Thomas Brinkman

An Aeronautical Engineer’s View… The Vought F4U Corsair and its Contemporaries

by  Thomas Brinkman

Reviewed By  Michael Novosad, IPMS #36721

MSRP: $18.95 Paperback, self-published. Website: tombrinkman@charter.net Before I begin a modeling project I often research applicable publications and references and may selectively purchase a reference that I feel will help me with my project. Pictures, black and white and color along with line diagrams are important to me. After reviewing the reference materials I will make a list of details that I feel I must improve or add to the build. For me technical information is not always useful, but is interesting and informative. When An Aeronautical Engineer’s View….The Vought F4U Corsair and its Contemporaries first arrived for my review I quickly scanned through the pages and the only picture I found was that of the author. I need pictures, lots of pictures, of the Corsair, wheel wells, the cockpit, details, markings and so on. I thrive on line drawings. Nonetheless I had an obligation to review the publication, and the only way to do that was to read it. The author has a BS and MS in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, and a MS in Electrical Engineering also from the University of Minnesota. Sounds like credentials required to read and understand vintage technical documents and make an evaluation of the information. Tom Brinkman is a member of IPMS (#45183)—Zumbro Valley Modelers, in Rochester, MN. This publication is in a soft cover, 8 ˝" by 11" , twelve chapters, and a 75 page format. The cover has plans and profile of the recognizable P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-51 Mustang, F6F hellcat and a head-on view of the F4U Corsair. The preliminary draft was first published in May 2006, and the fifth edition was issued in January 2009. The cover did not strike me as having much eye-catching appeal, and I personally would be inclined to overlook it on a book store display shelf. This should not be too difficult to read and review. Contents The author addresses the design criterion and development of the United States 2nd generation fighters of World War II. Today, most, if not all, modern aircraft are designed with a computer, along with flight simulations to address flight characteristics. Many are assisted in actual flight by computers (look as the B-2: could not fly without computers). The "modern" aircraft designed in the late 30’s were designed by guys with brush cuts, wing tip shoes, slide rules and pocket protectors. The test pilots that flew their planes for the first time put their fate in the hands of the engineers and technology available at the time. This publication contains many unknown (to me at least) fascinating and interesting facts about the United States 2nd generation fighters. These are the aircraft that many of us love and enjoy reproducing in modeling form. Although the Corsair is the focus of this effort, the author also offers some insight into the other major USAAF and Navy, the Supermarine Spitfire, the Mitsubishi Zero and The Messerschmidt Bf-109. Regarding the Corsair, the large propeller (13’-4" diameter required the vertical fin to be offset two degrees to the left, one wing was slightly shorter than the other, and the dihedral of one wing was slightly less. The Corsair production run was eleven years. I knew about none of this. The "slowest" Corsair was the prototype at 405 mph (!!) and the fastest was the F4U-5 at 469 mph. Climb rates for the various aircraft, as well as performance at altitudes is covered. What makes an aircraft great or not so great? What allowed the Royal Navy to utilize the Corsair on their carriers long before the US Navy? What were some of the flight characteristics? Read the book to find out. Conclusion When I read the author’s credentials my first thought was "Man, is this going to be dull and boring!!" It took me about four hours to read the book, and that was in one hour stretches as time permitted. It was not dull and boring at all. There is some very interesting information contained within the pages of this publication. The author’s writing style is easy to read, and when technical terms are used an explanation is offered to help with the reader understanding of the subject. There is no doubt the author did his homework. The cost for this publication is $18.95. Shipping costs for An Aeronautical Engineer’s View….The Vought F4U Corsair and its Contemporaries within the U.S. are Media Rate = $2.38 regardless of destination. This is the lowest rate, although a little slower than Priority Mail or First Class. Thr author would be happy to ship First Class for the same Media Rate if a particular reader had a special need. Out-of-Country shipments would be at the standard rate for each country as charged by the USPS. My only criticism is the lack of reference photos and line drawings for some of the lesser know or recognized features and details for the aircraft. I am certain that the addition of images and drawings would add to the publishing costs, but as a modeler that information would be worth the expense. Other than that, this publication is loaded with facts and information from cover-to-cover. Boring and dull? Not at all! Recommended reading for those who are interested in learning more details about the design, development, attributes and short-comings of the second generation war planes of the United States during World War II this publication offers some interesting reading. My review copy was signed by the author. Thanks to Thomas Brinkman for the opportunity to review this publication, an obvious true labor of love.