Upon Navy go-ahead for three experimental airplanes, Vought designed and built them at the Stratford, Connecticut Plant. The airplane was designed for U. S. Navy carrier operations, weighed 14,300 pounds and was powered by two Westinghouse XJ34-WE-32 afterburner-equipped turbojet engines. The armament was four 20-mm cannons.

The Vought F7U Cutlass was a United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter and fighter-bomber of the early Cold War era.

Cutlass production totaled 307 aircraft: 3 XF7U-1 prototype aircraft, 14 F7U-1, 180 F7U-3, 98 F7U-3M, and 12 F7U-3P variants. Two of the F7U-ls were painted in Blue Angel colors and in 1952 flew with the team’s F9F-5 Panthers as display aircraft.

On June 25, 1946, three prototypes designated as XF7U-1 were ordered. On September 29, 1948, the aircraft took its maiden flight. The F7U-1 was the initial production variant, the F7U-3 was a definitive production variant, and the F7U-3P was a photo-reconnaissance variant.

The XF7U-1 airplane Is a single place, twin turbo Jet engine propelled, carrier hFh performance fighter. It has tricycle ilandlng gear, catapult provisions and folding

Based on initial flights of the XF7U-1 airplane in 1948, the U.S. Navy ordered fourteen of the production versions of the airplane, the F7U-1. Powered by two J34-WE-32 engines with Solar afterburners, the production model incorporated several improvements.

Jun 21, 2023 · First flown in 1948, the F7U-1 was a unique and daring design featuring a tailless swept-wing configuration. Powered by a pair of Westinghouse J34-WE-42 turbojets, the F7U-1 was indeed an experimental prototype that paved the way for future developments.

Feb 21, 2018 · Indeed, the XF7U-1 stood as one of the more advanced aerodynamic design approaches to any post-war, jet-powered carrier fighter to this point in military aviation history. Power was served through 2 x Westinghouse J46-WE-8B turbojet engines (F7U-3) developing 4,600lbs thrust (each) on dry and 6,000lbs thrust (each) with reheat (afterburner).

Based on initial flights of the XF7U-1 airplane in 1948, the U.S. Navy ordered fourteen of the production versions of the airplane, the F7U-1. Powered by two J34-WE-32 engines with Solar afterburners, the production model incorporated several improvements.

Water's proposal subsequently appeared in three prototypes under the designation "XF7U-1", and the entire line was dubbed the "Scimitar" in due course. As mentioned earlier, the F7U is an all-cannon aircraft with 4 x 20mm M3 cannons mounted …