# F4U Corsairs in the RAF/FAA...



## Maestro (Mar 1, 2006)

Greetings ladies and gentlemen.

I just found this on a web site and I thought I should share the information with you.

Taken from : http://www.vectorsite.net/avf4u.html#m5

*CORSAIR IN BRITISH NEW ZEALAND SERVICE*

The British Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) warmed to the Corsair much faster than the US Navy. In November 1943, the FAA received under Lend-Lease the first of 95 Vought F4U-1s, which were given the designation of "Corsair I". The first squadrons were assembled and trained in the US, either at Brunswick, Maine, or Quonset, Rhode Island, and then shipped across the Atlantic. The Royal Navy put the Corsair into carrier operations immediately, well ahead of the US Navy, but wasn't like the British worked miracles with the F4U: they found its landing characteristics just as beastly, suffering a number of fatal crashes, but bit the bullet and did it anyway.

This initial British batch was followed by 510 Vought F4U-1As under the designation of "Corsair II"; 430 Brewster F3A-1Ds under the designation of "Corsair III"; and finally 977 Goodyear FG-1Ds under the designation of "Corsair IV". It is unclear if the stateside squadron training scheme was retained for all British Corsair squadrons.

All but initial deliveries of FAA Corsairs had 20 centimeters (8 inches) clipped from the wingtips to permit storage in British carrier hangar decks, with the clipped wings also apparently improving the roll rate. Some sources suggest that at least some of the clipped-wing Corsairs supplied to Britain had the US designation of "F4U-1B". Many FAA Corsairs were fitted with rails for launching British 7.62 centimeter (3 inch) unguided "Rocket Projectiles (RPs)". At its peak, the Corsair equipped 19 FAA squadrons.

FAA Corsairs originally fought in a camouflage scheme, with a light-green / dark-green disruptive pattern on top and a white belly, but were later painted overall blue. Those operating in the Pacific theater acquired a specialized British insignia -- a modified blue-white roundel with white "bars" to make it look more like a US than a Japanese insignia to prevent friendly-fire incidents.

FAA Corsairs performed their first combat action on 3 April 1944, with Number 1834 Squadron flying from the HMS VICTORIOUS to help provide cover for a strike on the German super-battleship TIRPITZ in a Norwegian fjord. This was apparently the first combat operation of the Corsair off of an aircraft carrier. Further attacks on the TIRPITZ were performed in July and August 1944, with Corsairs from the HMS FORMIDABLE participating. It appears the Corsairs did not encounter aerial opposition on these raids. A confrontation between a Corsair and the tough German Focke-Wulf FW-190 would have made for an interesting fight.

Even as British Corsairs were fighting the Germans, they were going into combat in the Indian Ocean against the Japanese, with the first operational sorties on 19 April. Royal Navy carriers would be participants in the final battle for the Japanese home islands. On 9 August 1945, days before the end of the war, Corsairs from HMS FORMIDABLE were attacking Shiogama harbor on the northeast coast of Japan. A Canadian pilot, Lieutenant Robert H. Gray, was hit by flak but pressed home his attack on a Japanese destroyer, sinking it with a 450 kilogram (1,000 pound) bomb but crashing into the sea. He was posthumously awarded the last Victoria Cross of World War II.

425 (some sources say 370) Corsairs were also provided to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, beginning in late 1943. By the time the New Zealanders had worked up to operational Corsair squadrons in 1944 there was little for them to shoot at in the South Pacific, and they saw little combat. Most of the New Zealander Corsairs were scrapped after the war, as were the British Corsairs.


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## elmilitaro (Mar 1, 2006)

Pretty nice info.


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## Maestro (Mar 2, 2006)

Okay, I made some other searches concerning the use of Corsairs by the RAF/FAA in the European Theater... But looks like I'm screwed up. I mean, there is not a lot of informations about that. All that I found so far is that the first FAA Squadron formed was the FAA Squadron No. 1835, that they were trained in the US (may be in the Maine) and that they helped to sink the Tirpitz somewhere in Norway.

I found nothing concerning British carriers in the ETO... The few RN carrier names that I found served in the PTO.

Everyone knows that Corsairs can't have made it from the PTO to Norway, so there *must* have been at least one Corsair squadron based either on a carrier in the North Sea or in a British airfield.

Anyone has informations about those Corsairs operating in the ETO ?


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## 102first_hussars (Mar 2, 2006)

> I found nothing concerning British carriers in the ETO... The few RN carrier names that I found served in the PTO.



There was a British Carrier that resupplied the RAF in Malta.


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## Gnomey (Mar 2, 2006)

The was more the one... Ark Royal was sunk on returning to Gibrator by a U-boat (forget which one). After this the USS Wasp took over the duties, other than that there was the Glorius sunk of Norway by Scharnhorst and Gneisnau (sp?). Most of the rest served in the Pacific.


