Question for the F7U Cutlass experts

[Chris Brame]

I just got the May/June edition of my town's newsletter and found this item under "Village Happenings":

NORTHBROOK HISTORICAL SOCIETY SEEKING AIRCRAFT PHOTO
The Northbrook Historical Society is searching for a photo of the F7U-3 Cutlass aircraft that for a time between the mid-1950s through the early 1960s was a part of the playground at Oaklane School. If you have a photo of the plane, please contact the Society. Call 847-498-3404 or send an email to northbrookhistory@gmail.com.

Could this be the same airframe that Earl Reinert had for a while? I imagine it must have come from NAS Glenview.

[quemerford]

Chris,

It made national newspapers, so maybe a search with the main news agencies or papers?



Amarillo Daily News shot is better:

[Cutlass]

Yes, the cockpit was at Earl’s, and the center section was with Fred Sibley. I currently own this aircraft having recovered it in the late seventies/early eighties. I will contact them.

[Woodsy Airfield]

Had a reason to stop by at Fred Sibley's Auto Racing yard during 1981 at Elkhart Indiana to pick up 2 aircraft engines. He showed me the fuselage which was in a nearby wooded area and said he used some of the hydraulics for his racing autos. The body of Cutlass looked in rough shape...

[JohnB]

Based on the title to this thread...are there ANY F7U experts out there?

The type has been out of service for over 60 years, any one left who actually flew or maintained them?

Last edited by JohnB on Sun May 09, 2021 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[old iron]

The type had been out of serve for over 60 years, any one left who actually flew or maintained them?

My dad was in training at San Diego when Cutlasses were being flown there (I have a very early memory of a Cutlass from the late 1950s); I am guessing that my dad never flew one. He is now deceased but would have been 88 years old. Thus, I think there should be pilots who flew the Cutlass, now in their early 90s.

[Chris Brame]

Chris,
It made national newspapers, so maybe a search with the main news agencies or papers?

Great suggestion! The date was the key. These are the two best I found:


The Hackensack, NJ Record


The Des Moines, IA Tribune

When I saw the date, 12-2-58, I realized this photo probably didn't make the Chicago papers because of the tragic fire at Our Lady of the Angels School the day before.

[quemerford]

Glad it was of use Chris: good luck with the search!

[sandiego89]

Lucky kids, I wish I had a jet on my elementary school playground.

I always begged my parents to stop at a park in desolate Lone Pine CA when were headed the mountains as they had an A-4 to play on.

[bdk]

Interesting was the use of balsa wood/aluminum sandwich construction on many of the panels.

[quemerford]

Interesting was the use of balsa wood/aluminum sandwich construction on many of the panels.

Known as 'Mallite' in some circles.

[Cutlass]

That would be “metallite”.....

[Cutlass]

That would be “metallite”.....

[quemerford]

Nope - definitely 'Mallite' - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallite

[airnutz]

Nope - definitely 'Mallite' - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallite

Nope, sorry sir...Voughts "Metalite", and it's fiberglass cousin "Fabrilite", preceded "Mallite" by better than a decade. Plug "Metalite" into your Wiki, it's there.