Sunday, November 17, 2024

Early F7U-3 Forward Fuselage

 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 vertical fin was also modified during development to provide more deck clearance for takeoff and landing:

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:


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