Vought XF3U

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The Vought XF3U was the prototype of a two seat, all metal biplane fighter built by Vought Aircraft Company of Dallas, Texas for the U.S. Navy.

Development and design

The XF3U was designed to meed the Bureau of Aeronautics 1932 "Design Specification No. 111", which called for a high performance fighter with a fixed undercarriage and powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1535. Of the seven proposed aircraft the XF3U and the Douglas XFD were chosen. The XF3U was the first all-metal aircraft produced by Vought. The aircraft was also equipped with a closed cockpit. During flight testing in 1933 it outperformed the Douglas entry and was chosen the winner. The Navy no longer was interested in two seat fighters, and therefore only the one prototype aircraft was built. The XF3U was subsequently into a dive-bomber, was designated XSBU and became the prototype for the SBU-1 Corsair dive bomber.

pecifications

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref =Angelucci, 1987. p. 434.
crew=Two: pilot, navigator
length main=27 ft 10 in
length alt=8.4 m
span main=33 ft 3 in
span alt=10.1 m
height main=11 ft 11 in
height alt=3.6 m
area main=295 ft²
area alt=27.4 m²
empty weight main=3,435 lb
empty weight alt=1,558 kg
max takeoff weight main=5,297 lb
max takeoff weight alt=2,402 kg
engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney R-1535-80 Twin Wasp Jr.
type of prop= double row radial air-cooled engine
number of props= 1
power main= 700 hp
power alt= 518 kW

max speed main=208 mph
max speed alt=334 km/h
cruise speed main=mph
cruise speed alt=km/h
range main=570 mi
range alt=917 km
ceiling main=25,300 ft
ceiling alt=7,700 m
climb rate main=ft/min
climb rate alt=m/s
loading main= 18 lb/ft²
loading alt=88 kg/m²
power/mass main= 0.13 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.22 kW/kg

armament=
* three 7.62 mm machine guns

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References

Bibliography

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