Goodyear F2G Corsair

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File:F2G-1 NAN11-45.jpg

Using experience gained building the F4U-1 under license – a variant known as the FG-1 – in early 1944, Goodyear modified seven standard Corsair airframes to take advantage of the 50% increase in take-off power provided by the Pratt and Whitney R-4360 engine. Known as the XF2G-1,{{#tag:ref|This designation was used twice; the first XF2G-1 was a 1928 Eberhart prototype.|group=N}} these aircraft also featured a new all-round vision bubble-type canopy in place of the original cockpit and turtle deck.

A land-based variant, with manually-folding wings, was to be known as the F2G-1, while a carrier version with hydraulically-folding wings and arrestor hook was to be called the F2G-2.Dorr 1991, p.68. In March 1944, Goodyear was awarded a contract to deliver 418 F2G-1 and 10 F2G-2 aircraft. The vertical stabilizer's height was also increased by 12 inches, and an auxiliary rudder was added to counteract engine torque.{{Cite web |title=Air-and-Space.com: Corsairs with Four-bank Radials |url=https://www.air-and-space.com/Goodyear%20F2G.htm |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=www.air-and-space.com}} With all these design modifications, the rate of climb of the F2G was increased to 7,000 feet per minute, which was double that of a standard Corsair and higher than jet fighters in service at that time.

The aircraft was intended to be operated from land bases as opposed to aircraft carriers. The F2G-1 had manually folding wings and no tail hook, allowing for reduced weight. The F2G-2 had hydraulically powered wing fold mechanisms and tail hooks installed to allow for carrier operations.

Armament was to include four or six wing-mounted 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) machine guns and eight 5-inch (127 mm) rockets or two 1,000lbs (454kg) Mk.83 GP bombs or 1,600lbs (725kg) AN-Mk.1 armor piercing bombs. The internal fuel capacity of the F2G was increased greatly over that of the F4U, and provisions were also made for two droptanks.

However, post-production testing revealed deficiencies in lateral control and insufficient speed, which were bars to further development of the design. In addition, the Grumman F8F Bearcat – a rival design that had also entered production – had performance comparable to the F2G, even though it was powered with the same engine as the original F4U. By the end of the war in August 1945, when only 10 aircraft (five examples of each variant) had been completed, further production of the F2G was canceled.

XF2G-1: prototype. Seven converted from standard FG-1 Corsairs.{{Cite book |last=Veronico |first=Nicholas A. |title=Warbird History: F4U Corsair |last2=Campbell |first2=John A. |last3=Campbell |first3=Donna |publisher=Motorbooks International |year=1994 |isbn=0-87938-854-4 |pages=75–76}}{{#tag:ref|Some sources state that there were eight XF2G-1 prototypes, with the FG-1A BuNo 12992 being modified in addition to the other seven. However, 12992 was used as a static test airframe for the program and never received the XF2G designation.|group=N}}

F2G-1: land-based variant, 418 ordered, five built, order cancelled.

F2G-2: carrier-based variant, 10 ordered, five built, order cancelled.

;{{USA}}

• United States Navy

File:GoodyearF2G-2.jpgOn 7 September 2012, the heavily modified F2G-2 "Race 74", BuNo 88463 and registered N5577N, was destroyed in a fatal crash that occurred when pilot Bob Odegaard was rehearsing for an airshow flight routine at the Barnes County Municipal Airport in Valley City, North Dakota.Goyer, Robert. [http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/accidents/bob-odegaard-killed-crash-super-corsair "Bob Odegaard killed in crash of Super Corsair".] Flying, 8 September 2012.{{cite news |date=Sep 7, 2012 |title=Famed N.D. pilot Bob Odegaard killed during practice for Valley City air show |url=http://www.grandforksherald.com/content/famed-nd-pilot-bob-odegaard-killed-during-practice-valley-city-air-show |access-date=19 March 2016 |work=Grand Forks Herald}}

File:F2G-1 Bu88458.jpgTwo Super Corsairs have survived into preservation, with one airworthy.

