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O2U Corsair
| O2U Corsair | |
|---|---|
| O2U-4 Corsair | |
| Type | Observation |
| Manufacturer | Vought Corporation |
| Introduced | 1926 |
| Primary users | United States Navy United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard |
| Number built | 580 |
The O2U Corsair was a US 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Made by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine, it incorporated a steel-tube fuselage structure and wood wing structure with fabric covering. Many were seaplanes or amphibians.
Contents
Design and development
In 1927, 291 O2Us were produced. The O2U-2, -3 and -4 were ordered in 1928 with minor changes. By 1930 they were being superseded by the O3U which was basically similar to the O2U-4, one of which was fitted with the Grumman float, and were manufactured until 1936. 289 were built[1]. Many of them had cowled engines and some had enclosed cockpits.
Variants and Users
The 600-690 hp (448-515 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1690-42 Hornet engine was used to power Corsairs designated SU-1 to SU-4. The change in designation reflected their role as scouts. A total of 289 SU designated aircraft were built for the USN.
Export versions included the Corsair V-65F, V-66F and V-80Fp for the Argentine Navy, the V-80P for the Peruvian Air Force, and the V-85G for Germany.[1] Japan purchased Corsair variants V-65C and V-92C. Brasil purchased thirty six V-65Bs, some V-66B hydroplanes, and fifteen V-65Fs.
In March 1929, Mexico purchased twelve armed aircraft version O2U-2M with the 400hp R-1690 to quell a military coup; Mexico then built 31 more under licence, and called them Corsarios Azcárate O2U-4A. In 1937, Mexico purchased ten V-99Ms with the 550hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-T1H-1; some may have been sent to Spain.[2]
China purchased the 42 export versions of O2U-1 from 1929-1933, and 21 export versions of O3U between 1933-1934 and they saw extensive bombing actions. The O2U-1 versions participated in the Central Plains War and in the January 28 Incident against Japanese targets, while the O3U versions first participated in the Battle of Pingxingguan to support the Chinese groud forces, and later against the Japanese in Shanghai.
Vought would use the Corsair name again for the F4U fighter in 1938 and the A-7 attack bomber in 1963.
Variants
- O2U
- two prototypes followed by 130 production aircraft with interchangeable wheel/float landing gear. 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-88 Wasp engine
- O2U-2
- increased span and larger rudder
- O2U-3
- 80 built, revised wing rigging, redesigned tail surfaces and Pratt & Whitney R-1340-C engine
- O2U-4
- 42 built, similar to O2U-3 but with equipment changes
- O3U-1
- 87 built, incorporating Grumman amphibious float
- O3U-2
- 29 built, strengthend airframe, Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet engine
- O3U-3
- 76 built, 550 hp (410 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-12 Wasp engine, redesignated SU-1
- O3U-4
- 65 built, Pratt & Whitney R-1690-42 Hornet engine, redesignated SU-2 (45 built), and SU-3 (20 built) with low pressure tires
- SU-4
- 20 built, new production version of SU-2
- XO3U-5
- test aircraft with Pratt & Whitney R-1535 engine
- XO3U-6
- test aircraft converted from O3U-3 with NACA cowel and enclosed cockpits
- O3U-6
- 32 built, 16 with Pratt & Whitney R-1340-12 Wasp and 16 with Pratt & Whitney R-1340-18 Wasp engines
Operators
- Template:ARG
- Template:BRA
- Template:China as ROC
- Template:Country data Germany
- Template:JPN
- Template:MEX
- Template:PER
- Template:Country data United States: 141 Corsairs were still serving with the US Navy and Marines when the US entered World War II.
- Template:THA: 70 planes operational at the time of the French-Thai War.
Specifications (SU-4 Corsair)
Data from "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 2002, 1152 pp.
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 27 ft 5.5 in (8.37 m)
- Wingspan: 36 ft (10.97 m)
- Height: 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)
- Wing area: 337 ft2 (31.31 m2)
- Empty weight: 3,312 lb (1,502 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,765 lb (2,161 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-1690-42 Hornet radial, 600 hp (447 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 167 mph at sea level (269 km/h)
- Range: 680 miles (1,094 km)
- Service ceiling: 18,600 ft (5,670 m)
Armament
- 3 .30 cal (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns, one forward firing and two on a trainable mount in rear cockpit
References
Template:USAAF observation aircraft Template:USN observation aircraft Template:USN scout aircraft Template:Grumman aircraft
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| This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "O2U Corsair". |
