After enduring heavy losses to the Japanese Navy's Zero fighters in the early stages of the Pacific War, the U.S. Navy became focused on developing new fighters capable of turning the tides of aerial combat. Among those fighters was the Corsair, first developed to be a high speed, carrier borne aircraft. Built around the new Pratt & Whitney R-2800 2000hp engine, and turning the largest propeller ever attached to a fighter plane (4m dia.), this gull-winged wonder was destined to be a success.