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## R Leonard (Mar 2, 2006)

FAA employment of F6F and the F4U off Norway :

FAA F6F's were used for anti-aircraft suppression on raids against Tirpitz on 3 April 44 (Operation Tungsten). These included - from Emperor - 800 Squadron and 804 Squadron. F4U's also participated in Operation Tungsten with 1834 Squadron and 1836 Squadron, off Victorious, flying high cover for the raid. No aerial opposition was encountered.

On 8 May 1944, the only fighter-to-fighter FAA F6F action took place. F6F's from 800 Squadron, off HMS Emperor, while escorting a flight of Barracudas off Norway was attacked by a mixed group of Me-109's and FW-190's. Two F6F's were lost, one, probably, to anti-aircraft fire (one source indicates that both F6Fs were lost in a mid-air collision, not to any German fire of any kind); the Hellcat pilots claimed two Me-109's and one FW-190. Available Luftwaffe loss listings show three Me-109Gs lost in this action. On the Luftwaffe side, claims were three F6Fs.

On 14 May, 800 Squadron added a He-115 to its scoreboard and shared another with 804 Squadron.

Operation Mascot was launched against Tirpitz on July 17th. Among the participating squadrons were 1840 in F6F’s off Furious and 1841 in F4U’s off Formidable. The strike force consisted of 44 Barracudas, 18 Corsairs, 18 Hellcats, and 12 Fireflies. A largely unsuccessful attack, one outcome of the Mascot operation was the loss of an F4U to capture by the Germans. Flying as escort for a Barracuda, an F4U suffered a mechanical failure, made a forced landing in a field near Bodø, and was recovered by the Germans relatively intact. This was the only F4U lost in the course of the operation.

Next up was Operation Goodwood, a series of four strikes on the Tirpitz anchorage between 22 and 29 August 1944. There were five carriers involved, Indefatigable, Formidable, Furious, Nabob and Trumpeter. F6F’s of 1840 squadron flew from Indefatigable and F4U’s of 1841 and 1842 squadrons operated off Formidable. F6Fs targeted Tirpitz. F4Us struck at Tirpitz, as well, and performed flak supression. A total of 3 F6F’s and 5 F4U’s were lost in the course of these strikes. Typically for these Tirpitz targeted operations, no aerial opposition was encountered, all Goodwood losses were to AA fire or operational. 

Rich

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## 102first_hussars (Mar 2, 2006)

Gnomey said:


> The was more the one... Ark Royal was sunk on returning to Gibrator by a U-boat (forget which one). After this the USS Wasp took over the duties.



the Wasp was in the Pacific, Battle Of Midway?


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## R Leonard (Mar 2, 2006)

Wasp left Norfolk NOB on 6 June, 1942 and arrived at San Diego on 19 June. Departed San Diego on 1 July and arrived at Tongatabu on the 18th. 

Rich


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## 102first_hussars (Mar 2, 2006)

I didnt know that thanks for the info


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## Maestro (Mar 2, 2006)

Thanks for all those informations, guys.


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## uhebeisen (Jul 13, 2019)

Maestro said:


> Greetings ladies and gentlemen.
> 
> I just found this on a web site and I thought I should share the information with you.
> 
> ...



Very interesting, could someone give me any informations about the Corsair fighters of 1834 or 1841 Sqn.? I've visiting Alta in Norway and there I find the story about operation "Tungsten" against the Tirpitz (I've visited the Tirpitz museum). Now I need to know about the letters and numbers those Corsairs had on their fuselages, e.g. "7L" or just a single letter "P" along with their serial numbers. So far I know that Mk II Corsairs were from JT195.. JT704.
Having these informations I will build a Corsair of the British FAA.

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## RCAFson (Jul 13, 2019)

Gnomey said:


> The was more the one... Ark Royal was sunk on returning to Gibrator by a U-boat (forget which one). After this the USS Wasp took over the duties, other than that there was the Glorius sunk of Norway by Scharnhorst and Gneisnau (sp?). Most of the rest served in the Pacific.



See:

The Supply of Malta 1940-1942 by Arnold Hague 

especially part two.


