A2U-1 Cancellation

     The reason for the cancellation of the A2U-1 program was in a November 19, 1954 press release from Chance Vought Aircraft.

In part it read: " Unavailability of suitable engines for an attack version of Chance Vought Aircraft's twin-jet Cutlass fighter has resulted in Navy cancellation of a order for 96 attack airplanes.

          F.O. Detweiler, president of the company, emphasized that the cancellation applies only to the attack version, designated the A2U-1. Other versions of the F7U-3 Cutlass will continue in production.

          The Navy announced in Washington that cancellation of orders for 200 F3H-2 Demon fighers scheduled to be built by McDonnell Aircraft, of St. Louis, Missouri, for the A2U airplanes and for engines, engine spares, radar equipment and other aircraft components for the two aircraft totaled $372,000,000 in a revision of its jet aircraft procurement program.

          The announcement said one of the reasons for the cancellations was delay in development of engines for the airplanes."

     
                                          CVA-29565 F7U-3M General Arrangement. View
                                          Looking Aft With Two 2,000 LB. Bombs On Center
                                          Section Pylon & Outer Panel Pylon Installed. 11-3-55

Press Release and photo from the VAHF archives

Engineering Project Plan Model A2U-1 Airplanes, Summary of 17 March 1953

A departmental correspondence that detailed the proposed changes to transition the production of the F7U-3 to the A2U-1.

"These were the proposed changes to assure delivery of the first airplane by September 1954.

Basic changes:

1. Addition of Aero 14C launchers, three on each outer panel, and five on the fuselage.

2. Addition of outer panel fuel to provide maximum radius of action and endurance. (This is not really a change, as it was previously agreed with Materials and Manufacturing to provide a common outer panel for the F7U-4 (Sparrow), F7U-3P, and A2U-1 aircraft).

3. Replacement of the right hand forward center-section self-sealing fuel cell with a bladder cell. Addition of internal and external inerting for all center section fuel cells (the same type of inerting will be provided on the interchangeable outer panels).

4. Redesign of main landing gear to replace present 30 x 7.7 wheels and tires with 34 x 9.9 wheels and tires. (In order to assure delivery of the first airplane, a special extra ply 30 x 7.7 tire will be purchased which can be used on the present F7U-3 landing gear. As soon as the redesigned landing gear for 34 x 9.9 tires is available, it will be retroactively installed on all airplanes).

5. Rework of fin stub to accommodate 34 x 9.9 main wheels and tires.

6. Addition of armor protection under the pilot, and under the main fuselage fuel cell pumps.

7. Addition of center section trailing edge area between the vertical tails and the fuselage, to provide increased load carrying capacity and proper balance of the airplane.

8. Removal of the Aero 5A fire control system, including AN/APG-30, and replacement with a simple gun sight.

9. Installation of Mk3 Mod4 bomb-director equipment.

These are the basic changes that will be made to convert the F7U-3 into the A2U-1. There is a possibility (still being investigated) that a change will be required in the machining of the main beams, in order to raise the strength of the airplanes.

The changes outlined above are considered to be the absolute minimum that will assure a satisfactory attack airplane when the A2U reaches the Fleet."

Signed F. Mann

                                          An actual picture of a A2U-1 on the production line.

                                        Memo and photo Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation