Vought VE-9

The Vought VE-9 was a biplane trainer and observation aircraft that grew directly out of the Vought VE-7 after the First World War. One account calls it basically a VE-7 with a 134 kilowatt Hispano-Suiza engine, built in small numbers for the United States Navy. Another account of the VE-7 family says the VE-9 was first delivered to the Navy on 24 June 1922 and was essentially an improved VE-7, with most of the improvements in the fuel system. Of the 21 ordered by the Navy, four were unarmed observation float seaplanes intended to be launched by catapult from battleships. The same account lists a second, larger VE-9 batch for the Army and Navy in 1927, and a two-aircraft Army conversion of VE-7s in 1921, so the designation covers several related lots rather than one production run.