Vought F7U Cutlass

Vought · United States · first flew 1948 · fighter

The Vought F7U Cutlass was a radical tailless swept-wing carrier fighter that entered US Navy service in the early 1950s. Its advanced design was inspired by German wartime research and featured no horizontal tail surfaces, controlled by elevons on the swept wing.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.18 m fuselage
T — Tail	No tailplane

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Spot it by:

Tailless swept-wing carrier jet with no conventional tail
Twin engines side by side in thick wing
Notoriously accident-prone in US Navy service

Unmistakable tailless delta-ish layout with two large air intakes flanking the fuselage, no horizontal tail, two prominent fin-and-rudder surfaces, and an unusually long nose undercarriage leg.

Specifications

The Vought F7U Cutlass has a length of 13.18 m (43 ft).
It has a wingspan of 12.09 m (40 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1094 km/h (680 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Based on German swept-wing research captured after WWII, the F7U-1 first flew in 1948 but development was troubled. The definitive F7U-3 entered service in 1954 and could carry the Sparrow I missile, but its poor safety record and underpowered engines led to early retirement by 1959.

Variants

F7U-1 was the initial production model; F7U-3 was the main variant with afterburning engines and Sparrow missile capability; F7U-3M added missile guidance, F7U-3P was a photo-reconnaissance version.

Where you'll see it

Served with US Navy attack and fighter squadrons from 1954 to 1959; its accident rate was among the highest of any US Navy jet and it claimed the lives of many pilots and deck crew.

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