"F4U-5 Corsair" polo shirt

Developed primarily during the Second World War, the Vought F4U Corsair is instantly recognizable thanks to its distinctive inverted gull wing. This innovative design made it possible to build the smallest possible airframe around the largest and most powerful engine available. The Corsair was designed around the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800, an 18-cylinder twin-row radial engine equipped with a two-stage, two-speed supercharger, producing 1,850 horsepower at takeoff.

The Corsair polo presented here features the colors of the magnificent F4U-5N (“N” for Night Fighter) flown by VMF-312, a Marine squadron that served throughout the Korean War from August 1950 until June 8, 1953.

The first VMF-312 Corsairs arrived in Korea on September 19, 1950, operating from Wonsan Air Base in South Hamgyong Province, North Korea.

Nicknamed the Checkerboards, the squadron flew numerous missions in support of the 1st Marine Division during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. In March 1951, the unit embarked aboard the light aircraft carrier USS Bataan (CVL-29), where it carried out escort and interdiction missions. When it left the carrier in June 1951, VMF-312 had accumulated 4,945 carrier flight hours without a single operational accident, while completing 1,920 carrier landings.

Following a brief period of close air support operations from land bases, the squadron returned to sea aboard the USS Bataan. During this deployment, the Checkerboards became the first piston-engine fighter squadron to shoot down a jet aircraft, when Captain Jesse Folmar destroyed a MiG-15 using his Corsair’s 20 mm cannons.

On June 8, 1953, VMF-312 was relieved by VMF-332 and returned to the United States to transition to the Grumman F9F Panther at Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida.

The EAA Warbirds of America, a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a community of owners, pilots, and enthusiasts dedicated to preserving historic military aircraft.

Guided by its motto, “Keep Them Flying,” the organization works tirelessly to ensure these remarkable aircraft remain airworthy. Most of the warbirds seen at airshows and aviation events are privately owned or maintained by museums. The dedication of their owners to flying these high-performance aircraft while preserving an important part of aviation heritage allows new generations to experience these extraordinary machines.

Barnstormer puts its expertise at the service of aviation enthusiasts with a single ambition: to pay tribute to the greatest mechanical achievements and the remarkable human stories that shaped aviation history.

It is a true honor for Barnstormer to partner with the EAA Warbirds of America, a collaboration that has given birth to a truly unique collection.