The Vought XF2U was a prototype
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
evaluated by the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
at the end of the 1920s, but was already outclassed by competing designs and never put into production.
Development and design
Vought's
O2U Corsair
The Vought O2U Corsair was a 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Developed by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine, it inco ...
, first delivered in 1927, was a successful design that set several speed and altitude record in that year. To compete for the
Bureau of Aeronautics requirement for a two-seat carrier-based fighter, Vought adapted this design, but progress was slow. Ordered on 30 June 1927, the aircraft was not completed until June 1929. It was no longer state-of-the-art; in particular Curtiss'
F8C Falcon was further along.
The aircraft was constructed of welded steel tubing, covered in fabric. The wings were made of wood and fabric covered. The prototype first flew on 21 June 1929, and was tested on a simulated carrier deck in
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
. It was found satisfactory, allaying concerns about problems due to the rather long
cowling
A cowling is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors. On airplanes, cowlings are used to reduce drag and to cool the engine. On boats, cowlings are a cove ...
over the engine. The aircraft then went to the
Naval Aircraft Factory
The Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) was established by the United States Navy in 1918 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was created to help solve aircraft supply issues which faced the Navy Department upon the entry of the U.S. into World War I. ...
, who operated it until 6 March 1931, when it was lost in a crash landing.
Specifications
References
Further reading
*
External links
Vought page on the XF2U
{{USN fighters
F02U
Vought F02U
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Biplanes