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MWSA Review
In F4U Corsair, Ernest Snowden provides a comprehensive account of the development, deployment, and historical impact of the instantly recognizable American fighter plane. Rich in photos, maps, and charts, the book delves into the technical specifications of the aircraft, its role in World War II and the Korean War, and the experiences of the pilots who flew it.
The book details the challenges and innovations involved in designing the F4U Corsair. It covers the Corsair's deployment in World War II’s Pacific Theater, highlighting its effectiveness as both a carrier-based and land-based fighter. Snowden also examines the aircraft's role in the Korean War, where it excelled in ground-attack missions. The book includes numerous accounts from pilots, providing firsthand perspectives on flying and fighting in the Corsair.
Although this book includes outstanding visual aspects (making it suitable as a coffee table book), given its detailed research and the level of detail it contains, F4U Corsair could also be considered a reference book. Chock-full of interesting details, Snowden manages to explain relatively complex engineering and tactical concepts without overwhelming the average reader. The narrative is engaging, blending historical facts with personal anecdotes from pilots, engineers, and military planners to create a vivid portrayal of the Corsair's legacy.
Overall, F4U Corsair by Ernest Snowden is a must-read for aviation enthusiasts and history buffs. Its thorough research, engaging narrative, and personal accounts make it an excellent resource for understanding the significance of this iconic aircraft.
Review by John Cathcart (June 2025)
Author's Synopsis
F4U Corsair is published by Naval Institute Press as the first aircraft history in a series they title Special Editions. Special Editions are designed to offer a deeper look at iconic naval aircraft using an image-heavy, magazine-style format in a coffee table book layout. Special Editions are intended to appeal to scholars, enthusiasts, and general readers alike.
Rarely is an aircraft design so inspired that it brings forth near-universal recognition and acclaim. In more than 110 years of naval aviation history and more than 50 years of Vought Corsairs in active-duty squadrons, one Corsair model, the F4U, stands alone. In that time, only a few naval aircraft have been acknowledged as game changers that singularly tipped the balance in air combat. The Vought F4U Corsair heads a short list of such aircraft by dint of its supremely efficient lines—a melding of the highly developed Double Wasp powerplant, the outsized Hydromatic propeller that it drove, and the finely tuned airframe that wrapped it.
Navy and Marine Corps aviators held the Corsair in high esteem for its ruggedness, speed, and adaptability as a fighter and a bomber, long after its first appearance in the South Pacific during World War II, through the closing weeks of the Korean War. The Corsair’s potency made it sought after by allied air forces long after its final days in U.S. inventory, rendering vital service in French livery at Dien Bien Phu and, finally, with South American air forces in the so-called “Soccer War” of the late 1960s. Here is the complete history of this storied aircraft, from early design through the legendary dogfights of Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington’s Black Sheep Squadron over the Pacific, and in operations in Korea.
Format(s) for review: Paper Only
Review Genre: Artistic—Pictorial/Coffee Table
Number of Pages: 126
Word Count: 40,000