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The Vought "Corsair" 

A Two-Place Convertible Observation-fighter with Single Seater Characteristics and Performance

[[2 Images: Top Image shows 2 planes side by side on a field. Bottom Image is close of up the front of the plane]] 

THE Vought "Corsair" is a high performance two-place Observation-Fighter Airplane, convertible type using interchangeable wheel-type or float-type landing gear. These planes will be used as replacements for the present Vought UOs, now accomplishing various missions for the U.S. Navy. 

The "Corsair" is a tractor biplane, powered with Pratt & Whitney "Wasp" 400 horse-power radial air-cooled engine. It was designed by the Vought engineering organization in co-operation with the Bureau of Aero-nautics. 

First tests of the "Corsair" were made at Mitchell Field on November 2, 1926. Since that time, the plane has been put through exhaustive tests by the Navy Department's official Trial Board, first as a landplane, then as a seaplane, and then cata-pulted. In these official tests, with full load and with equipment and armament in place, the "Corsair" showed characteristics and performance comparable to service single-seaters. 

The top-speed may be said to substantially exceed that of present two-place service types, and to approach that of service single-seater pursuit types. The demonstrated low speed was much lower than the requirements. 

Official full-load climb in ten minutes exceeds that of present standard single-seater pursuit types, and equals that of the newest experimental single-seater fighters. Speed range, ratio of high to low speed, is particularly noteworthy, and on the order of 2.85, obtained under official full-load test conditions. 

Perhaps the most interesting phase of the "Corsair's" performance is its actual ability to out-fly and out-maneuver present service single-seater and two-place types at high altitude levels. It will not fall out of tight maneuvers at service ceiling, and its service ceiling, as a seaplane, has been shown to exceed that of the new single-seater fighters as landplanes. 

The performance of the "Corsair" is all the more interesting when the limitations which are imposed by use of airplances aboard the Navy's cruises are understood. Such a plane cannot exceed certain definite overall dimensions and gross flight weight; it must have an extremely low, safe, minimum flying speed to take care of adverse conditions of catapult launching; and must carry the maximum possible load with the highest possible performance. Also quick assembly and dis-assembly with rapid conversion from land to seaplane is also necessary, requiring compactness and simplicity in the entire structure. Robustness and strength are essential since the planes are exposed to all conditions of weather and sea. 

The biplane wing cellule is made up of a special Vought thick airfoil section for the upper wing, and a double cambered section for the lower wing. The cellule combines forward stagger with sweepback in the upper wing. This new arrangement gives, at all flying speed, marked stability when combined with a judicious arrangement of the tail surfaces, and furnishes an exceptionally steady gun platform resulting in much greater accuracy of fire from both fixed and free guns. 

While the "Corsair" is extremely stable in flight, the control is particularly easy and the plane flies and maneuvers at the touch of the finger. It spins very rapidly and easily when put into a spin, yet it will not "flat spin", nor has it any "auto-rotative" tendency. 

In a properly designed airplane of this type, the use of Freize or Panther type ailerons to obtain precise and easy lateral control was definitely shown by this new Voight 2-seater to be neither necessary nor desirable. 

The wing arrangement and the disposition of the cockpits gives unusually good vision, perhaps the best average vision for all purposes and with

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