F7U Cutlass - The Strangest and Most Dangerous Navy Jet Ever Flown

The Vought F7U Cutlass carrier-based jet fighter was one of the most unusual designs ever produced for the United States Navy. Created as Vought's entry into a 1945 day-fighter design competition, it was partially based on aerodynamic data from German companies responsible for World War II’s Nazi aircraft. Vought designers denied the German link at the time. When the revolutionary Cutlass first came into the U.S. Navy service in April 1954, the tailless, swept-wing jet fighter represented a leap into the future. It was also the perfect candidate to carry the fighter bomber torch into the Cold War era. But several technical and handling problems plagued it from the beginning, and over one-quarter of built jets were destroyed in several accidents. One of those problems? It didn’t have a tail. --- Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between. As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.