Lucky13
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....what's the difference? 
F4U-4 Corsair Early vs Late?
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Mostly the decals and the outer folded wings. The early version has them rounded while the later one has them cut stright. Believing the info on the boxes the different wingspan.
There were basically two versions of the F4U-4. The -4 with .50 machine guns the and F4U-4B with 20mm cannons. The wing shape and dimensions are identical on all Corsairs except those used by the Royal Navy with the shorter wing tips.
80764/81758, 81779/81828 had round windscreen, 81759/81778, 81829/82177 had flat windscreen.
The early F4U-4 had the same windscreen and canopy as the F4U-1D/FG-1D. Rounded windscreen and overhead panel on sliding canopy.
The later F4U-4 had a flat windscreen and redesigned sliding canopy without the overhead panel.
Some F4U-4B's with 20mm cannons had a redesigned sliding canopy due to the small bump on rear fuselage. These were the same as the F4U-5 thru F4U-7.
80764/81758, 81779/81828 had round windscreen, 81759/81778, 81829/82177 had flat windscreen.
The early F4U-4 had the same windscreen and canopy as the F4U-1D/FG-1D. Rounded windscreen and overhead panel on sliding canopy.
The later F4U-4 had a flat windscreen and redesigned sliding canopy without the overhead panel.
Some F4U-4B's with 20mm cannons had a redesigned sliding canopy due to the small bump on rear fuselage. These were the same as the F4U-5 thru F4U-7.
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Lucky13
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How did the P54 code work, aircraft being 54 and carrier being the P?
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Lucky13
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I think that the F4U-2 were, 02153, 02243, 02421, 02432, 02434, 02436, 02441, 02523, 02617, 02622, 02624, 02627, 02632, 02641, 02672, 02673, 02677, 02681, 02682, 02688, 02692, 02708, 02709, 02710, 03731, 02733 03811, 03814, 03816, 17412, 17418, 17423 and maybe 02665 and 17473....
Unfortunately I can't read the blurb so what follows may repeat some of it.
The code relates to a second line unit, 757 squadron, not a carrier unit.
Formed on 2nd Oct 1943 at Puttalam Ceylon as a Fighter Pool Squadron and later known as 757 Naval Operational Training Unit. It had examples of Wildcat, Corsair, Hellcat and Seafire on charge. Later it had subsidiary "squadrons" specialising in the last three types numbered No 1,2&3. It taught the latest tactics for use against the Japanese and provided deck landing practice. It supplied replacement pilots to squadrons in the Eastern Fleet and later the East Indies Fleet as well as carriers passing through heading for the Pacific.
The squadron code was the single letter 'P' taken from the name of its base. Individual aircraft were then given numbers, running to at least 87. In July 1945 it moved to Tambaram where the 'P' changed to 'T' and immediately post war to Katukurunda where the letter became 'K'.
JT260 was a Corsair II recorded on strength of the squadron from July 1944.
Prior to that it was recorded as being with 1837 squadron in June which was aboard Illustrious that month. Its squadron code was '7' with individual aircraft carrying letters of the alphabet.
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Lucky13
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Oh the filth! 
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