Carrier Groups

[Wilhammer]

http://www.f4ucorsair.com/tdata/history.htm

Relevant info:

Despite the decision to issue the F4U to Marine Corps units, VF-12 (October 1942) and later VF-17 (April 1943) were equipped with the F4U. By April 1943 VF-12 had successfully completed deck landing qualification. However, VF-12 soon abandoned its aircraft to the USMC, while VF-17 operated as a shore-based unit in New Georgia.
In November 1943 the land-based VF-17 ran out of fuel while giving top cover to the carriers USS Essex and USS Bunker Hill. The aircraft then landed on the carriers, without incidents.

The US Navy finally accepted the F4U for shipboard operations in April 1944, after the longer oleo leg was fitted, which finally eliminated the tendency to bounce. The first Corsair unit to be based effectively on a carrier was the pioneer USMC squadron, VMF-124, which joined the USS Essex. They were accompanied by VMF-213. The increasing need for fighters, as a protection against Kamikaze attacks, resulted in more Corsair units being moved to the carriers.

The Navy squadrons VF-12, VF-17 and VF-301 also soon operated from carriers.

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It would be more historically accurate for UV to have the Corsair removed from the list of carrier aircraft.

[von Murrin]

I can recall a story of some F4U equipped Marine pilots flying high CAP for a picket DD off Okinawa, they were operating above cloud cover, and when they began to run low on fuel with no relief in sight, they decided to head back to the island.

After dropping through the clouds, they found that Oki was nowhere in sight! They finally established radio contact with a US CV TF ( it was Enterprise or Intrepid, IIRC), and got clearance for a landing, which they managed just fine.

This little story has two interesting aspects.

1. The Marines landed safely on a CV with no training in that type of operation.

2. The CV's were actually close to the coast of Japan. The Marines had been blown hundreds of miles north by the jet stream, and didn't know it because of the constant cloud cover below them!

[NorthStar]

Actually, the marine squadrons I have been using have been F4F squadrons (havn't actually seen a F4U yet) -- but the corsair information was interesting, nonetheless.

The issue of carrier operations training was more of what I was getting at. I was aware of the manual's statement of what planes can be carrier based -- as well as the 110% capacity limit -- but I wondered if there was any more to it.

The only possible effect I can see is that the marine squadron I currently have aboard Hornet has a significantly lower morale than the navy squadrons. I don't know if this is a coincidence, or if the marine pilots don't appreciate the salt air.

Could be a leader issue as well, I suppose . . . Now where are those suicide missions when I need one?