Manufacturer: Chance Vought

Model: V-443

Name: Cutlass II

Type: Jet interceptor

Date: 1959

Status: Restricted use

Country: United States of America

Service: U.S. Air Force

Designation: YF-103A

Synopsis:

The USAF was not interested in the Regulus II missile, but expressed interest in the design. Vought proposed a manned version that was unsolicited but met with enough interest for the Air Force to reallocate the unused F-103 designator to it. Only 12 examples of the Vought YF-103A Cutlass II interceptor were purchased, and they enjoyed only limited service, as the other century fighters fulfilled the service's needs and were already produced in quantity. Ironically the YF-103As ended their short career in unmanned form, as QF-103A target drones. It is also interesting to note that at some point, there was a Dagger, a Dart, a Cutlass and a Rapier in the USAF's arsenal...


Elaboration:

I simply used a photograph of the Regulus II missile as evaluated by the U.S. Army and turned it into a piloted fighter for the Air Force. A Vought Crusader's cockpit grafted onto it...

I believe that the Regulus II would have been a little small to fit a pilot in its front end, otherwise the design seems perfectly viable for an aircraft. However, the lack of wing area and horizontal tail might have made maneuvers difficult in combat situation.


Viewers' comments:
  • Sweeeet! Imagine a delta-wing on your Chance-Vought YF-103 design... (KJ_Lesnick)
  • Delicious, thanks! (Tophe)
  • Cool beauty! (ysi_maniac)
  • The Cutlass II is one sexy aircraft!  :-*(ChernayaAkula)
  • Cool. has a 'Thunderbirds' Feel to it! (arenafighter)
  • I really like it. Remember thinking the same sort of thing when I saw some photos of the Russian Kh-90 Meteorit missiles. Hmmmm... (Airrider1)
  • Love the Cutlass II (jorel62)
  • Nice and sleek. Looks fast too. (Bladerunner)
  • Wow, that looks awesome. I thought it was real at first! (ILiveforFallout)
  • Only concern I would have with the Cutlass II would be FOD.  That intake after the nose wheel would just gobble up everything... (GTX_Admin)
  • Nah, there's a big mudguard on that front wheel  ;D  Besides, with anything that gorgeous, you could afford to lose a few! (apophenia)

My comments:

If you look at the original photo (below right) and you'll see that the Regulus II was pretty much the same as my Cutlass, so if the placement of the air intake behind the wheel is awkward, it's strictly Vought's engineers' fault, not mine! :D