Vought FU

The Vought FU was a single-seat biplane fighter built by Vought for the United States Navy and in service in the late 1920s. It grew out of the company's two-seat UO-1 observation plane, itself a VE-7 with extra fuselage streamlining and a Wright radial engine, which was turned into a fighter by covering the front cockpit, mounting machine guns there and fitting a supercharged 220 horsepower Wright Whirlwind. The Navy placed a 1926 contract for twenty convertible land and sea fighters. The first aircraft went to a San Diego squadron and, fitted with floats, flew from catapults as observation seaplanes, one aboard each battleship of the Pacific Fleet. Poor visibility from the rear cockpit on carrier decks led Vought to reopen the forward cockpit, giving the two-seat FU-2. Peru also received four. Once obsolescent, the type served mainly as a trainer and utility aircraft.