Vought F7U Cutlass

Vought F7U Cutlass
Land	Usa
Role	Marine multirole jager
Eerste vlucht	29 september 1948
Gebouwd	320

De Vought F7U Cutlass was een straaljager en jachtbommenwerper van de Amerikaanse marine uit het begin van de Koude Oorlog. Het was een staartloos vliegtuig gebaseerd op aerodynamische gegevens en plannen die aan het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog waren vastgelegd van het Duitse bedrijf Arado, hoewel de ontwerpers van Vought destijds elke link met het Duitse onderzoek ontkenden. De F7U was het laatste vliegtuig dat werd ontworpen door Rex Beisel, die verantwoordelijk was voor de eerste jager die ooit speciaal voor de Amerikaanse marine werd ontworpen, de Curtiss TS-1 uit 1922.

Bron: Vought F7U Cutlass op Wikipedia

F7U-3M Cutlass Walk Around
Fotograaf	Fotios Rouch
Lokalisatie	Onbewust
Foto 's	27

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General Characteristics and Design

The Vought F7U Cutlass was a unique and radical US Navy carrier-based jet fighter of the early Cold War era. Its design was heavily influenced by German aerodynamic data obtained at the end of World War II. The Cutlass was the first American tailless production fighter and one of the first Navy jets to feature swept wings and afterburners. Its unusual configuration, featuring low aspect ratio swept wings and twin vertical fins, eliminated the traditional horizontal tailplane. Pitch and roll control were combined into surfaces called elevons (or ailevators) on the wing trailing edges. Despite its innovative design, the aircraft earned unflattering nicknames like the “Gutless Cutlass” and “Ensign Eliminator” due to being underpowered and having a high accident rate.

Property	Typical Value (F7U-3)
Role	Carrier-Based Fighter and Fighter-Bomber
National Origin	Verenigde Staten
Fabrikant	Chance Vought Aircraft Inc.
First Flight	29 September 1948 (Prototype)
Bemanning	1 (Pilot)
Lengte	13.50 m (44 ft 3 in)
Spanwijdte	12.10 m (39 ft 8 in)
Hoogte	4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)
Empty Weight	Approx. 8,267 kg (18,226 lb)
Gross Weight	Approx. 14,365 kg (31,670 lb)

Powerplant and Performance

Engines: Two Westinghouse J46-WE-8A turbojet engines with afterburners.
Thrust (Each): 20.5 kN (4,600 lbf) dry / 27.1 kN (6,100 lbf) with afterburner.
Maximum Speed: Approx. 1,095 km/h (680 mph) (Mach 0.9–0.95, near supersonic capability).
Initial Rate-of-Climb: Approx. 14,240 ft/min.
Range: Approx. 1,061 km (659 mi) (combat range).
Service Ceiling: 12,192 m (40,000 ft).
Carrier Feature: Long nose landing gear strut required for a high angle of attack during catapult launches. The nose gear also had a unique pre-spinning device to bring tires up to speed before landing.

Armament and Variants

Internal Armament: 4 x 20 mm M3 cannon (located above the inlet ducts), 180 rounds per gun.
External Hardpoints: 4 underwing hardpoints with a total capacity of up to 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).
Ordnance Capability:
- Bombs: Up to 2,000 lb of bombs or 32 x 2.75-inch unguided rockets.
- Missiles (F7U-3M variant): Fitted to carry four AIM-7 Sparrow I radar-guided air-to-air missiles.
Major Variants:
- F7U-1: Pre-production, underpowered version.
- F7U-3: Main production version with larger airframe and J46 engines.
- F7U-3M: Missile-capable version, carrying Sparrow I missiles.
- F7U-3P: Photo-reconnaissance version with an extended nose and cameras (guns deleted).