Gutless Cutlass

Some 70 years ago this week. A great view of LT(j.g.) H.C. Arnold of Attack Squadron (VA) 83 “Rampagers” taxiing his cutting-edge Chance-Vought F7U-3M Cutlass toward the port steam catapult on board the Essex-class attack carrier USS Intrepid (CVA 11) during flight operations 22 June 1956. This was during Carrier Air Group Eight’s (CVG-8) 1956 Mediterranean cruise (12 March to 5 September) aboard Intrepid after the carrier had received her SCB-27C conversion to better operate jets. The nose of the Cutlass sat over 14 feet high by nature of its nine-foot-long nose strut. What could go wrong? By Photographer’s Mate First Class Wilcox, NARA K-20587 via NHHC An expanded shot of the same aircraft from the same cruise (NNAM 1996.253.7207.015) According to Baugher, Arnold’s Cutlass, Modex E-308, BuNo 129733, was struck off at NAF Litchfield Park less than two years after the above image. Why? Sure, the F7U-3 was one of the Navy’s first swept-wing, afterburner-equipped jets. Further, the 3M…