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## fubar57 (Jul 18, 2019)

JT-217: 1834 Sqn, 1943. No code given
JT-224: 1834 Sqn, 8. 2. 44.. No code given
JT-248: 1834 or 1836 Sqn, 2. 44.. No code given
JT-256: 1834 Sqn, 10. 43.. No code given
JT-264: 1834 Sqn, 7. 10. 43.. No code given
JT-310: 1834 or 1836 Sqn, 3. 44.. 1841 Sqn, 28. 4. 44.. No code given. (Tirpitz)
JT-311: 1834 Sqn, 4. 1. 45. Code "T7B"
JT-324: 1834 Sqn, 25. 9. 44.. No code given
JT-325: 1841 Sqn, 3. 44.. Code "7H"
JT-338: 1841 Sqn, 3. 44.. No code given
JT-340: 1834 Sqn, 24. 8. 44.. No code given
JT-348: 1834 Sqn, 10. 44.. Code "7P"
JT-353: 1841 Sqn, 15. 5. 44.. No code given
JT-361: 1834 Sqn, 7. 44. - 11. 44.. No code given
JT-368: 1834 Sqn, 1944 No code given
JT-370: 1834 Sqn, 10. 6. 44.. No code given
JT-373: 1834 Sqn, 10. 3. 44.. No code given
JT-378: 1834 Sqn, 21. 3. 44.. No code given
JT-379: 1834 or 1836 Sqn, 3. 44.. No code given
JT-383: 1834 Sqn, 26. 3. 44. - 11. 44. Code "7D"
JT-384: 1834 Sqn, 27. 2. 44. - 5. 44. Code "7A"
JT-386: 1834 Sqn, from 26. 3. 44. No code given
JT-389: 1834 Sqn, from 27. 2. 44. Code "7B"
JT-391: 1834 Sqn, 31. 7. 44. No code given
JT-394: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. No code given
JT-399: 1834 Sqn, 17. 10. 44. No code given
JT-402: 1834 Sqn, 14. 4. 44. No code given
JT-403: 1834 Sqn, 19. 10. 44. Code "7N"
JT-414: 1834 Sqn, 4. 44. - 5. 45. Code "3"
JT-423: 1834 Sqn, from 3. 3. 44. Code "7H"
JT-424: 1834 Sqn, from 4. 3. 44. Code "7F"
JT-425: 1841 Sqn, 8. 2. 44. No code given
JT-426: 1834 Sqn, 3. 45. - 5. 45. Code "112/P"
JT-431: 1834 Sqn, 15. 9. 44. No code given
JT-435: 1834 Sqn, 9. 11. 44. No code given
JT-451: 1834 Sqn, 4. 45. Code "112"
JT-452: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. No code given
JT-471: 1834 Sqn, 2. 10. 44. No code given
JT-479: 1834 Sqn, 10. 10. 44. No code given
JT-481: 1834 Sqn, 10. 44. No code given
JT-505: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. No code given
JT-507: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. No code given
JT-523: 1834 Sqn, 1944/5. No code given
JT-524: 1834 Sqn, 10. 44. Code "7R"
JT-529: 1834 Sqn, 4. 45. No code given
JT-531: 1834 Sqn, 11. 8. 44. Code "122"
JT-533: 1834 Sqn, 2. 45. Code "120/P"
JT-534: 1834 Sqn, 9. 9. 44. No code given
JT-539: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. No code given
JT-558: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. - 5. 45. No code given
JT-561: 1834 Sqn, 5. 45. No code given

Thus endeth the first block. The dates are either when the aircraft entered/left squadron service, date of victory or date of loss. I'll post the next block shortly and I'll go back and check if the first five entries were involved with the Tirpitz.

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## fubar57 (Jul 18, 2019)

The first five entries were not involved with Tirpitz. JT-310 was serving with 1841 Sqn when it attacked the ship


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## fubar57 (Jul 18, 2019)

