pirate pirate company jet fighter designed navy pioneering use power naval fighter composite material construction aircraft proved judged unsuitable combat issued operational squadrons relegated development training test roles withdrawn service design development specification issued single seat carrier based fighter powered later september awarded contract company designation prototypes december small aircraft landing gear straight wings tail surfaces wings short need fold order fit aircraft crowded nose gear retracted aircraft weight rest small wheel attached ground crew raised tail overlap nose aircraft allowing aircraft fit available space engine mounted rear fuselage fed wing root unusual feature aircraft use skin thin sheets aluminum surfaces vertical rudder similar instead aluminum fuel tanks fitted center fuselage forward tank ahead wing contained gallons imp gal rear tank gallons imp gal supplemented imp gal tip tanks cockpit forward provided bubble canopy gave pilot good visibility provided lead computing underneath cockpit rounds ammunition carried pilot upper guns retained aircraft lower guns ejected overboard company wide contest aircraft initial prototype received pirate flight october flight testing revealed severe aerodynamic problems caused section thickness wing vertical redesigned smooth intersection horizontal vertical changes included addition dive brakes sides fuselage replacement panels near engine exhaust steel ones prototype powered lbf thrust weight aircraft help improve aircraft performance prototype flew november lengthened feet use engine lbf thrust united_states_navy fighter powerplant operational history flight testing prototypes completed production aircraft ordered incorporated seat redesigned vertical auxiliary fins tip attempt improve directional stability aircraft fuselage lengthened fit additional equipment wing added rear junction fuselage production run navy decided factory connecticut larger facility dallas texas vacant end world war badly disrupted production pirate built dallas government furnished equipment engines installed completed aircraft new plant airfield runway deemed short handle jets aircraft abandoned airfield oklahoma runway long acceptance testing production performed initial flight june aircraft provided operational evaluation squadron based naval air station river maryland judgment evaluation pirate unacceptable operational use naval called october informed navy opinion pirate terms bureaucratic scathing proven sub marginal performance combat feasible aircraft ended primarily develop arresting gear barriers operationally short time texas based squadron transitioned jets production aircraft total hours flight time hours aircraft flew hours little acceptance flight flight ultimate disposition variants prototypes engine equipped production version built cancelled conversion photo reconnaissance operators united_states united_states navy survivors short operational career example remains intact production number undergone restoration plant texas aircraft currently pensacola florida specifications data complete book fighters general characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area weight loaded weight powerplant dry thrust lbf thrust lbf performance maximum speed mph range nmi service ceiling rate climb min wing loading thrust weight armament guns cannon nose
Vought F6U Pirate