"Typical" Bomb Loads - F4U and P-51 (F-51) in WWII and Korea

[Conslaw]

Spec sheets for the F4U and P-51D both say that each type could carry a 2,000 lb. bomb load. It appears to me though that a 1,000 lb. load was more common for both types in WWII, and 2,000 lb. loads were either never or rarely carried. (I'm well-aware that Charles Lindbergh took off with and a 4,000 lb bomb load in a F4U demonstration flight.) It appears that both types regularly carried 2,000 lb. bomb loads in Korea (with the Korean-war-era F4Us being F4U-4 and F4U-5n.) It also appears that in Korea, both F4U and P-51 regularly flew missions armed both with bombs and rockets, whereas in WWII, it was almost always bombs OR rockets. What accounts for the difference? What sacrifices in fuel/ammunition were necessary for each plane to take on a 2,000 lb. bomb load? Bombs+rockets - what were the limits? Airfield/flight deck lengths for different loads?

 

[BobB]

No hard numbers but I recall someone writing in a magazine years ago that he flew Corsairs off a forward strip in Korea and that P-51's operating from the same field had to carry reduced bomb loads due to the short runway length.

 

[GreenKnight121]

If you include all Corsair models in Korea, then you have the AU-1:

U.S. Marines attack variant with extra armor to protect the pilot and fuel tank, and the oil coolers relocated inboard to reduce vulnerability to ground fire. The supercharger was simplified as the design was intended for low-altitude operation. Extra racks were also fitted (10 underwing rocket pylons vs 8 in the -4/-5N). Fully loaded for combat the AU-1 weighed 20% more than a fully loaded F4U-4, and was capable of carrying 8,200 lb of bombs. The AU-1 had a maximum speed of 238 miles per hour at 9,500 ft, when loaded with 4,600 lb of bombs and a 150-gallon drop-tank. When loaded with eight rockets and two 150-gallon drop-tanks, maximum speed was 298 mph at 19,700 ft. When not carrying external loads, maximum speed was 389 mph at 14,000 ft. First produced in 1952 and used in Korea, and retired in 1957. Re-designated from F4U-6.