USMC F7U-3s

 The Naval Ordnance Laboratory Test Facility at Fort Lauderdale, Florida was assigned responsibility for qualification of airborne delivery of anti-ship mines. They utilized aircraft assigned to NAS Miami for drop testing. In February 1952, the air station was transferred to the Marine Corps, which inherited the test requirement. The qualification of a large, heavy mine intended for 500-kt delivery from 500 feet by the Navy's big new jet-powered patrol plane, the Martin P6M Seamaster, required a much bigger, faster jet than an aircraft in the USMC inventory, so Miami was assigned three F7U-3s over time.

The first, BuNo 128466, was one of the first sixteen F7U-3s that were powered by non-afterburning J-35 engines. It had become excess to Vought and Navy test requirements. It arrived on 30 August 1954.

 

 

It's availability proved disappointing due to a lack of spare parts among other things so it was retired in favor of a J46-powered F7U-3, BuNo 129582, which arrived on 21 July 1955..

It was stricken on 1 July 1957, probably in lieu of a required overhaul, and replaced by BuNo 129602 that was fresh out of overhaul (unfortunately, Al Casby has been unable to acquire a picture of this F7U-3 in USMC Miami markings). When no longer required for testing a year later, it was ferried for storage at NAF Litchfield Park.