The XF5U-1, its a program for next American prop plane in late WW2 and the real name of those plane was Vought V-173. and did anyone have prove just share it freely I so much courious of that new plane
US military aircraft used to have a very confusing designation system. If I had to guess V-173 was Vought’s in house designation and XF5U-1 was the US navy designation X being prototype F being fighter, 5 indicates 5th aircraft of type from the manufacture which is the U which means Chance Vought and -1 means 1st version.
So XF5U-1 means Experimental fighter number 5 from Chance Vaught, version 1.
And just to make things easier the other services used completely different designation systems.
Is an entirely different plane that uses 80HP engines as a proof of concept, with a wingspan 9 feet less, different propeller setup, etc.
XF5U-1 is the correct designation.
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