The first 16 F7U-3s were powered by nonafterburning Allison J35 engines because the Westinghouse afterburning J46 engines were not yet flight qualified. One was modified before first its first flight to have the over-the-nose visibility increased for carrier landings. As a result, the radome, canopy, and engine inlet/tailpipe were very different.
The Allison-powered F7U-3s had different inlets and tail pipes because of the greater mass flow requirement for maximum thrust and the lack of an afterburner.
Inlet without boundary layer splitter:
Simple tailpipe:
