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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.   

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JUNE11,1938 , Vought receives Navy approval for  building a single prototype XF4U-1 (BuNo 01443).

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MAY 29, 1940 , First flight of XF4U-1 by  Chance Vought chief test pilot, Lyman Bullard.

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OCTOBER 1, 1940 , XF4U-1 logs record speed run of 405 MPH between Stratford and Hartford, Connecticut.

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JULY, 1941 , The Lent Lease Act allowed the FAA to acquire the Corsair F4U carrier-based fighter.

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NOVEMBER, 1941 , the US Navy awarded Brewster a contract to  license-build F3A-1 Corsairs.

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DECEMBER, 1941 , the US Navy awarded Goodyear a contract to  license-build FG-1 Corsairs.

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FEBRUARY 25,1943, the first FG-1 (BuNo 12992) was test flown and delivered the same month to US Navy.

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JUNE 25, 1942 , First flight of a production F4U-1 (BuNo 02153) Vought Corsair.

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JULY, 1942, US Navy flight tests to determine the Corsair's performance and handling characteristics.

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SEPTEMBER 25,1942 , carrier landing trials on the escort carrier  USS Sangamon CVE-26.

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SEPTEMBER,1942 , First deliveries to a Marine Corps squadron, VMF-124, at Camp Kearney, California.

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OCTOBER,1942 , First deliveries to a Navy squadron, VF-12 at San Diego, led by  L C  Joseph C. Clifton.

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January 7, 1943 , The first F4U-2 Vought Corsair took to the skies.

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FEBRUARY 13, 1943 , First combat mission by VMF-124 from Guadalcanal.

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FEBRUARY 25, 1943 , First flight of Goodyear FG-1 Corsair.

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MARCH, 1943 , US Navy took delivery of the first F3A-1 Corsair with BuNo 04515

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APRIL 26, 1943 , First flight of the Brewster F3A-1 Corsair.

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MAY 13,1943 , 1 st Lt. K.A. Walsh becomes first Corsair ace.

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JUNE1,1943 , First Royal Navy Corsair unit, 1830 Squadron, formed at NAS Quonset Point, R.I.

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AUGUST, 1943 , The prototype  XF4U-1C (cannon equipped) with BuNo 50277 first in the air.

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AUGUST 15-30,1943 , Medal of Honor actions by 1 st Lt. K.A. Walsh.

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SEPTEMBER 12,1943, The F4U-1WM, with the  Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major, flown for the first time.

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OCTOBER 31,1943 , First confirmed victory by a Navy Corsair, VF(N)-75 in the Solomon Islands.

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NOVEMBER 1943-JANUARY 1944 , Medal of Honor actions by 1 st Lt. R.A. Hanson. 

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JANUARY 29, 1944 , First Corsair combat operations from U.S. carrier, USS Enterprise, by VF(N)-1 01.

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MARCH 26, 1944 , The first flight of the XF4U-3 (a converted F4A-1 with BuNo 17516.

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MAY, 1944 ,  The MAG 14 received the first F4U-4 Corsair.

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APRIL 3,1944 , First Royal Navy combat missions from HMS Victorious.

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APRIL 19,1944 , First flight of the prototype XF4U-4.

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APRIL 22, 1944, The first F4U-1D (BuNo 50360) delivered to the Navy.

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DECEMBER 28, 1944 , First two Marine F4U squadrons begin carrier duty.

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JULY 15, 1945 , First flight of the prototype XF2G-1.

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AUGUST 9, 1945 , Victoria Cross action by Sub-Lt. R.H. Gray.

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JULY 3, 1946 , First flight of the prototype XF4U-5 BuNo 97296, Vought test pilot Dick Burroughs killed.

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1946 , The first F4U-4B saw Navy squadron service.

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1947 , The first F4U-4B saw Marine squadron service.

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1947 , Cook Cleland flew the F2G-2 Super Corsair BuNo 88463 to win the Thomson Trophy.

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1948 , The first F4u-5P entered squadron service.

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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).

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DECEMBER 4, 1950 , Medal of Honor action by Lt.(jg) TJ. Hudner.

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JANUARY 31, 1952 , first flight of the F4U-5N, BuNo. 124665, converted to the  XF4U-6 prototype, after having been redesignated the XAU-1.

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JULY 2, 1952 , First flight of F4U-7.

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OCTOBER, 1952 , The last AU-1 was deliverd to the Marine Corps.

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DECEMBER 24, 1952 , Corsair production ends with the last F4U-7.

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JUNE 25, 1953 , Lt. G.P. Bardelan, VC- 3, becomes last Corsair ace.

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(*) : Index - References - Notes - Citations

     : Books - Bibliography

     : External Links

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F4U / FG / F3A     SIGNIFICANT DATES   (*)   

Corsair F4U - timeline
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