f4u corsair
A United States Navy carrier and marine warplane used during WW2 and Korea. Originally meant to be a dogfighter but grew more into the role of ground attack as the wars progressed.
The Corsair is easily identified by its huge size- easily twice the size of the zero, something rather unusual for carrier-borne aircraft. Its propeller is the largest ever put on a single-seat fighter, measuring at 13 feet from tip to tip. Consequently its nose was so big that the craft was barred from service until pilots could be trained to land on a curved arc (in fact, this was what led to the Corsair being released for Marines use where they outmatched IJN aviators flying Zeroes). While there were two Navy squadrons that still flew Corsairs when they were first deployed, one soon switched to F6F Hellcat use while the other (VF-17 of Bunker Hill) was removed from the carrier until November 1943.
It can also be identified by its gull wing, which swoops down before angling upward, giving the plane a unique silhouette and elegant appearance. This was done solely to keep the massive prop from striking the ground during takeoff and landing, but it also gave the plane uncommon dive and climb characteristics that pilots exploited, as well as a signature whistle during a dive.
Despite the Corsair's early troubles caused by its massive power and hog nose, pilots eventually adapted and it became highly successful, finishing the war with a kill ratio of 1-12 (in its favor).
