F4U-1C front view
The cockpit canopy of this model was improved, featuring a frameless, blown, one-piece unit. There is a possibility that some F4U-1As were retrofitted with this canopy. However, the most notable change from the -1A was the introduction of cannon armament, which was used for the first time on Corsairs. The sextet of machine guns was replaced with two Hispano M2 20 mm caliber cannon, each with 120 rounds, mounted in each wing. This was considered the ideal offensive firepower for the Corsair’s increased use in the ground strafing role, especially by the USMC. Vought produced the 3,608th Corsair, which was the first F4U-1C, with the parent company alone producing 200. Goodyear and Brewster were not involved, and the first F4U-1C examples were introduced in August of 1943. Vought also took the opportunity to replace the starter cartridge system with a Jack and Heintz electric starter and improve the hydraulic installation system in the fuselage and centre section. To maintain the same gross weight, the wing bomb racks were removed. All F4U-1Cs were delivered with a smaller diameter three-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller of 3.99 meters. Although pilots liked the extra firepower of the cannon, it was reported that most would have preferred the six machine gun arrangement in the air-air role due to the higher rate of fire and larger number of rounds available. This could be the reason why production of this variant stopped at 200. Nevertheless, the F4U-1C paved the way for future cannon-armed models of the F4U, including the F4U-4B, F4U-5, F4U-7, and AU-1.