal fuel capacity of the F2G was increased greatly over that of the F4U, and provisions were also made for two droptanks.

However, post-production testing revealed deficiencies in lateral control and insufficient speed, which were bars to further development of the design. In addition, the Grumman F8F Bearcat – a rival design that had also entered production – had performance comparable to the F2G, even though it was powered with the same engine as the original F4U. By the end of the war in August 1945, when only 10 aircraft (five examples of each variant) had been completed, further production of the F2G was canceled.

Variants

XF2G-1: prototype. Seven converted from standard FG-1 Corsairs. [2] [N 2]

F2G-1: land-based variant, 418 ordered, five built, order cancelled.

F2G-2: carrier-based variant, 10 ordered, five built, order cancelled.

Operators

Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States

Accidents and incidents

Goodyear F2G-2 Race 74 landing in 2012. GoodyearF2G-2.jpg
Goodyear F2G-2 Race 74 landing in 2012.

On 7 September 2012, the heavily modified F2G-2 "Race 74", BuNo 88463 and registered N5577N, was destroyed in a fatal crash that occurred when pilot Bob Odegaard was rehearsing for an airshow flight routine at the Barnes County Municipal Airport in Valley City, North Dakota. [5] [6]

Surviving aircraft

F2G-1 "Super" Corsair, painted as Race 57, flying at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2005 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin F2G-1 Bu88458.jpg
F2G-1 "Super" Corsair, painted as Race 57, flying at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2005 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Two Super Corsairs have survived into preservation, with one airworthy.

Airworthy (F2G-1)
Museum of Flight's F2G-1 Corsair, BuNo 88454, on display at Paine Field, Everett, Washington for "SkyFair 2014" on July 26, 2014. Note the manually folded wings of this "land-based" Corsair. F2G-1 Corsair with wings manually folded. BuNo 88454.jpg
Museum of Flight's F2G-1 Corsair, BuNo 88454, on display at Paine Field, Everett, Washington for "SkyFair 2014" on July 26, 2014. Note the manually folded wings of this "land-based" Corsair.
On display (F2G-1)

Specifications (F2G-2)

3-view line drawing of the Goodyear F2G-2 Corsair Goodyear F2G-2 Corsair 3-view line drawing.png
3-view line drawing of the Goodyear F2G-2 Corsair

Data from[ citation needed ]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought F4U Corsair</span> 1940 fighter aircraft family by Chance Vought

The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contracts were given to Goodyear, whose Corsairs were designated FG, and Brewster, designated F3A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone</span> 1937 18-cylinder radial piston engine family by Wright

The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone is an American twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled, radial aircraft engine with 18 cylinders displacing nearly 3,350 cubic inches (54.9 L). Power ranged from 2,200 to over 3,700 hp, depending on the model. Developed before World War II, the R-3350's design required a long time to mature before finally being used to power the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major</span> R-28 piston aircraft engine family

The Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major is an American 28-cylinder four-row radial piston aircraft engine designed and built during World War II. First run in 1944, at 4,362.5 cu in (71.5 L), it is the largest-displacement aviation piston engine to be mass-produced in the United States, and at 4,300 hp (3,200 kW) the most powerful. It was the last of the Pratt & Whitney Wasp family, and the culmination of its maker's piston engine technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F4F Wildcat</span> United States Navy World War II era fighter plane

The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of the Second World War. The disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as aircraft became available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman C-1 Trader</span> United States Navy carrier on-board delivery (COD) transport aircraft

The Grumman C-1 Trader is a carrier onboard delivery (COD) variant of the Grumman S-2 Tracker. It was replaced by a similar version of the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F6F Hellcat</span> United States Navy fighter airplane

The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War. In gaining that role, it prevailed over its faster competitor, the Vought F4U Corsair, which initially had problems with visibility and carrier landings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F7F Tigercat</span> 1943 fighter aircraft family by Grumman; first twin-engine fighter deployed by the US Navy

The Grumman F7F Tigercat is a heavy fighter aircraft that served with the United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) from late in World War II until 1954. It was the first twin-engine fighter to be deployed by the USN. While the Tigercat was delivered too late to see combat in World War II, it saw action as a night fighter and attack aircraft during the Korean War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F8F Bearcat</span> American single-engine carrier-based fighter aircraft

The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engined, carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the air forces of other nations. It was Grumman Aircraft's last piston-engined fighter aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp</span> American WWII-era aircraft engine

The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of 2,800 cu in (46 L), and is part of the long-lived Wasp family of engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing</span> American single engine cabin biplane

The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative wing stagger. It first flew in 1932.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp</span> 1932 14-cylinder radial piston engine family by Pratt & Whitney

The Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp is an American air-cooled radial aircraft engine. It displaces 1,830 cu in (30.0 L) and its bore and stroke are both 5.5 in (140 mm). The design traces its history to 1929 experiments at Pratt & Whitney on twin-row designs. Production began in 1932 and it was widely used during the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing XF8B</span> Prototype fighter aircraft

