**** DONE: F7U-3M Cutlass USN VX-4 'Evaluators' circa 1955

[tonyb]

User name: tonyb
Name: Tony
Category: 3-Beginner
Kit: Kitech Vought F7U-3M Cutlass
Scale: 1/48
Accessories:bit of scratch building in the cockpit

Here is my 2nd entry in this GB.Like the Mig in my other entry it is a cheap and cheerful kit by Kitech so more hard work to do to achieve a good result.



The Cutlass was a strange looking bird and wasn't a particularly successful one either (slight understatement) but it was certainly 'different' and I like different.
Kit looks better than the Mig one,at least it doesn't have that horrible dark green plastic













There is a choice of 2 versions -
1) F7U-3M VX-4 'Evaluators' Test and Evaluation Squadron
2) F7U-3 VC-3 Composite Squadron
I am going to make the formerwhich had the Aim-7 Sparrow air to air missile.
If anyone has any colour pics of the cockpit of one of these babies,I would be very grateful.I won't be starting this build for a little while so there is no rush.
Cheers,
Tony.

[T Bolt]

Cool choice Tony! Is that kit a knock-off of the old Hobbycraft one?

[tonyb]

Correct Glenn,it is a Hobbycraft knock-off.
It doesn't state anywhere what dates these 2 variants actually flew so I did a bit of googling and discovered that the Aim-7 was used on the Cutlass from 1956 so as the VX-4 was a testing squadron I figured 1955 would be about right.
If anyone has any more info on this bird,I'm all ears!
Cheers,
Tony.

[Lucky13]

Nice one mate! I like the Cutlass....looking forward to this one!

[Catch22]

Very cool, and nice and different!

[rochie]

another good choice

[Airframes]

Nice one Tony! I think I have an article in a magazine on the Cutlass somewhere. Don't know if it's got cockpit pics, but I'll see what I can dig out. Might take some time though!

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice one Tony, not an aircraft much talked about and a good variation of choice.

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice one Tony, not an aircraft much talked about and a good variation of choice.

[Pong]

One of the Navy's disastrous aircraft (Well from what I heard it was involved in a few accidents), should be an interesting build! Great choice!

[tonyb]

One of the Navy's disastrous aircraft (Well from what I heard it was involved in a few accidents), should be an interesting build! Great choice!

Responsible for the deaths of 21 pilots apparently!
Inovative design but didn't have the necessary powerplant to cope.
Cheers,
Tony.

[Pong]

Well (correction) the most disastrous!

Nice one Tony! I think I have an article in a magazine on the Cutlass somewhere. Don't know if it's got cockpit pics, but I'll see what I can dig out. Might take some time though!

I remember Flight Journal having an article on the Cutlass in one of their issues, calling it the worst USN aircraft ever.

[N4521U]

And all those things is what is making this an interesting build. Go man go. bill

[Wayne Little]

certainly getting plenty of variety.....Nice one Tony!

[bemay]

cool choice tony!