Cutlass wrote:
A case by case study of each and every accident report reveals that only a few were a result of aircraft failure or system failure. The vast majority were human failures, many on the maintenance side. Unfortunately, the internet does the aircraft a disservice by constantly repeating the same mantra over and over again.
After interviewing over 100 F7U pilots over the past 45 years, only a few had bad things to say about the aircraft, and those that did, interestingly repeated the same tired phrases found on line and in several of the ill-researched books and articles that permeate the bookstores.
I have found that those that spoke un-lovingly about the F7U spent most of the conversation comparing it to more modern fighters that they flew later and lamented its performance and power compared to much later technology. Apples and Oranges..... one needs to judge machines in the context of their time, otherwise a P-51 and a F4U would be considered lousy aircraft if their performance and characteristics are compared to an F-16 and an F-35. Even the late Wally Schirra, the pre-eminent Cutlass instructor pilot spoke well of the aircraft when he flew it, and increasingly lambasted it as he was exposed to higher performance aircraft that had more thrust and solutions to issues that were not available at the time of the F7U.
Like wives, not everyone has to love and appreciate yours..... unless you happen to be the one married to her, and you learn to look past her imperfections (or else!)
Al
Very well said Al and I think the Cutlass restoration is one of the most exciting projects currently ongoing. And the fact that I am just across town makes it even more exciting! I look forward to seeing the old girl in the future.