USMC VMF 121, Pilot: Capt. Francis E. Pierce Jr., 6 Victories - WWII Ace. The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service in World War II and the Korean War (and in isolated local conflicts). The Corsair served in some air forces until the 1960s, following the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942åÎ-1952). Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II. The U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio for every F4U shot down.