Warbird Information Exchange

I would add the Vought XF5U (jet-powered "flying flapjack") to that list. The story is that the plane was ready for first-flight when the Navy decided that it should be scrapped - NOW! The test pilot, so the story goes, had to physically restrained from getting into the cockpit and giving the plane a baptisimal circuit of the field.

_________________
Kevin McCartney

The XF5U wasn’t jet powered

39315F7B-DD34-4794-8756-B69386B72576 by tanker622001, on Flickr

yea, my bad, I caught that just after I pushed submit...

_________________
Kevin McCartney

Not only that, but the XF5U's predecessor, the V-173 still survives and is on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas -

(Link to Erik Johnson's excellent walk-around video of the V173)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSkVC9bC_Mg

As for the XF5U and the story of its cancellation, unfortunately that's a bit of artistic license. The program was cancelled in 1947, but the prototypes weren't scrapped until after 1949 and the V-173 was ordered into storage (and shortly after sent to the Smithsonian). The Navy did recognize the significance of the V-173, but the coming Jet Age ended any hope the XF5U had of being useful.

Here's a good article from Smithsonian Air & Space that covers not only the V-173, its storage, and its restoration, but the XF5U program -

https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of- ... 3-7990846/

In a way, Curtiss was a victim of it's own success with the P-40. Like the B-17 (and the Bf109 FTM) they were no longer cutting edge - verging on obsolescent - but servicable, upgradeable and most importantly in production. Curtiss tried to develop modernized follow-ups - the XP-46, drawing on reports from Europe and actually ordered by the UK (The original "Kittyhawk") before pressure from the USAAC led the order to be cancelled in favor of continued P-40 production, explicitly to avoid the turnover time on the line.

_________________
Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

It is easy to understand when you consider they(Curtis) were the Top dog of the American aircraft manufacturing at that given time. They had more orders then they could handle and the Brits even tried to convince North American to make P-40s under license. Edward Shmued the chief designer for North American told his boss to turn the Brits down and he will build a better one. The laminar flow wing wasn't a step forward as easy as it may sound today. Shmued built 6000 hours into the initial bid for the contract for the P-51 just in case the laminar flow wing was a bust. They could build a conventional airfoil wing just in case and not lose money. Every dog has it's day and no different in business. Shmued hedged his bet.

_________________
Better is the enemy of Good.