flypaper2222
Senior Airman
A design ahead of its time but underpowered, and hampered by the abilities of its powerplants earning the nick name "Gutless Cutlass"
Vought F7U "Cutlass"
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fubar57
General
I just can't get used to that cockpit area....I don't look right
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flypaper2222
Senior Airman
Stange as it appears for carrier landings it looks like it would be perfect
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flypaper2222
Senior Airman
A total of 320 Vought F7U Cutlass aircraft were built. Over 25% were destroyed in accidents thats over 80 aircraft! It had the worst accident rate of any US Navy swept wing aircraft in that era.
I think this article points out it was more than piolts who thought they knew better:
The main causes of the high accident rate with the US Navy Cutlass aircraft were underpowered and unreliable engines and an unreliable hydraulic system, which led to issues like flight control failures and landing gear collapse. These mechanical problems were compounded by the aircraft's poor stall characteristics and its inability to handle the high stresses of carrier operations, earning it the nickname "Ensign Eliminator".
Mechanical and engineering failures
Flight and handling issues
Operational and maintenance problems
I think this article points out it was more than piolts who thought they knew better:
The main causes of the high accident rate with the US Navy Cutlass aircraft were underpowered and unreliable engines and an unreliable hydraulic system, which led to issues like flight control failures and landing gear collapse. These mechanical problems were compounded by the aircraft's poor stall characteristics and its inability to handle the high stresses of carrier operations, earning it the nickname "Ensign Eliminator".
Mechanical and engineering failures
- Underpowered engines: The Cutlass was equipped with Westinghouse J34 turbojets that were significantly underpowered for the aircraft's needs, leading pilots to dub it the "Gutless Cutlass".
- Unreliable hydraulic system: All flight controls were hydraulically powered, but the high-pressure system was prone to frequent failure, causing crashes and loss of control.
- Weak landing gear: The nose landing gear was particularly weak and prone to failing under the high stress of carrier landings, often resulting in spinal injuries to the pilot.
Flight and handling issues
- Nasty stall characteristics: The aircraft was prone to a violent tumble after a stall, and normal recovery procedures did not apply, making it a dangerous aircraft to fly near its limits.
- Unreliable ejection seats: Some models also suffered from an unreliable ejection seat system.
Operational and maintenance problems
- Carrier operations: The combination of weak landing gear and underpowered engines made taking off and landing on aircraft carriers extremely hazardous.
- Maintenance intensive: The complex and unreliable systems made the aircraft maintenance-intensive.
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Nice shots!
I think you are relying on too much plagiarized information, lacking in primary-source reference; possibly from the never-to-be-trusted Wikipedia.
I suggest you refer to Tommy Thomasson/Al Casby's recent book, which goes into a great deal of detail as to why (for example) the aircraft could not be correctly termed "most dangerous" and compares the type more objectively to other types while citing the much-needed primary sources.
Al Casby is restoring an F7U to airworthiness and knows more about the type than anyone alive; he speaks as someone who truly knows the aircraft, not one who is unquestioningly repeating Wiki-derived BS.
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flypaper2222
Senior Airman
320 built 80 accidents, Ensign Eliminator, GutlessCutlass, and your assuming Wikipedia.... Please inform us and lets hear your glowing critique on this aircraft. I stand by its well known terrible history, which speaks for itself.25 pilots killed 4 test pilots.
F7U Cutlass - Naval History and Heritage Command
NHHC (.mil)https://www.history.navy.mil › collections › aircraft › f...
The former trait produced the aircraft's unofficial moniker "Gutless Cutlass." All told, over a quarter of all F7Us built were destroyed in accidents. Variants ...
The Gutlass Cutlass | Naval History Magazine
U.S. Naval Institute
https://www.usni.org › naval-history-magazine › october
Development of the Cutlass began in 1945 as Allied intelligence revealed German advances in high-performance, tailless aircraft, and the U.S. Navy decided to ...
40 Years Building a Dream
https://airandspace.si.edu › fall-2022 › 40-years-building
Sep 21, 2022 — The futuristic-looking Vought F7U Cutlass was the U.S. Navy's first jet with swept wings ... Cutlass was an accident looking for a place to happen ...
In the early jet age, pilots had good reason to fear the F7U
The Gutless Cutlass.
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Jan 11, 2022
accidents.
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Apr 6, 2024
The Aviation Geek Club
Rare Colored Video Shows F7U Jets in action aboard USS Hancock (along with the Infamous Cutlass Ramp Strike...
Taken in 1955 the cool video in this post is an 8mm home movie film footage showing the US Navy F7U Cutlass fighter jets in action.
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May 30, 2020
HistoryNet
The F7U Cutlass: Vought's Visionary Fighter
To Navy pilots in the early 1950s, the sweptwing F7U Cutlass looked like a fighter of the future, but they soon learned looks can be...
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Jun 4, 2017
nationalinterest.org
The Vought F7U Cutlass was a Flying Deathtrap
Here's What You Need to Know: On the 67th anniversary of the Cutlass' first flight, the National Naval Aviation Museum took a wry tone.
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fubar57
General
This is from Ginter's book, "Chance Vought F7U Cutlass
......and this is from the massive, 380+ pages "Vought F7U-3 Cutlass" by Tommy Thomason & Alfred Casby 2024
Good stuff!
I'd highly recommend the Thomason/Casby book: it corrects many a myth (QED) and puts the whole programme into context, using a great deal of primary sources. It's high on fact and avoids the usual lazy plagiarized errors.
Barrett
Staff Sergeant
I knew several Cutlass pilots including THE John Moore who wrote a hilarious (for the subject) Tailhook article, "Surviving the Cutlass." I think it was reprinted in his memoir The Wrong Stuff.
John said that after flying the X job he wrote General Electric:
"I have just flown Vought's XF7U-1 and thought you should know that your jet engines produce less heat than your toasters."
I believed him.
John said that after flying the X job he wrote General Electric:
"I have just flown Vought's XF7U-1 and thought you should know that your jet engines produce less heat than your toasters."
I believed him.
Barrett
Staff Sergeant
Sidebar:
VX-4 took five (?) Cutlasses on a car-qual deployment aboard Shangri-La and/or Lex c. 1955 and made the full cruise (however long) without beaching any jets.
Despite its poor carrier record, the F7U was stable in the groove and additionally, one aviator I knew praised it as a dive bomber.
VX-4 took five (?) Cutlasses on a car-qual deployment aboard Shangri-La and/or Lex c. 1955 and made the full cruise (however long) without beaching any jets.
Despite its poor carrier record, the F7U was stable in the groove and additionally, one aviator I knew praised it as a dive bomber.