Its gull-wing shape made it instantly recognizable. Its characteristic sound while in an attack dive led the Japanese to call it "The Whistling Death." Combined with its high speed, agility and toughness, the Vought F4U Corsair was one of the finest fighters ever built. Originally thought to be too powerful to fly from a carrier, the Corsair weaved a path of destruction in battle after battle during WWII, totally outclassing the much-feared Zero. The last of the great piston-engine fighters, the Corsair went on to become an important component of the US naval air power during the Korean War. Even while it was being replaced by jet aircraft, pilots flying this tough warbird were credited with downing a few MiG-15 jet fighters.

Pictured here is a 1:48 scale replica of a USMC Chance-Vought F4U-1 Corsair Fighter that was piloted by Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Kenneth Walsh, who was attached to VMF-124, then deployed to Munda during 1943. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 10-inches
Length: 8-1/4-inches

Release Date: July 2016

Historical Account: "MOH" - Kenneth Ambrose Walsh (November 24th, 1916 - July 30th, 1998) was the fourth ranking United States Marine Corps fighter ace in World War II with a record of 21 enemy planes destroyed. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Walsh enlisted in the Marines on December 15th, 1933, at age 17, becoming a mechanic and radioman. Upon receiving his Wings of Gold in April 1937 he was still a private, but was promoted to corporal soon thereafter. He flew scout-observation aircraft over the next four years before assignment to VMF-121 in North Carolina. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was a technical sergeant, becoming a warrant officer in May 1942, and was commissioned a year later. He was also one of a handful of Marine aviators qualified as an aircraft carrier landing signal officer.

Assigned to VMF-124, Walsh was one of the most experienced pilots in the Corps' first Vought F4U Corsair squadron. The unit arrived at Guadalcanal in February 1943 and was immediately committed to combat. He claimed his first three Japanese planes on April 1st, 1943 and two more in his next combat, May 13th, 1943, becoming the first Corsair ace.

Walsh brought his score to 20 by the end of August 1943, including two combats over the Solomon Islands that earned him the Medal of Honor. US President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented him the medal on February 8th, 1944. Walsh returned to combat in 1945, flying with VMF-222, scoring his last kill at Okinawa on June 22nd, 1945.