Vought XF4U-1 Corsair 1443 NAS Anacostia Flight Test Section

These are 1/72 scale decals for Vought XF4U-1 Corsair 1443, evaluated by the Flight Test Section at Naval Air Station Anacostia, Washington D.C., wearing natural metal overall with Chrome Yellow (FS 13538) wing leading edges and lower cowling, bold "U.S. NAVY" fuselage titling, and bureau number 1443 with designation "XF4U-1" on the tail.

The XF4U-1 was the prototype of what would become one of the most iconic and capable fighter aircraft of World War II — the Vought F4U Corsair. First flown on 29 May 1940 by test pilot Lyman Bullard, the XF4U-1 was a revolutionary design: the largest and most powerful single-engine fighter the Navy had ever ordered, built around the massive Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine and featuring the distinctive inverted gull wing that gave the Corsair its unmistakable silhouette. On 1 October 1940, the XF4U-1 became the first U.S. single-engine aircraft to exceed 400 mph in level flight — a landmark achievement that demonstrated the extraordinary potential of the R-2800/Corsair combination.

Evaluated at NAS Anacostia by the Navy's Flight Test Section — the same facility that had assessed the Vought V-141 four years earlier — the XF4U-1 wore the natural metal finish standard for prototype evaluation aircraft of the period, with Chrome Yellow leading edges for visibility. The NAS Anacostia Flight Test Section patch and Naval Aviator wings are included on the decal sheet. Includes four national insignia in two sizes and two bureau number size options: 1443 and XF4U-1.

The beginning of a legend — an essential subject for any Corsair, USN prototype, or WWII fighter collection. Please allow some time for decal printing and shipping.