The F4U Corsair became the subject for a lend-lease deal between the Britis and American government and a total of 2,012 Corsairs the Royal Navy received.

The British Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) warmed to the “Corsair” much ahead than the US Navy.

April 3,1944, the FAA Corsair’s first carrier action (No.1834 squadron, based on H.M.S. Victorious) was to provide fighter cover for the attack on the German battleship "Tirpitz" in the North Sea.

Modifications to the F4U included the clipping of the wings by eight inches because of the smaller confines of the hangar decks on British carriers.

By April 1944 the Home Fleet felt confident enough to enter the Corsair Mk.lI in combat, and 28 aircrafts from the 1834 and 1836 Squadrons of HMS Victorious's air wing duly provided fighter cover on the 3 April, 1944, as No.47 Naval Fighter Wing (FW) for "Operation Tungsten" an air strike by six carriers on the German battleship Tirpitz at Kaajford, Iceland.

Further attacks on the TIRPITZ were performed in July and August 1944, with Corsairs from the HMS FORMIDABLE participating.

FAA Corsairs originally fought in a camouflage scheme, with a light-green/dark-green disruptive pattern on top and a white belly, but were later painted overall blue.

Those operating in the Pacific theater acquired a specialized British insignia -- a modified blue-white roundel with white "bars" to make it look more like a US than a Japanese insignia to prevent friendly-fire incidents.

Of the 18 squadrons eventually equipped with the Corsair, 8 saw combat.

Only 2 of the four marks (Mk.I and Mk.II) operated by the FAA were used in action, and of the 2012 received, roughly 40 remained in service until August 1946.

The last of the wartime delivered aircraft, KD647, served with 721 squadron at Kai Tak, Hongkong until September 1947.