A Big Step on the Path to Greatness With a highly complex P&W R-2800 engine generating 2,000hp, a 4-meter propeller and striking gull wings, the Corsair was certainly a memorable aircraft; it was effective, too, and was one of the mainstays of the U.S. Navy. The F4U-1A variant was assigned to units from Summer 1943, and featured upgrades such as a semi-bubble canopy (to improve previously limited visibility), plus the ability to carry bombs of up to 1,000lb. It saw a large amount of action in fighting with the Japanese Navy around the Solomon Islands; the Corsair continued to serve through the Korean War in the guise of further variants, the bomber capability pioneered by the F4U-1A proving a most effective addition to the aircraft's inherent ability.