05/29/2026
It's a Very Special ! Time to celebrate the birthday of the F4U Corsair 🎂! The F4U Corsair celebrates its "birthday" on May 29th. This marks the exact date in 1940 when the prototype Vought XF4U-1 first took to the skies, making it one of the most iconic warbirds of World War II and the Korean War. Often nicknamed the "Bent-Wing Bastard" or "Whistling Death," the aircraft boasted the largest engine and propeller combination of any fighter plane at the time. Its inverted gull-wing design allowed for shorter, sturdier landing gear while keeping the massive propeller safely clear of the ground.
Pictured is the Brewster Corsair from the National Museum of World War II Aviation.
corsair
Photos by John Guzzi Photography