Before the Corsair and then the Corsair II was the O2U-1 Corsair. A naval Scout Observation aircraft built by Vought Aircraft. The Navy issued specifications for a Scout aircraft that could have fixed gear, floats or be an amphibian.
But first a digression on U.S. Naval Designations. The first Letter designated its mission Observation the second Number showed it was the second aircraft of built by the third Letter “U” which stood for Vought. The Dash number was the variant. So shouldn’t have the aircraft been called the O2V-2? Nope V was for Vega or the Vega Burbank Division of Lockheed. So where do we get “U” The “U” stood for United Aircraft and Transport Corporation. When Vought went back to being Chance Vought the Department of the Navy kept the “U” designation. Later in its career it would be re-designated SU-1 through SU-4
So back to the O2U was originally powered by a P&W R-1340 Wasp engine. A post war hybrid, it was a steal tube fuselage with doped Fabric wings. It was a two place aircraft with a pilot and observer. It had one forward 30 Caliber Browning machine guns. It was also capable of carrying a double trainable mount for the observer.
The Corsair actually was successful on a couple of fronts. One was it was to quote Alton Brown a “Multitasker” The fact that the aircraft could be equipped with floats or conventional landing gear gave it a great deal of flexability It could to be launched from catapults aboard Battleships and Cruisers. When not at sea it could be still flown as an conventional aircraft. The Marines were given the aircraft and it was what was flown by Medal of Honor winner Lt Christian Schlitt.
Eventually 291 were built for the Department of the Navy. They were flown by the Navy, Marines and U.S. Coast Guard. The Coasties flew 6 and the majority were flown over the Rio Grand River to protect from illegal immigrations. The aircraft continued to be flown until World War II. When war did break out there were still 141 in active service.
Vought eventually built 580 Corsairs, and it was a very successful aircraft for export. Several were exported to countries that would evaluate the technology for the upcoming war. Both Germany & Japan received copies for evaluation as well as Great Britain. The following other countries flew the Corsair; Argentina Brazil, China, Mexico, Peru, Thailand. China and Thailand and Peru used the aircraft in combat.
For more information;
Works Cited
Doll, Thomas E., Berkley R. Jackson, and William A. Riley. Navy Air Colors: United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Aircraft Camouflage and Markings : Vol. 1, 1911-1945. Carrollton: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1983. Print.
"U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office Official Website." US Coast Guard Home. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://www.uscg.mil/history>.
"Vought O2U Corsair." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_O2U_Corsair>.
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