Vought Cutlass - $4.95
A truly fantastic design that even flies well as a cardmodel. The USAF ripped this design right off the top of the WWII German drafting tables.
F7U Vought Cutlass Carrier Fighter Jet
Among the large quantities of German aeronautical research data
which began to reach the USA in the latter part of 1945 were details
of some work on tailless designs done by the Arado company. Development
of these designs by the Chance Vought company led to production
of the highly unconventional F7U Cutlass. The wing, with a sweepback
of 38 degrees, was of very low aspect ratio, 3 :1, and almost
parallel chord. Pitch and roll controls were combined in elevons
on the wing; fins and rudders were located on the wing at the
ends of the center section...
It enjoyed only limited succes and service, and had a bad safety
record: over about 25% were lost in accidents in three years of
service and was dubbed the“Gutless Cutlass”.
The Cutlass was a very unusual Vought design for a tailless fighter, with a swept wing and twin fins on the trailing edge near mid-span. The original F7U-1 was very unsatisfactory; after much redesign the F7U-3 entered service. 290 built.
General characteristics |
Some
airplanes seem to be just perfect for paper modelling!
Not only does this model round up perfectly..guess what?! It flys fantastically. Simply glue* an opened paper clip under the nose and launch with a rubber band. Ballast and balance as needed, Amazing! It goes straight up, levels off, and glides to the tallest tree or roof.
* we used hot melt glue and lots of it !
F7U Vought Cutlass
.
Laid out as a carrier-based fighter, this design
offered a high rate of climb and high top speed combined with
comparatively
small size when the outer wing panels were folded up for carrier
stowage. The US Navy ordered three XF7U-1 prototypes on June 25,
1946, specifying Westinghouse J34-WE-32 engines with afterburners.
The first flight was made on September 29, 1948, by which time
a production contract for 14 F7U-ls had been placed while development
of the F7U-2 with J34-WE-42 engines and the F7U-3 with J46-WE-8As
was initiated.
The first F7U-l flew on March 1, 1950, and the entire batch of this model was assigned to the Advanced Training Command at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station during 1952. Difficulties with the Westinghouse J34 programme resulted in cancellation of the F7U-2 before completion, while early experience with the F7U-1 airframe led to an extensive redesign for the F7U-3. First flown on December 20, 1951, the latter model had a new nose shape, redesigned fins and other changes. Four squadrons were equipped-VF-81, VF-83, VF-122 and VF-124--and production of the definitive version totaled 162.
 |
 |
TECHNICAL DATA (F7U-3)
Manufacturer; Chance Vought Division of United Aircraft Corporation (later Chance Vought Aircraft ), Dallas, Texas.
Type: Carrier-based fighter.
Accommodation: Pilot only.
Power plant: Two 4,600 lb s.t. Westinghouse J46-WE-8A turbojets
Dimensions: Span, 38 ft 8 in; length, 44 ft 3 in; height, 14 ft 74 in; wing area, 496 sq ft.
Weights: Empty, 18,210 Ib; gross, 31,642 lb.
Performance: Max speed, 680 mph at 10,000 ft; initial climb, 13,000 ft/mm; service ceiling, 40,000 ft; range, 660 st miles.
Armnanment: Four fixed forward-firing 20mm guns; provision for four Sparrow1 AAMs.
