Goodyear FG Corsair

The Goodyear FG‑Corsair was the version of the legendary Vought F4U built under license by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company during World War II. Goodyear received the contract in early 1942 and, after setting up a dedicated aircraft plant at Kalamazoo, Michigan, delivered its first flight on 7 July 1943. In total 2,751 FG‑Corsairs were manufactured, making Goodyear the third largest producer of the type after Vought and Brewster.

The aircraft retained the iconic inverted‑gull wing and the powerful Pratt & Whitney R‑2800 Double‑Wasp radial engine that drove a 13‑foot propeller, providing more than 2,000 horsepower. It featured a robust, hydraulically actuated landing gear suitable for carrier decks, and could carry up to eight .50‑caliber machine guns or a combination of rockets and bombs. Improved armor and self‑sealing fuel tanks heightened survivability in the Pacific theater.

Goodyear’s contribution was significant because the FG‑Corsair supplied the U.S. Navy with a steady stream of front‑line fighters and later served as advanced trainers for new pilots. The program also demonstrated Goodyear’s ability to transition from rubber products to high‑tech aeronautics, leaving a lasting legacy in both military aviation and the post‑war aerospace industry.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company

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