What color were most of the F7U's?

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:19 pm

I want to build a model of the F7U Cutlass, and I am not sure what color most of them were painted. Any ideas out there?

Ztex · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:43 pm

Interesting...
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0249536/M/
http://www.aircraftprofiles.dk/

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:15 pm

Wow! So far it looks like most of the operational birds were natural metal. The Sea Blue ones belong to the Blue Angels or NATC testing. I think that the pinat scheme with gull gray over white like the one in the NMNA was toward the end of the line for them.

wendovertom · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:45 pm

Here is some info on the Blues version of the cutlass:

http://www.blueangels.org/Aircraft/Misc/F8U/Misc3.html

Tom P.

AirJimL2 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:05 pm

F7U-1 Gloss Sea Blue or Blue Angles Blue. I honestly can't remember if any of the -1s were natural metal or if they were all gone by that point.

F7U-3 Natural metal for most of their short lives, later Gull Grey over white.

Not too many options. Check out the Ginter F7U book (NF-6 at the bottom of the link) for all you need to know.

http://www.ginterbooks.com/NAVAL/NAVAL.htm

Jim

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:20 pm

walt soplata's is natural metal & ultra cool. the ass end is banged up, but amazing how far that nose gear goes up!!!!

RickH · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:11 am

With decent engines and a hydraulic system rework with modern fittings this would be a cool bird to see in the air.

Connery · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:53 am

Here are a couple from my collection. The first one is of Paul Thayer in an F7U on the ramp at Vought.

Jesse C. · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:00 am

Years ago there was one sitting down at Brown Field, near the Mexican border in case you don't know where it is, that seemed to be getting some work done, but it was parked out on the street!

According to the fellas from the San Diego Air and Space, it is now in Pensacola and yes, the nose was so high there was no way to get up there other than to walk up the back of the bird! Don't worry, I stayed off of it!!

It seemed to have been made with that corrugated material stuff that fell apart when you touched it, I did touch it a bit though!

Ztex · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:38 pm

Connery wrote:

Here are a couple from my collection. The first one is of Paul Thayer in an F7U on the ramp at Vought.

Nice pics...
Can you believe they torn down that control tower a few years ago?

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:51 pm

I want to paint the model up as the most typical paint scheme found on them. So it looks like I am between the Gloss Blue, natural metal, or gull gray over white.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:35 pm

O.K. guys I am between the silver, or gull gray over white. Which do you think is more representative of the Cutlass?

Jiggersfromsphilly · **Joined:** Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:15 pm **Posts:** 951

Silver ! The Navy Blue was used from 44 ti 195something. The silver motif seems to only have been around for a few years. Plus the Cutlass at Willow Grove is a silver one.

jwc50 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:07 pm

mustangdriver wrote:

I want to build a model of the F7U Cutlass, and I am not sure what color most of them were painted. Any ideas out there?

I think the Gull Gray and White finish shown on the late model F7U-3M displayed at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola is the best looking:

http://www.steelnavy.com/NMNACutlass.htm

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:09 pm

Tough choice. I love the scheme of the one at the naval Museum as well.

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What color were most of the F7U's?

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