Two place Corsair.
In late 1945, the concept of a Two Place Trainer version of the F4U was in discussion between Vought and the Bureau of Aeronautics. The potential program was given a Vought number of V-354.
The trainer is a conversion of the F4U-1D from a single place to two place aircraft. The airframes converted would be from surplus US Navy stocks, there would be no new build airframes. By late January 1946 the Navy had ordered 50 F4U-1Ds held for possible use in the program.
To convert a F4U-1D into a Two Place Trainer the fuselage front section would be exchanged for one containing two full sized cockpits. The single large fuel cell would be traded for four smaller fuel cells. The new fuel cells would be located under the cockpits (2) and one each in the outer wing panels. The outer wing fuel cells would displace two of the machine guns and ammunition from each wing leaving the aircraft with only two guns, one in each wing. The aircraft would retain full arresting and catapulting provisions to support aircraft carrier operations. Lastly, the V-354 would retain the same engine, bomb and rocket provisions as a standard F4U-1D.
View attachment 358343Although only few F2G's (17) were built, others were probably on the production line. Some of the planes pictured may never have been accepted by the Navy or flown.