What was the top speed of a Corsair?
The top speed of the Corsair was roughly 450 mph (about 720 km/h), depending on variant and conditions.
The Corsair refers to the Vought F4U family, a carrier-based fighter that served with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps during World War II and into later conflicts. Its speed varied across variants due to engine tweaks, airframe refinements, and testing conditions. Below is a concise look at how fast the main models could go and why those numbers aren’t a single fixed figure.
Common Corsair variants and their top speeds
Notes on data and testing
Top-speed figures come from official Navy test data and manufacturer records. Actual speeds depend on altitude, weight (fuel/ordnance), and configuration. The ranges below reflect typical figures cited by historians and manufacturers for the major variants.
- F4U-1 / F4U-1A: approximately 430–450 mph (690–725 km/h)
- F4U-4 / F4U-4B: approximately 440–450 mph (710–725 km/h)
- F4U-7: approximately 450 mph (725–730 km/h)
These numbers illustrate the general pace of the Corsair across its key versions. Exact speeds were influenced by altitude, weight, and engine settings during testing or flight operations, so there isn’t a single universal top speed for the entire Corsair lineage.
Why the speeds vary and what it meant in combat
The Corsair’s performance was shaped by its powerful R-2800 Double Wasp engine, its distinctive inverted gull-wing design, and carrier-muitable airframe. In practice, pilots leveraged the Corsair’s climb rate and high-speed capability to gain position, engage quickly, and depart from combats with energy for subsequent maneuvers. The result was a fighter that could hold its own at various altitudes and ranges, even as speeds shifted between variants.
Summary
In short, the Corsair’s top speed isn’t a single fixed figure. For the main F4U variants, most sources place the upper end around 450 mph (roughly 720 km/h) at altitude, with precise numbers varying by model, altitude, load, and testing method. The Corsair’s speed, combined with its other qualities, helped define its distinctive role in naval aviation during the war and beyond.
