CoolPix: The Troubled, Early 1950's Vought F7U Cutlass (+ Video)
Monday, October 31, 2011 at 07:29AM 
(click pic for hi-res) A Vought F7U Cutlass launches from the USS Intrepid in 1954
I was really fortunate to grow up in the 60's and 70's learning about all kinds of aircraft... from gliders to airliners, from homebuilts to warbirds, from general aviation to modern military. My knowledge is fairly large and far more diverse than your average hardcore avgeek, but one thing I've learned running AirPigz: there is so much I don't know! The late 40's / early 50's Vought F7U Cutlass is a great example. I knew almost nothing about this very unique and interesting aircraft... until this morning.
This CoolPix gives you a great idea of how this post WWII jet was definitely taking a different view of the future of carrier based aircraft. With no standard horizontal tail, twin vertical fins, and a landing gear designed to set the aircraft on the ground in a very high angle of attack, the Cutlass was a very bold design. And check out that open canopy on takeoff!
Unfortunately, the engines were unreliable and also didn't provide the thrust needed, which led to a variety of challenges for those who flew the airplane. The safety record of the Cutlass wasn't good. And tho over 300 were built, and it was put into service, it never lived up to the potential that its highly advanced design seemed to suggest.
I'm already quite fascinated with the Cutlass, so you can expect some detailed info coming in the future on this and several other aircraft that for one reason or another, I never knew much about... there seems to be a lot left to learn!
WWII, historical, military, video Email Article
Reader Comments (2)
I was expecting to see the "Gutlass" go into the drink, frankly. I saw a film in a USN training class showing bolters, engine failure and other accidents during cat shots and trapping. There were more shots of the Cutlass going in than any other. I think it was just ahead of it's time, the main problem being lack of power/reliability in the early jet engines and a poor hydraulic system.
Great post. I've been facinated by this and the F4D Skyray since seeing them both at the Pensacola Naval Air Museum years ago. Beautiful aircraft both, and more of those great examples of the weird ideas in military aviation from the '40s and '50s.