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Key Dates in the history of the F4U Corsair
FEBRUARY 1,1938 , US Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics RFP design specification issued for new fighter.
JUNE11,1938 , Vought receives Navy approval for building a single prototype XF4U-1 (BuNo 01443).
MAY 29, 1940 , First flight of XF4U-1 by Chance Vought chief test pilot, Lyman Bullard.
OCTOBER 1, 1940 , XF4U-1 logs record speed run of 405 MPH between Stratford and Hartford, Connecticut.
JULY, 1941 , The Lent Lease Act allowed the FAA to acquire the Corsair F4U carrier-based fighter.
NOVEMBER, 1941 , the US Navy awarded Brewster a contract to license-build F3A-1 Corsairs.
DECEMBER, 1941 , the US Navy awarded Goodyear a contract to license-build FG-1 Corsairs.
FEBRUARY 25,1943, the first FG-1 (BuNo 12992) was test flown and delivered the same month to US Navy.
JUNE 25, 1942 , First flight of a production F4U-1 (BuNo 02153) Vought Corsair.
JULY, 1942, US Navy flight tests to determine the Corsair's performance and handling characteristics.
SEPTEMBER 25,1942 , carrier landing trials on the escort carrier USS Sangamon CVE-26.
SEPTEMBER,1942 , First deliveries to a Marine Corps squadron, VMF-124, at Camp Kearney, California.
OCTOBER,1942 , First deliveries to a Navy squadron, VF-12 at San Diego, led by L C Joseph C. Clifton.
January 7, 1943 , The first F4U-2 Vought Corsair took to the skies.
FEBRUARY 13, 1943 , First combat mission by VMF-124 from Guadalcanal.
FEBRUARY 25, 1943 , First flight of Goodyear FG-1 Corsair.
MARCH, 1943 , US Navy took delivery of the first F3A-1 Corsair with BuNo 04515
APRIL 26, 1943 , First flight of the Brewster F3A-1 Corsair.
MAY 13,1943 , 1 st Lt. K.A. Walsh becomes first Corsair ace.
JUNE1,1943 , First Royal Navy Corsair unit, 1830 Squadron, formed at NAS Quonset Point, R.I.
AUGUST, 1943 , The prototype XF4U-1C (cannon equipped) with BuNo 50277 first in the air.
AUGUST 15-30,1943 , Medal of Honor actions by 1 st Lt. K.A. Walsh.
SEPTEMBER 12,1943, The F4U-1WM, with the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major, flown for the first time.
OCTOBER 31,1943 , First confirmed victory by a Navy Corsair, VF(N)-75 in the Solomon Islands.
NOVEMBER 1943-JANUARY 1944 , Medal of Honor actions by 1 st Lt. R.A. Hanson.
JANUARY 29, 1944 , First Corsair combat operations from U.S. carrier, USS Enterprise, by VF(N)-1 01.
MARCH 26, 1944 , The first flight of the XF4U-3 (a converted F4A-1 with BuNo 17516.
MAY, 1944 , The MAG 14 received the first F4U-4 Corsair.
APRIL 3,1944 , First Royal Navy combat missions from HMS Victorious.
APRIL 19,1944 , First flight of the prototype XF4U-4.
APRIL 22, 1944, The first F4U-1D (BuNo 50360) delivered to the Navy.
DECEMBER 28, 1944 , First two Marine F4U squadrons begin carrier duty.
JULY 15, 1945 , First flight of the prototype XF2G-1.
AUGUST 9, 1945 , Victoria Cross action by Sub-Lt. R.H. Gray.
JULY 3, 1946 , First flight of the prototype XF4U-5 BuNo 97296, Vought test pilot Dick Burroughs killed.
1946 , The first F4U-4B saw Navy squadron service.
1947 , The first F4U-4B saw Marine squadron service.
1947 , Cook Cleland flew the F2G-2 Super Corsair BuNo 88463 to win the Thomson Trophy.
1948 , The first F4u-5P entered squadron service.
JULY 3,1950 , First Corsair missions of Korean War flown by Air Group Five, USS Voller Forge, first combat action of the F4U-5P v( photo-reconnaissance).
DECEMBER 4, 1950 , Medal of Honor action by Lt.(jg) TJ. Hudner.
JANUARY 31, 1952 , first flight of the F4U-5N, BuNo. 124665, converted to the XF4U-6 prototype, after having been redesignated the XAU-1.
JULY 2, 1952 , First flight of F4U-7.
OCTOBER, 1952 , The last AU-1 was deliverd to the Marine Corps.
DECEMBER 24, 1952 , Corsair production ends with the last F4U-7.
JUNE 25, 1953 , Lt. G.P. Bardelan, VC- 3, becomes last Corsair ace.
(*) : Index - References - Notes - Citations
F4U / FG / F3A SIGNIFICANT DATES (*)
