📗 Libro en inglés VOUGHT F7U-3 CUTLASS

The Chance Vought F7U Cutlass was ahead of its time In 1948 when it first flew it could hardly have been more exotic or state of the art a tail less fighter to be powered by two afterburning jet engines It was not only to be carrier based but also climb quicker and be faster than the Air Force s new swept wing North American F 86 Sabre Developmental problems resulted in it taking too long to reach operational squadrons which partly accounts for its relatively unsuccessful career The Cutlass was designed too soon to benefit from the discovery of the area rule which doomed it to transonic performance in level flight Similarly its lack of a horizontal tail was intended in part to address the transonic pitch control difficulties being encountered at the time but they proved to be avoidable with one Unfortunately no horizontal tail resulted in it not only being radical in appearance but also having challenging handling qualities at approach speed The F7U 3 s service introduction was also accomplished before the Navy perfected a rigorous process for transitioning pilots to new airplanes particularly important in the case of the Cutlass and its unusual handling qualities one of which resulted in a rare aeronautical phenomenon the post stall gyration It was