When did the Corsair get 4-bladed props?

[IdahoRenegade]

I happen to be watching a show right now called "The second world war: the war at sea". It features a lot of old newsreel footage (and some pretty dry, uninformative narration). Anyway they had some clips of British Corsairs flying from their carriers. I noticed that they were equipped with 3 bladed props. My understanding is that the first British carrier operation of the Corsair occurred in April 44. I was under the impression that the 4-bladed prop was cut in significantly earlier than that. I've done a bit of web searching and haven't come up with an answer (and several of the hits take me to this forum). So once again I figured I'd ask the experts.

 

[GregP]

The XF4U-1, F4U-1, F4U-1a, and F4U-1d had 3-blade props.

The Corsair got a 4-blade starting with the F4U-4.

 

[VMTB143]

I guess I need to ask this question again even though it is an ancient thread...because I have color film showing the initial planes loaded onto the USS Block Island for VMF-511 on March 17-21, 1945 at NAS North Island Santa Barbara, CA. The squadron's war diary for that month shows 8 of the F4U-1Ds assigned yet the plane being loaded has a four blade propeller. Hmmm

screenshots from my film attached...

 

[mjfur]

The most likely answer is that the film is miss-labeled and it isn't VMF-511 in Mar. 1945. Perhaps another squadron on the Block Island used F4U-4's?

Edit: or this USS Block Island (CVE-106) - Wikipedia
"She got underway on 20 March, bound for Pearl Harbor, carrying a load of 30 extra planes and 192 passengers in addition to her normal crew and complement of 36 planes."

 

[Wurger]

Except the engine, prop and cockpit arrangement the F4U-4 was essentially the same as the F4U-1D. So the it is easy to confuse them. But I agree with mjfur's opinion.
However the images are also labeled as the F4U-1D of the VMF-115 squadron in 1945. BUt the three-blade props can be noticed.

the source:
File:F4U-1D VMF-511 on USS Block Island (CVE-106) 1945.jpeg - Wikimedia Commons

Asisbiz Goodyear FG-1D Corsair VMF-511 White I51 BuNo 87889

www.asisbiz.com

And here a footage showing the VMF-511 kites on the aircraft carrier in 1945. Also the thre-blade props can be noticed.


View: https://youtu.be/EbcvdhYUes4

more ....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zHghYiiHEA&list=PLMQHkDMd_XbPsrRGho9tjYrvie99kGg_k&index=8

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7QkmqBe2CA&list=PLMQHkDMd_XbPsrRGho9tjYrvie99kGg_k&index=3

 

[VMTB143]

I have film storyboards with date and time filmed on that roll as well as the CAS-D-1 related to the squadron. I also show the plane being off loaded at Pearl Harbor March 8, 1945. The aircraft markings clearly indicate VMF-511 too. Everything matches - film, squadron war diary, ship's diary. Hmmm

 

[GregP]

During the war, things also got retrofitted in a mix and match sort of way. If a squadrom had some F4U-1s and F4U-4s, they might fit a 4-blad prop just to make things easier for maintenance logistics. That would not be the first time ...

 

[Wurger]

Also a good point.

 

[mjfur]

I have film storyboards with date and time filmed on that roll as well as the CAS-D-1 related to the squadron. I also show the plane being off loaded at Pearl Harbor March 8, 1945. The aircraft markings clearly indicate VMF-511 too. Everything matches - film, squadron war diary, ship's diary. Hmmm

If everything matches you wouldn't have a screenshot of an F4U-4. Perhaps it was one of the extra 30 non VMF-511 aircraft transported to Hawaii?

 

[mjfur]

During the war, things also got retrofitted in a mix and match sort of way. If a squadrom had some F4U-1s and F4U-4s, they might fit a 4-blad prop just to make things easier for maintenance logistics. That would not be the first time ...

No, that's not a thing. They didn't slap a 4-blade prop on an F4U-1D.

 

[VMTB143]

That is my YT channel and some of my films!

I will assume it is an "extra" plane.

 

[EwenS]

The F4U-1 used the R-2800-8 B series engine with 3 bladed prop. The F4U-4 used the R-2800-18W C series engine with 4 bladed prop. Other than the prop, the F4U-4 can be identified by the extra airscoop at the bottom of the cowling as shown here.

It was normal practice for carriers leaving the West Coast for Pearl Harbor to load up to capacity with spare aircraft or even entire squadrons for transport west. During that voyage they would be non-operational with no flying being carried out. After offloading the "spares" they would generally undergo a final period of training before moving to the Western Pacific. That was the pattern followed by Block Island. From DANFS.


"Departing San Diego on 20 March, Block Island carried 30 aircraft as Hawaii-bound cargo in addition to the 36 in her own air group, and 192 naval officers and enlisted men travelled as passengers. Block Island reached Pearl Harbor, T.H., on 26 March and, after discharging her passengers and cargo, spent the ensuing weeks engaged in underway training in Hawaiian waters.

On 17 April, Block Island sailed for Ulithi in the Carolines, screened by Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748), proceeding via Eniwetok in the Marshalls."

This transport work augmented that of the USN and a few RN escort carriers allocated to the Carrier Transport Squadron Pacific in 1945 responsible for moving aircraft around the Pacific from the West Coast to forward bases.

 

[GreenKnight121]

F4U-4: The last variant to see action during World War II. Deliveries to the U.S. Navy of the F4U-4 for operational use began in early 1945 (initial deliveries to the USN were actually in October 1944, but the USN conducted a series of tests to clear it for combat use). It arrived on the battlefront in June of 1945 for the final push against the Japanese mainland.