Vought SBU Corsair

SBU
A SBU-1 of Scouting Squadron 41
General information
TypeDive bomber
National originUnited States
ManufacturerVought
Primary userUnited States Navy
Number built125
History
First flightMay 1933
Developed fromVought XF3U
Developed intoVought XSB3U

The Vought SBU-1 Corsair was a two-seat, all-metal biplane dive bomber built by Vought Aircraft Company of Dallas, Texas for the US Navy. Its design was based upon the F3U-1 two-seat fighter that was abandoned when the Navy decided not to obtain any more two-seat fighters.

Design and development

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The aircraft was equipped with a closed cockpit, had fixed landing gear, and was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1535 radial air-cooled engine as had the F3U-1, but also included a controllable pitch propeller and a new NACA cowl with adjustable cowling gills on the trailing edge of the cowl. The adjustable cowling gills permitted better control of cooling airflow over the engine.

The SBU-1 completed flight tests in 1934 and went into production under a contract awarded in January 1935. The Corsair was the first aircraft of its type, a scout bomber, to fly faster than 200 mph. The last SBU Corsairs were retired from active service in 1941, being reassigned as trainers.[1]

The name "Corsair" was used several times by Vought's planes; the O2U/O3U, SBU, F4U, and the A-7 Corsair II.

Operators

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 Argentina
 United States

Variants

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XF3U-1
Two-seat fighter prototype with a 700 hp R-1535-64 engine.[2]
XSBU-1
The XF3U-1 converted to scout bomber prototype with a 700 hp R-1535-96 engine, later used as an engine test bed.[3]
SBU-1
Original production order; 84 aircraft with 750 hp R-1535-82 engine.[3]
SBU-2
Follow-on order; 40 aircraft with R-1535-98 engines.[3]
Model V.142A
Export version for Argentina.[3]

Specifications (SBU-1)

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Data from United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 [4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: two: pilot, navigator/gunner
  • Length: 27 ft 10 in (8.49 m)
  • Wingspan: 36 ft 3 in (10.14 m)
  • Height: 11 ft 11 in (3.63 m)
  • Wing area: 327 sq ft (30.4 m2)
  • Empty weight: 3,645 lb (1,659 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 5,520 lb (2,509 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535-80 Twin Wasp Junior 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine, 700 hp (522 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 178 kn (205 mph, 330 km/h) at 8,900 ft (2,700 m)
  • Cruise speed: 106 kn (122 mph, 196 km/h)
  • Range: 477 nmi (548 mi, 882 km)
  • Service ceiling: 23,700 ft (10,800 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,180 ft/min (6.0 m/s)

Armament

  • Guns: 1x Fixed forward firing .30 in (7.62 mm) Browning machine gun and 1x machine gun flexibly mounted .30 in machine gun in rear cockpit
  • Bombs: 1x 500 lb (227 kg) bomb

Notes

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  1. ^ Johnson 2008, p. 306.
  2. ^ Andrade 1979, p. 192
  3. ^ a b c d Andrade 1979, p. 222
  4. ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 396.

Bibliography

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  • Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
  • Johnson, E.R. (2008). American Attack Aircraft Since 1926. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-3464-0.
  • Swanborough, Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. London:Putnam, 1976. ISBN 0-370-10054-9.
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Media related to Vought SBU Corsair at Wikimedia Commons

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