O3U-1 Corsair

The Vought O3U‑1 Corsair was a single‑engine, two‑seat biplane scout and observation aircraft built for the United States Navy in the early 1930s. Developed from the earlier O2U series, the O3U‑1 entered service in 1930 as the Navy’s primary ship‑board reconnaissance platform, operating from battleships, cruisers and light carriers. Powered by a 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R‑1340‑W Wasp radial engine, the aircraft achieved a top speed of roughly 150 mph and a range of 600 mi, allowing extended patrols over the fleet’s perimeter. Its mixed construction—fabric‑covered wings and a metal fuselage—combined lightweight flexibility with robust durability, while the open cockpit gave both pilot and observer excellent visibility for artillery spotting and photographic intelligence. Armament consisted of a forward‑firing .30‑caliber machine gun, a rear flexible gun for the observer, and up to 200 lb of bombs mounted under the wings. The O3U‑1’s reliability and ease of maintenance made it a workhorse during the inter‑war years, bridging the gap between biplane scouts and the all‑metal monoplanes that would dominate World War II. Its service demonstrated the evolving role of naval aviation in fleet reconnaissance and laid groundwork for later carrier‑based aircraft designs.