FLIGHTPATH | 71F4U-4 Corsair BuNo. 97359 has been faithfully
restored to represent the plane flown by Korean War
Medal of Honor recipient LtJg. Thomas J. Hudner.LE F T: The fully restored cockpit of
F4U-4 Corsair BuNo. 97359,
complete with gunsight.Doug Matthews running up the engine on the F4U-4
Corsair before taking off from the Ramona Airport
for an air-to-air photo session.Replica 5-inch rockets
mounted under the wing of
F4U-4 Corsair BuNo. 97359.complex aircraft, weighing
several thousand pounds
more than the Mustang.
“While the P-51 has two hy-
draulic sub-systems, the
Corsair has eight! It has su-
perior ordnance capability
and it can have a great com-
bat radius. Due to U.S. Navy
requirements, the Corsair
also has a substantial con-
struction,” he said.
“As for Reno, it is a blast to
fly the course in any fighter,
much less the iconic Corsair,”
Matthews stated. “With it be-
ing heavier, it comes down the
starting chute better than the
P-51s, but once on the course
the Big Blue Beast doesn’t per-
form at low altitudes like the P-
51s. It’s a high-altitude per-
former for sure I race both the P-51 and
the Corsair as stock, without any modifi-
cation, so as to preserve their historic
value and to demonstrate what great de-
signs they still are.”
As a final note of interest, Matthews said:
“At war’s end, all (US) contracts for fighters
were terminated, except for one – Corsairs
were produced until 1953. If I were going to
war in the Pacific, I’d want the F4U-4 for its
range, ordnance, comfort and durability. If
the war was in Europe, I’d want the P-51 for
escort work, but the Corsair for any ground
attack. I have roughly 500 hours in each
and I feel honored.”