Chance Vought F6U

Specifications Chance Vought F6U blueprint

The Chance Vought F6U was a groundbreaking naval fighter aircraft produced and designed by Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in 1946. This aircraft was the first of its kind, a purpose-built jet-powered fighter specifically designed for use by the United States Navy (USN) in the Second World War. The Chance Vought F6U was a large, two-seat, all-metal aircraft designed around the powerful but notoriously unreliable Wright J65 turbojet engine. This fighter boasted a unique design, with a straight-wing profile, a tricycle landing gear, and a long nose. It featured innovative avionics technology for its time, including an autopilot for hands-off flight and an extremely advanced navigation suite for both day and night operations. The chance Vought F6U was capable of reaching extremely high speeds, with a maximum of 540 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest fighters of its day. In addition to being fast, this aircraft was highly agile, handling easily in both dogfights and in aerobatic maneuvers. Its armament consisted of four 20mm cannons mounted in the wings and it had an additional capability to carry two small bombs for ground attacks. The F6U first flew in 1946, but only 53 aircraft were eventually produced by the time production ended in 1949. Although the F6U did not find much success in the USN, it did achieve a modicum of success in some foreign air forces, notably France and Spain. Despite limited success as an operational combat aircraft, the Chance Vought F6U was significant in the development of modern USN fighter aircraft as it inspired later designs of the F-8 and F-9 series.