; Airworthy (F2G-1)

• 88458 (better known as "Race 57"): privately owned in Bentonville, Arkansas.[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=5588N "FAA Registry: N5588N"] FAA.gov. Retrieved: 15 July 2021. It was the fifth production aircraft and was purchased by Cook Cleland, who went on to finish first in the 1947 Thompson Trophy Race and first in the 1949 Tinnerman Trophy Race. Over time, the aircraft, registered as NX5588N, went from owner to owner and slowly deteriorated. Finally, in 1996, NX5588N was purchased by Bob Odegaard of North Dakota, and was returned to airworthy condition in 1999. The aircraft was on loan to the Fargo Air Museum.[http://odegaardaviation.homestead.com/aircraft.html "Goodyear F2G-1D Super Corsair Race #57."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120911014304/http://odegaardaviation.homestead.com/aircraft.html |date=2012-09-11 }} Duggy.com. Retrieved: 8 September 2012. Odegaard raced the aircraft in the Unlimited class at the Reno Air Races from 2006 to 2008 [http://www.airrace.org/databaseAbout.php "Race results database"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919182931/http://www.airrace.org/databaseAbout.php |date=2008-09-19 }}. Reno Air Racing Association, 24 September 2008. Retrieved: 12 June 2010. and it was featured in the movie Thunder Over Reno.[http://www.thunderoverreno.com/hardware "Hardware."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305124303/http://www.thunderoverreno.com/hardware/ |date=2016-03-05 }} Thunder over Reno. Retrieved: 31 December 2011. The aircraft was bought in February, 2017 by Steuart Walton. It is based at Louise M. Thaden Airfield in Bentonville, Arkansas.

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File:F2G-1 Corsair with wings manually folded. BuNo 88454.jpg

; On display (F2G-1)

• 88454: Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.[http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/goodyear-f2g-1-super-corsair "F2G-1 Corsair/Bu. 88454."] Museum of Flight. Retrieved: 31 December 2011.[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N4324 "FAA Registry: N4324."] FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021. It was the first production aircraft and was acquired from the Marine Corps by the Champlin Fighter Museum, and later came to the Museum of Flight in Seattle with the rest of the Champlin collection.

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File:Goodyear F2G-2 Corsair 3-view line drawing.png

{{Aircraft specs

|prime units?=imp

|ref={{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

|crew=1

|length ft=33

|length in=9

|length m=10.3

|span ft=41

|span m=12.5

|height ft=16

|height in=1

|height m=4.9

|wing area sqft=314

|wing area sqm=29

|empty weight lb=10249

|empty weight kg=4649

|gross weight lb=13346

|gross weight kg=6054

|max takeoff weight lb=15422

|max takeoff weight kg=6995

|eng1 name=Pratt & Whitney R-4360-4 "Wasp Major"

|eng1 type=28-cylinder radial engine

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 hp=3000

|eng1 kw=2200

|max speed mph=431

|max speed kts=374

|max speed kmh=694

|max speed note=at 16,400 ft (5,000 m)

|range miles=1,955

|range nmi=1,699

|range km=3,146

|range note=with external tanks

|ceiling ft=38800

|ceiling m=11800

|climb rate ftmin=4400

|climb rate ms=22.35

|wing loading lb/sqft=42.5

|power/mass=0.22 hp/lb (370 W/kg)

|guns=4× .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, 400 rounds/gun

|rockets=8× 5 in (127 mm) rockets or

|bombs=1,600 lb (725 kg)

}}

{{Aircontent

|related=

• Vought F4U Corsair

|similar aircraft=

• CAC CA-15
• Curtiss XP-62
• Grumman F8F Bearcat
• Hawker Sea Fury
• Kawasaki Ki-100
• Lavochkin La-9
• Martin-Baker MB5
• Republic XP-72
• Supermarine Spiteful

|see also=

|lists=

• List of fighter aircraft
• List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)
• List of military aircraft of the United States

}}

{{Reflist|group=N}}

{{Reflist}}

• Dorr, Robert F. US Fighters of World War Two. London, UK, Arms and Armour Press, 1991. {{ISBN|1-85409-073-9}}
• Lockett, Brian. [http://www.air-and-space.com/Goodyear%20F2G.htm "Corsairs with Four-bank Radials".] Goleta Air and Space Museum. Retrieved: 16 January 2007.
• Pautigny, Bruno (translated from the French by Alan McKay). Corsair: 30 Years of Filibustering 1940-1970. Paris: Histoire & Collections, 2003. {{ISBN|2-913903-28-2}}.
• [http://www.airrace.com/racing_corsairs.htm "Racing Corsairs."] Society of Air Racing Historians. Retrieved: 16 January 2007.

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/goodyear-f2g-1-super-corsair F2G-1 Corsair on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061030163523/http://www.odegaardaviation.homestead.com/aircraft.html F2G-1D Corsair in flying condition at Odegaard Aviation]

{{Goodyear aircraft}}

{{Vought aircraft}}

{{USN fighters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodyear F2g Corsair}}

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