Goodyear F2G Corsair
Goodyear · United States · first flew 1944 · fighter
The Goodyear F2G Super Corsair was a highly modified variant of the famous Vought F4U Corsair fitted with the enormous 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major engine to produce an exceptional low-altitude interceptor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.19 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Super Corsair with massive Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major engine
- Bubble canopy replacing original birdcage canopy of standard Corsair
- Designed as low-altitude interceptor against Japanese kamikaze attacks
Recognisable as a Corsair by the inverted gull wing, but distinguished by the much larger R-4360 engine cowling, bubble canopy, and short, blunt nose compared to standard Corsair variants.
Specifications
- The Goodyear F2G Corsair has a length of 10.19 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.5 m (41 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 708 km/h (440 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in 1944 specifically to intercept Japanese kamikaze aircraft at low altitude, the F2G was too late for WWII service; only 10 were built. After the war, surplus F2Gs became successful air racers, winning the Thompson Trophy multiple times at Cleveland in the late 1940s.
Variants
F2G-1 (land-based) and F2G-2 (carrier-capable with arresting hook); 10 aircraft total across both variants.
Where you'll see it
Never saw combat; declared surplus after WWII; several still exist as racers or in museums including the Planes of Fame Air Museum.
Related aircraft
- Goodyear FG-1D Corsair
- Goodyear Inflatoplane
- Arado E.580
- Bell XP-77
- Blohm & Voss BV 155
- Curtiss SC Seahawk
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