X-Wing Corsair |
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Gallery
Article by Alvis 3.1 |
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Saddled with troublesome colonial
holdings after WW II, France was forced to be very innovative in how to deploy
forces and react to uprisings and insurrections. One of the more radical
attempts to improve tactical support was the F4U-X Corsair Deluxe, a special
variant built by Vought to French Aeronavale specifications. Utilising the
standard F4U fuselage, an extra set of wings was attached above the standard
set, making the F4U-X the last biplane fighter manufactured.
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The second set of wings increased
both maneuverability and ordinance carrying capability, but with a decrease in
maximum speed. The engine was uprated, and the landing gear beefed up to handle
the extra weight. The wheels were now doubled, and while this prevented them
from being retracted into the wing, the semi-external configuration allowed
wheels-up landings with minimal airframe damage. The final external difference
between the F4U-X and a regular Corsair was the addition of the five bladed prop
to handle the extra power from the engine. A total of 32 were constructed for
the Aeronavale, all being delivered in April of 1953.
Operationally,
the F4U-X should have been spectacular, but misfortune prevented that. All the
acceptance trials had shown the plane to perform amazingly. However, while being
delivered to the French Navy at Toulons, a grizzled quartermaster spotted the 32
"ancient" biplanes parked at the dockside, and in a fit of efficiency,
scrapped the lot right on the spot!
Alvis 3.1
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