JT-565: 1834 Sqn, 12. 44.. Code "7S" with "P" on the fin
JT-568: 1834 Sqn, 23. 8. 45. Code "124"
JT-572: 1834 Sqn, 29. 1. 45. No code given
JT-573: 1834 Sqn, 19. 12. 44. No code given
JT-575: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. Codes "7K" "T7K"
JT-580: 1834 Sqn, 12. 5. 45. No code given
JT-582: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Codes "T7C" "113/P"
JT-590: 1834 Sqn, 23. 8. 45. Code "128"
JT-607: 1834 Sqn, 7. 45. No code given
JT-616: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. - 5. 45. Codes "T7X" "122/Q"
JT-619: 1834 Sqn, No date. No code given
JT-620: 1834 Sqn, 21. 11. 44. No code given
JT-622: 1834 Sqn, 11. 1. 45. Codes "T7Z" "125/P
JT-624: 1841 Sqn, 20. 1. 45. Code "7C"
JT-626: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Code "118/P"
JT-629: 1834 Sqn, 11. 44. No code given
JT-630: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Code "T7H"
JT-632: 1834 Sqn, 3. 45. Code "116/X"
JT-633: 1834 Sqn, 3. 45. - 5. 45. Codes "120/P" "119/X"
JT-634: 1834 Sqn, No date. Code "137/P"
JT-635: 1834 Sqn, 12. 44. No code given
JT-636: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Code "T7J"
JT-637: 1834 Sqn, 4. 45. Code "126/P"
JT-638: 1834 Sqn, 4. 45. No code given
JT-639: 1834 Sqn, 5. 45. Code "115/P"
JT-645: 1834 Sqn, 4. 45 - 5. 45. Code "125/P"
JT-646: 1834 Sqn, 3. 45. - 5. 45. Code "116/P"
JT-648: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Codes "7R" "T7R"
JT-650: 1841 Sqn, 13. 9. 44. Codes "D" "7D"
JT-651: 1834 Sqn, 9. 44. No code given
JT-654: 1834 Sqn, 2. 45. Code "117/P"
JT-662: 1834 Sqn, 7. 44. - 1. 45. No code given
JT-663: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Code "T7Y"
JT-665: 1834 Sqn, 9. 44. Code "7S"
JT-673: 1834 Sqn, 5. 45. Code "116/P"
JT-679: 1834 Sqn, 29. 1. 45. Codes "T7A" "111/P"
JT-680: 1834 Sqn, 28. 9. 44. - 11. 44. No code given
JT-682: 1834/1836 Sqns, 7. 45. No code given
JT-684: 1834 Sqn, 5. 45. Codes "7P" "123"
JT-687: 1841 Sqn, 19. 9. 44. Code "7J"
JT-696: 1834 Sqn, 29. 1. 45. Codes "T7M" "128/P"
JT-697: 1834 Sqn, 1. 45. Code "T7P"
JT-701: 1834 Sqn, 12. 44. No code given. This is listed as a Mk.III

This is the end of the Corsair II serial numbers

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## Airframes (Jul 18, 2019)

Good work Geo.


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## fubar57 (Jul 18, 2019)

Thanks Terry


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## uhebeisen (Aug 4, 2019)

thanx alot _fubar57_ for your detailled information!
does "no code given" mean that there were no letters and numbers on the fuselage sides, just the British roundels?
I've got the books from Osprey and from Schiffer about the FAA (very interesting). There is a chapter about squadron markings:

first letter for the carrier, eg "A" for Ark Royal
a number [1..5 for spotter reconaissance, 6 and 7 for fighter]
individual letter
It also says that from 1941 onwards this rule wasn't valid anymore.
Operation "Tungsten" had Corsairs of 1834 and 1836 Sqn from the carrier HMS Victorious involved. The Martlets and Hellcats are embarked on HMS Furious (and escort carries perhaps).
There were also photos of Corsairs of the 1841 and 1842 Sqn embarked on HMS Formidable in the book but as far as I know HMS Formidable wasn't involved in the operation "Tungsten".


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## fubar57 (Aug 4, 2019)

I probably should have put "Code unknown" All the above info came from this book containing all known aircraft in the FAA, 514 pgs.


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## stug3 (Aug 5, 2019)

A nice shot of RNAS Mill Meece (HMS Fledgling) Staffordshire featuring an FAA Corsair.

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## Wurger (Aug 6, 2019)




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## nuuumannn (Aug 6, 2019)

> 425 (some sources say 370) Corsairs were also provided to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, beginning in late 1943. By the time the New Zealanders had worked up to operational Corsair squadrons in 1944 there was little for them to shoot at in the South Pacific, and they saw little combat. Most of the New Zealander Corsairs were scrapped after the war, as were the British Corsairs.



Hmm, a brief summary alright. A few alterations. 424 Corsairs served with the RNZAF, F4U-1, '-1D and FG-1D Corsairs. 368 came directly from Vought production, the rest from US Navy and Marine stock, hence the confusion in figures. 13 squadrons operated the type in RNZAF service, although there was only eight in action at any one time. The type was ordered as a fighter but, as stated, there wasn't as much to shoot at, so the squadrons employed them as ground attack aircraft, so they did see plenty of action, with 17 lost to the enemy. Post war, a small number served in a training role, but 24 14 Sqn examples went to Japan in 1946 as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces. These were disposed of in Japan by burning. The rest, what remained of the 425 total were scrapped, but sat at Rukuhia until the early '60s in a mass aircraft graveyard that comprised wartime Harvards, P-40s, Venturas, Avengers and Corsairs, as well as a few Vampires and other types. A couple of ex-RNZAF Corsairs survive, including one kept on the New Zealand civil register, although it flies in US markings.

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## Sid327 (Aug 28, 2019)

For what it's worth,

I know Corsairs were based at RNAS Eglinton in N. Ireland.
(I used to be based at Ballykelly, a former RAF base nearby. Out of interest, here were at least two Corsair wrecks which could easily be seen at low tide in Loch Foyle and in about 1983 we lifted the engine off the one closest to Ballykelly).

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