AU-1

AU-1

AU-1

USA

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.7	5.7	5.7

Class:

PREMIUM

Strike aircraft

Naval aircraft

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

MARKET

This page is about the American attacker AU-1. For other versions, see F4U (Family).

Description

The AU-1 Corsair is a premium gift rank IV American attacker with a battle rating of 5.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during Update 1.97 "Viking Fury" as a reward for the "Space Race" event.

General info

Flight performance

The AU-1 has below-average flight performance. Although speed is good, manoeuvrability is lacking, as is climbing ability and high-altitude performance.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,267 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	___	___	9500	__._	__._	__._	__._	500
Upgraded	674	638		20.9	22.0	25.4	19.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	730	470	278	245	~10	~3

Survivability and armour

The AU-1 is a more heavily armoured variant of the F4U (Family), and as such has good survivability.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The AU-1 is armed with:

• 4 x 20 mm M3 cannons, wing-mounted (246 rpg = 984 total)

Suspended armament

The AU-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 10 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (2,500 lb total)
• 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 6 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 9 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (4,500 lb total)
• 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 10 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (5,500 lb total)
• 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 6 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (6,000 lb total)
• 3 x 1,600 lb AN-Mk 1 bombs (4,800 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 2 x 1,600 lb AN-Mk 1 bombs + 6 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (8,200 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb (2,000 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 6 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (7,000 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 2 x 1,600 lb AN-Mk 1 bombs + 10 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (7,700 lb total)
• 10 x HVAR rockets
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 10 x HVAR rockets (4,000 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 2 x 1,600 lb AN-Mk 1 bombs + 10 x HVAR rockets (5,200 lb total)
• 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 10 x HVAR rockets (3,000 lb total)
• 3 x Tiny Tim rockets
• 3 x Tiny Tim rockets + 10 x HVAR rockets
• 6 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 3 x Tiny Tim rockets (3,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

Armament:

The AU-1's defining characteristic is its ability to carry incredible amounts of suspended armament--as much as a B-17 heavy bomber. In Air Realistic battles, the AU-1 can destroy two bases (bombing points), and in Ground Realistic battles, the plane has the potential to absolutely devastating against enemy ground forces. From carpet bombing, rocket barrages or precision drops, this plane can do it all.

Additionally, the four cannons provide very effective frontal armament (they're some of the best 20 mm cannons in the game) and the high ammunition count is a nice bonus, too. They wreak havoc on enemy aircraft, deal considerable damage to lightly armoured tanks and wheeled vehicles, and in Air realistic battles can destroy light pillboxes and light tanks.

Flight Performance:

But despite the AU-1's incredible ground-attack capabilities, it has very poor flight performance. It is often unresponsive, even without ordnance loaded, and with a full bomb loadout the plane is about as manoeuvrable as a heavy bomber.

In Air Realistic battles, the AU-1 receives an attacker air-spawn. However, it climbs poorly and its engine is quite weak at high altitudes, so players will be unable to take full advantage of the air-spawn. Very often, teammates and enemy fighters will out-climb this aircraft. In a dogfight, the aircraft is heavy, sluggish, and generally outmatched.

As for speed, the aircraft is capable but less so than its counterparts. In low-altitude level flight, the AU-1 is around 40 kph slower than its cousin, the F4U-4B. In a high-speed dive, the elevator tends to compress making it more difficult to manoeuvre.

Recommended Play-styles:

Due to its poor flight capabilities, it is not recommended that the AU-1 be used in a fighter role. Instead, it may be used to destroy ground targets in Air RB or to destroy enemy ground forces in Ground RB. Remember that this aircraft, if left alone, can deal incredible damage with its bombs, rockets, and cannons. But, also keep in mind that enemy fighters and SPAA will not struggle to shoot it down.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 20 mm	FMBC mk.1
II		Compressor	Airframe		FLBC mk.1	FRC mk.2
III	Wings repair	Engine		New 20 mm cannons	AN-Mk 1
IV	G-suit	Engine injection	Cover		LBC mk.1	LFRC mk.12

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Many loadout options provide flexibility for any battle situation
• Strong ground-attack capability
• Low repair cost

Cons:

• Poor elevator authority
• Weak high-altitude performance
• Prone to engine overheating
• Slower than its cousin, the F4U-4B

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

The AU-1 stood out from the rest of the Corsair variants, as it was not designed as a fighter, but as a dedicated ground attack aircraft. The F4U-6 was developed from the F4U-5 series, and as such had similar characteristics. It had the same metal skinned wing panels and blown cockpit design as the F4U-5 series. It was designed as a low altitude ground attack aircraft, and as such had a large number of modifications that other Corsairs did not receive.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

The AU-1 is part of the F4U family of aircraft. Its closest relative in-game is the F4U-4B. Unlike other members of the F4U Corsair family, the AU-1 is primarily a ground-attack aircraft.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.