The first prototype Chance Vought F7U Cutlass took to the air with Robert Baker at the controls on the of September 1948, two hundred and eighty eight aircraft were eventually produced and equipped 13 squadrons for a short time, the plane however was not very successful, both pilots and maintenance crews tending to take a dislike the Cutlass particularly it's advanced but unreliable hydraulic control system , Carrier landings with the F7U Cutlass were often fraught with danger, the constant pressure arresting gear often over stressing the nose wheel leg, which was exceptionally long, and in many cases resulted in it collapsing. As soon as the supersonic F8 Crusader flew the Cutlass was effectively abandoned by the U.S. Navy, all development work came to an immediate halt suggesting that the design team at Chance Vought had also given up on the design! Chance Vought F7U Cutlass Specifications: - Crew: Pilot only
- Length: 44 ft 3 in (13.49 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 8 in (11.79 m)
- Height: 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)
- Wing area: 496 ft² (46.1 m²)
- Empty weight: 18,210 lb (8,260 kg)
- Loaded weight: 31,642 lb (14,353 kg)
- Engines: Twin 6,000 lbf (26.7 kN) Westinghouse J46-WE-8B afterburning turbojets
- Maximum speed: 648 mph (1,043 km/h)
- Range: 1,400 mi (2,250 km)
- Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,200 m)
- Rate of climb: 13,000 ft/min (66.7 m/s)
- Thrust/weight: 0.29
Chance Vought F7U Cutlass Armament: - Four 20 mm M3 cannons
- Four pylons for AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles or up to 5,500 lb (2,500 kg) of ordinance
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