Vought F7U Cutlass - Design and Development

Design and Development

The Cutlass was Vought's entry to a U.S. Navy competition for a new carrier capable day fighter opened on 1 June 1945. Former Messerschmitt AG senior designer Waldemar Voigt, who supervised in Nazi Germany the development of numerous experimental jet fighters, contributed to its design with his experience in the development of the Messerschmitt P.1110 and P.1112 projects. The requirements were for an aircraft that was able to fly at 600 miles per hour (970 km/h) at 40,000 feet (12,000 m). The design featured broad chord, low aspect ratio, swept wings, with twin wing-mounted tail fins either side of a short fuselage. The cockpit was situated well forward to provide good visibility for the pilot during aircraft carrier approaches. The design was given the company type number of V-346 and then the designation F7U when it was announced the winner of the competition.

Pitch and roll control was provided by elevons, though Vought called these surfaces "ailevators" at the time. Slats were fitted to the entire span of the leading edge. All controls were hydraulically-powered. The very long nose landing gear strut required for high angle of attack takeoffs was rather weak, and a collapse could seriously jeopardize the pilot's safety. The F7U was also largely let down by its underpowered Westinghouse turbojets, an engine that some pilots quipped, "put out less heat than the same company's toasters." Naval aviators referred to the F7U as the "gutless cutlass" or, in kinder moments, as the "praying mantis".