The Boeing XF8B was a single-engine aircraft developed by Boeing during World War II to provide the United States Navy with a long-range shipboard fighter aircraft. The XF8B was intended for operation against the Japanese home islands from aircraft carriers outside the range of Japanese land-based aircraft. Designed for various roles including interceptor, long-range escort fighter, dive-bomber, and torpedo bomber, the final design embodied a number of innovative features in order to accomplish the various roles. Despite its formidable capabilities, the XF8B-1 never entered series production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic XP-72</span> 1944 experimental fighter aircraft

The Republic XP-72 was an American prototype fighter-interceptor developed by Republic Aircraft as a progression of the P-47 Thunderbolt design. The XP-72 was designed around the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 28-cylinder air-cooled radial engine with a supercharger mounted behind the pilot and driven by an extension shaft from the engine. The armament consisted of six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) wing-mounted Browning AN/M2 machine guns and underwing racks for two 1,000 lb bombs; Alternative armament packages included two 37 mm M4 autocannons with four .50 caliber AN/M2s, or four M4 autocannons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought SBU Corsair</span> Type of aircraft

The Vought SBU-1 Corsair was a two-seat, all-metal biplane dive bomber built by Vought Aircraft Company of Dallas, Texas for the US Navy. Its design was based upon the F3U-1 two-seat fighter that was abandoned when the Navy decided not to obtain any more two-seat fighters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss XP-71</span> Twin-engined fighter aircraft proposal

The Curtiss XP-71 was a 1941 American proposal for an exceptionally large heavy fighter design. It was intended to serve as an extreme-range interceptor and escort fighter. While significant progress was made in the design phase, no prototypes were ever built, and the design was abandoned in 1943.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought O2U Corsair</span> Type of aircraft

The Vought O2U Corsair was a 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Developed by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine, it incorporated a steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood wing structure with fabric covering. Many were seaplanes or amphibians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eberhart XFG</span> American fighter aircraft

The Eberhart XFG was an American single-seat experimental ship-borne biplane fighter aircraft developed for the United States Navy in 1927 by the Eberhart Aeroplane and Motor Company. The sole prototype was rebuilt into the XF2G with the addition of a single float and a different engine, but the aircraft was destroyed in a crash in 1928, and the type did not enter production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bach Air Yacht</span> Type of aircraft

The Bach Air Yacht was a trimotor airliner produced in the United States in the 1920s. Typical of its day, it was a high-wing braced monoplane, with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Unusual for airliners of the late 1920s, the Air Yachts were constructed almost entirely of wood with steel fittings, undercarriage, and struts. Different models were powered by varying combinations of Wright, Ryan-Siemens, Kinner, Comet, and Pratt & Whitney engines, a large engine in the nose of the aircraft, and two smaller "helpers" under the wings in nacelles supported by struts. As with so many aircraft companies of the late 1920s, the Bach Aircraft Company succumbed to the Great Depression, thus further development of the Air Yacht was abandoned after the 3-CT-9.

The Vought V-326 was an American experimental aircraft used by Pratt & Whitney as a high altitude engine test bed.

References

Notes

  1. This designation was used twice; the first XF2G-1 was a 1928 Eberhart prototype.
  2. Some sources state that there were eight XF2G-1 prototypes, with the FG-1A BuNo 12992 being modified in addition to the other seven. However, 12992 was used as a static test airframe for the program and never received the XF2G designation. [2]

Citations

  1. Pautigny 2003, p. 76.
  2. 1 2 3 Veronico, Nicholas A.; Campbell, John A.; Campbell, Donna (1994). Warbird History: F4U Corsair. Motorbooks International. pp. 75–76. ISBN   0-87938-854-4.
  3. Dorr 1991, p.68.
  4. "Air-and-Space.com: Corsairs with Four-bank Radials". www.air-and-space.com. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  5. Goyer, Robert. "Bob Odegaard killed in crash of Super Corsair". Flying, 8 September 2012.
  6. "Famed N.D. pilot Bob Odegaard killed during practice for Valley City air show". Grand Forks Herald. Sep 7, 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  7. "FAA Registry: N5588N" FAA.gov. Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  8. "Goodyear F2G-1D Super Corsair Race #57." Archived 2012-09-11 at the Wayback Machine Duggy.com. Retrieved: 8 September 2012.
  9. "Race results database" Archived 2008-09-19 at the Wayback Machine . Reno Air Racing Association, 24 September 2008. Retrieved: 12 June 2010.
  10. "Hardware." Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine Thunder over Reno. Retrieved: 31 December 2011.
  11. "F2G-1 Corsair/Bu. 88454." Museum of Flight. Retrieved: 31 December 2011.
  12. "FAA Registry: N4324." FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.

Bibliography

  • Dorr, Robert F. US Fighters of World War Two. London, UK, Arms and Armour Press, 1991. ISBN   1-85409-073-9
  • Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War - Fighters (Vol. 4). New York: MacDonald and Company, 1961.
  • Lockett, Brian. "Corsairs with Four-bank Radials". Goleta Air and Space Museum. Retrieved: 16 January 2007.
  • Pautigny, Bruno (translated from the French by Alan McKay). Corsair: 30 Years of Filibustering 1940-1970. Paris: Histoire & Collections, 2003. ISBN   2-913903-28-2.
  • "Racing Corsairs." Society of Air Racing Historians. Retrieved: 16 January 2007.