Inter-Wars

Vought XSO2U-1

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

One XSO2U-1 was built, 1440, in 1939.

Engine: 550hp Ranger XV-770
Wingspan: 38’2″
Length: 34’2″
Speed: 201 mph
Gross wt: 5186 lb
Seats: 2

Vought SBU / V-142

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

The Vought SBU was a scouting design modified from a two-place fighter. Exports to Argentina were designated V-142. The 1934 XSBU-1 prototype 9746 was rebuilt and modified from an XF3U-1.

Eighty-four SBU-1 were built in 1935: 9750-9833.

Forty SBU-2 built in 1937 featured a modified engine; 0802-0841.

SBU / V-142
Engine: 700hp P&W R-1535
Wingspan: 33’3″
Length: 27’10”
Useful load: 1739 lb
Max speed: 208 mph
Stall: 65 mph
Range: 902 mi
Ceiling: 24,400′
Seats: 2

Vought XSB3U-1

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

The 1936 Vought XSB3U-1 was an SBU development with a rearward-retracting gear. Only one was built, 9834.

Vought VE-9

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

In 1921 Vought built two VE-9, AS64310 and AS64316, for the Army. They were effectively VE-7 with a 180hp Wright E-3 engine.

In 1927 twenty-two were built foe the Army, 22-379 – 22-400, and seventeen to the USN, A6465-6481. The Army used same designation as USN.

Four VE-9H were built in 1927 for the USN, A6461-6464.

The VE-9W was cancelled.

1921 VE-9
Engine: 180hp Wright E-3

1927 VE-9
Wingspan: 34’2″
Length: 24’2″
Useful load: 536 lb
Speed: 119 mph
Ceiling: 18,840′

Vought V-85

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

The Vought V-85G Kurier of 1934 was a commercial seaborne catapult mailplane. Six went to Germany.

Engine: 700hp P&W R-1690
Wingspan: 36’0″
Length: 30’9″
Speed: 200 mph
Seats: 1

Vought V-80

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

The 1933 V-80 and V-80P Corsair were single place, with an enclosed cockpit, and interchangeable wheels and floats.

One V-80 went to Argentina and a number of V-80P to Peru.

Engine: 675hp P&W R-1690
Wingspan: 36’0″
Length: 27’7″
Speed: 197 mph
Range: 760 mi
Ceiling: 27,800′.
Seats: 1

The 1931 V-50 Corsair was a two-place company demonstrator based on the O3U. The only one built, NX840W, was powered by a 635hp P&W R-1690 engine, at some time with a four-blade propeller. It was capable of 190 mph.

Vought XO5U-1

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

A single XO5U-1 was built (9399), featuring folding wings and amphibious floats, in 1934.

Engine: P&W R-1340
Wingspan: 36’0″
Length: 32’6″
Speed: 155
Ceiling: 15,100′
Seats: 2

Vought XO4U

01/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

The XO4U-1 A8641 was built in 1931 with a shoulder-wing and powered by a 500hp P&W R-1340D engine. It crashed during testing and was rebuilt in 1932 as the XO4U-2 with a conventional wing placement and 625hp R-1535 engine.

XO4U-1
Engine: 500hp P&W R-1340D
Wingspan: 37’0
Length: 27’9″
Speed: 143 mph
Ceiling: 21,200′
Seats: 2

XO4U-2
Engine: 625hp R-1535

Vought O3U / SU / V-65 / V-66

01/05/202501/05/2025TerryLeave a comment

The Vought O3U was a two-place scout for the US Navy and US Marine Corp. The O3U operated on wheels and amphibious floats, and later became the SBU series.

Vought O3U Corsair Article

Ninety-seven of the 1930 O3U-1 were built (A8547-8582, A8810-8839, and A8851-8871). They were priced at $10,607-12,653.

Fifteen of the 1930 O3U-2 were built, priced at $14,500.

Seventy-five of the 1933 O3U-3 were built (A9142-9169, and 9283-93300), the last one modified as the XO3U-6.

Sixty-five of the 1932 O3U-4 (A9077-9141) priced at $13,500-14,000. They became the SU model.

One O3U-4, A9078, was modified as XO3U-5 in 1934.

In 1934 O3U-3 9729 was modified to become the O3U-6 prototype.

Thirty-one of the 1935 O3U-6 were built (9729-9744 and 0001-0016), the last one, 0016, temporarily as XOSU-1 scout version for testing. It later reverted to O3U-6.