The Vought SBU-1 Corsair was a two-seat, all-metal biplane dive bomber built by Vought Aircraft Company of Dallas, Texas for the US Navy.
Its design was based upon the F3U-1 two-seat fighter that was abandoned when the Navy decided not to obtain any more two-seat fighters.
The aircraft was equipped with a closed cockpit, had fixed landing gear, and was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1535 radial air-cooled engine as had the F3U-1, but also included a controllable pitch propeller and a new NACA cowl with adjustable cowling gills on the trailing edge of the cowl.
The adjustable cowling gills permitted better control of cooling airflow over the engine.
The SBU-1 completed flight tests in 1934 and went into production under a contract awarded in January 1935.
The Corsair was the first aircraft of its type, a scout bomber, to fly faster than 200 mph.
The last SBU Corsairs were retired from active service in 1941, being reassigned as trainers.
Variants
XSB3U-1
One prototype built.
XF3U-1
Two-seat fighter prototype with a 700 hp R-1535-64 engine.
XSBU-1
The XF3U-1 converted to scout bomber prototype with a 700 hp R-1535-96 engine, later used as an engine test bed.
SBU-1
Original production order; 84 aircraft with 750 hp R-1535-82 engine.
SBU-2
Follow-on order; 40 aircraft with R-1535-98 engines.