O2U-3 Corsair

The Vought O2U‑3 Corsair was the third production variant of the company’s successful biplane scout‑observation aircraft, entering service in late 1928. Built for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, the O2U‑3 saw extensive use throughout the interwar period and in the early stages of World War II, where it operated from battleships, cruisers, and aircraft carriers as a float‑plane or land‑plane. Powered by a 450‑horsepower Pratt & Whitney R‑1340‑W Wasp radial engine, the model offered a top speed of 156 mph, a service ceiling of 13,000 ft and a range exceeding 600 mi, allowing reliable reconnaissance, artillery spotting and limited attack missions. Its welded steel tube fuselage, fabric‑covered wooden wings and interchangeable wheeled or float undercarriage provided great versatility and ruggedness in harsh maritime environments. Armament included a forward‑firing .30‑caliber machine gun and a rear‑defensive .30‑caliber gun, with the capacity to carry up to 200 lb of light bombs. The O2U‑3’s robust design and adaptable configuration made it a workhorse of Navy scouting squadrons, influencing later Vought designs such as the O3U and the famed “Wildcat” fighter lineage, and cementing its place as a pivotal bridge between World War I biplanes and modern carrier aviation.

Vought

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