Vought VE-7 Bluebird
Lewis & Vought Corporation · United States · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Vought VE-7 Bluebird was an early American biplane designed as a two-seat trainer and adopted by the US Navy as its first fighter.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.45 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane powered by a Wright-built Hispano-Suiza engine of the type used by French SPAD fighters
- Two-seat trainer layout, with the front cockpit faired over on the single-seat VE-7S fighter
- Synchronised Vickers gun mounted on the left of the VE-7S
The fighter version, the VE-7S, was a single-seater with the front cockpit faired over and a .30 in Vickers machine gun mounted over it on the left side.
Specifications
- The Vought VE-7 Bluebird has a length of 7.45 m (24 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.47 m (34 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 171 km/h (106 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew in 1917, built by the Lewis & Vought Corporation with an engine of the type used by French SPAD fighters. It won the 1918 Army competition for advanced training machines.
Variants
The VE-7S was the single-seat fighter, and the VE-7SF had flotation bags. The VE-8 and VE-9 were developments, and the VE-9 included four unarmed observation floatplanes.
Where you'll see it
In all, 128 VE-7s were built. They equipped the Navy fighter squadrons VF-1 and VF-2, and on 17 October 1922 a VE-7 became the first aeroplane to take off from the carrier Langley. The last were retired in 1928.
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