Warbird Information Exchange

You live and learn: thanks for that. Though we both should know better than to cite Wiki

Vought’s Metalite was first used in the late Forties on the last iterations of the F4U, and extensively on the F6U. The F7U utilized it mostly on the wing surfaces, which are not compound curves, and in the case of the -3, also on the upper cockpit fuselage side panels, which are compound curved and required a press mold and autoclave to produce. On my aircraft, these fuselage panels have degraded internally and need to be replaced. I am sure that Vought chose to do these panels in metalite more as an opportunity to prove it could be done (compound curved metalite) than out of any pressing need for these two panels to be so constructed.

It has proved to be a time consuming task to determine how to replace them, but I have settled on high resolution 3-D scanning of the panels while still attached, followed by CAD smoothing of the data to produce accurate high-density foam molds which will allow carbon fiber lay ups until the 1/2” panel thickness is achieved. The resultant panels will be lighter, stronger, and structurally better for the application. As the aircraft will be finished in its gray/white VA-212 livery, the carbon fiber replacements will be indistinguishable from the original metalite with the exception of being a fairer surface than was capable of being produced in the original material. The wing surfaces are much easier ( still not easy) to replace being a unidirectional curve of less than 3/4” over the panel length.

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Al Casby
Project Cutlass

Cutlass Aeronautics, LLC
4863 E. Falcon Drive
Mesa, AZ 85215


“Restoring Aviation’s Cutting Edge” ™

Alcasby@projectcutlass.com
602-684-9371

Actually, THE Cutlass expert has replied on this thread...

See if you can figure out who it is...

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WANTED --> F-101 Voodoo photos, slides, negatives, memorabilia.
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WANTED --> photos, slides, negs of Aircraft in storage at NAF LITCHFIELD PARK.
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WANTED --> ADC Interceptor Magazine - 1959-1979
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I don’t know how much this will add to the discussion, but here are a few pages from the F7U-3 Erection and Maintenance manual concerning repair of Fabrilite and Metalite surfaces. Plus a cutaway of a late model F7U-3.

66AA960F-6A92-4C06-B407-315BCD4E83A1 by tanker622001, on Flickr

DB04611F-F232-4C1D-AC91-3BF345DBC3D6 by tanker622001, on Flickr

32F51AF2-CA3C-479E-BF75-999BD220E7C5 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Yep Wiki is dangerous as your sole source, but I knew of Metalite and Fabrilite beforehand. I had handled a few pieces of each back in the 60's. I followed your Mallite link and punched in Metalite to see how much Wiki had...not much, but enough. Vought first used the Metalite about 1944-45 in the 2 XF5U prototypes and maybe limited bits on some F4U's. In the 60's my dad had a friend I addressed as Mr. Atkins who worked for LTV who had a few examples in his garage. He went on to become the chief historian for the Vought Historic bunch. Over the years he put up with an occasional phone call from me and was always graceous about it. Unfortunately Dick passed last April, one helluva nice guy.
EDIT
Ooops, forgot we're into May now. Mr. Atkins passed April 1, 2020.

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
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DBF

There is infomation on a Chance-Vought survivor meeting here: https://travelforaircraft.wordpress.com/2021/03/04/chance-vought-survivor-meeting-to-present-taras-lyssenko/

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Kevin McCartney