AnO2U floatplane flies over the Cavite Navy Yard, circa 1930. The seaplane tenderJason is docked at the yard, directly below the plane. Sangley Point is in the background.
TheVought O2U Corsair is a 1920sbiplane scout and observation aircraft. Developed byVought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by theUnited States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW)Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine, it incorporated a steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood wing structure with fabric covering. Many wereseaplanes or amphibians.
Two prototypes were ordered in 1926 and tested by the Navy Trial Board before the first production batches were ordered. In 1927, a total of 291O2Us were produced. TheO2U-2,-3 and-4 were ordered in 1928 with minor changes. By 1930 they were being superseded by theO3U which was basically similar to theO2U-4, one variant of which was fitted with theGrummanfloat, and were manufactured until 1936. A total of 289 were built.[1] Many of them hadcowled engines and some had enclosedcockpits.
The 600-690 hp (448-515 kW)Pratt & Whitney R-1690-42 Hornet engine was used to power Corsairs designatedSU-1 toSU-4. The change in designation reflected their role as scouts (their larger engines and heavier weight precluded their use as floatplanes, and USN examples were only used on wheels from either carrier decks or land bases). A total of 289 SU designated aircraft were built for the USN. No fewer than 141 Corsairs were still serving with the US Navy and Marines when the US entered World War II.[citation needed]
Export versions included theCorsair V-65F,V-66F andV-80F for the Argentine Navy, theV-80P for the Peruvian Air Force, and theV-85G forGermany.[1]China purchased Corsair variantsV-65C andV-92C.Brazil purchased 36 aircraftV-65B, some hydroplanesV-66B and 15V-65F.
In March 1929,Mexico purchased 12 armed aircraftO2U-2M versions with the 400 hp (300 kW) Wasp engine to quell a military coup; Mexico then built 31 more units under licence, and called themCorsarios AzcárateO2U-4A. In 1937, Mexico purchased 10V-99M equipped with the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-T1H-1 550 hp Wasp engine, some of them may have been sent toSpain.[2]
China purchased the 42 export versions ofO2U-1 from 1929 to 1933, and 21 export versions ofO3U between 1933 and 1934 and they saw extensive bombing actions. TheO2U-1 versions participated in theCentral Plains War and in theJanuary 28 Incident againstJapanese targets, while theO3U versions first participated in theBattle of Pingxingguan to support the Chinese ground forces, and later against the Japanese targets inShanghai.
Peru purchased two Vought OSUs which were designated UO-1A. Later, in 1929, 12 O2U-1 were acquired. Used first as trainers, they saw action againstAPRA rebels in the northern areas of the country, and against Colombian ships and aircraft during theColombia-Peru War. None were lost due to enemy fire, but several were destroyed due to accidents. These aircraft were also used for light bombing and casualty evacuation by the US Marine Corps during the intervention in Nicaragua in the late 1920s.
Single example taken on charge by theU.S. Army Air Corps for evaluation with serial29-323,Wright Field Project Number P-547,[4] powered by a 450 h.p. R-1340-C engine. Destroyed in hangar fire at Wright Field, Ohio, 18 March 1930.[5]
O2U-1
two prototypes followed by 130 production aircraft for USN with interchangeable wheel/float landing gear and 28 aircraft for other customers. 450 hp (336 kW)Pratt & Whitney R-1340-88 Wasp engine
O2U-2
37 built, increased span and larger rudder
O2U-3
110 built (30 for export), revised wing rigging, redesigned tail surfaces andPratt & Whitney R-1340-C engine
O2U-4
43 built (1 for export. Also seven civilian O2U were built), similar toO2U-3 but with equipment changes
Scout version of the O3U based on the O3U-2, 28 built[8]
SU-2
Scout version of the O3U based on the O3U-4, 53 built[8]
SU-3
Variant of the SU-2 with low-pressure tires, 20 built[8]
XSU-4
SU-2 converted as a prototype SU-4 variant with a 600 hp R-1690-42 engine, later became an SU-4.
SU-4
SU-4 re-engined with a 600 hp R-1690-2 engine, 41 built[8]
One United States Navy O2U-3 evaluated by the United States Army Air Corps.
Vought V-65B
Export version for Brazil - 36
Vought V-65C
Export version for Nationalist China
Vought V-65F
Export version for Argentine Navy
Vought V-66B
Export version for Brazil
Vought V-66E
Export version for United Kingdom, powered by 500 hp (370 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp D.1 engine, one brought for evaluation by theRoyal Air Force, delivered 1933 and discarded 1936.[9]
Vought V-66F
Export version for Brazil - 15, and Argentine Navy
Vought V-80F
Export version for Argentine Navy
Vought V-80P
Export version for Peruvian Air Force
Vought V-85G
Export version for Germany
Vought V-92C
Export version for Nationalist China
Vought V-93S
Export version of the O3U-6 for Thailand. Locally designatedB.F.5 (Thai:บ.ฝ.๕) as a trainer andB.J.1 (Thai:บ.จ.๑) as an attack aircraft.[10]
^Andrade, John M.U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Earl Shilton, Leicester: Midland Counties Publications, 1979.ISBN0-904597-22-9, page 138.
Lezon, Ricardo Martin & Stitt, Robert M. (January–February 2004). "Eyes of the Fleet: Seaplanes in Argentine Navy Service, Part 2".Air Enthusiast. No. 109. pp. 46–59.ISSN0143-5450.
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Germany - commercial variant (V-85G) used to deliver mail from the ocean linersSS Bremen andSS Europa
Japan
Media related toVought O2U Corsair at Wikimedia Commons
