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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami and Florida AVIATION Historical Photos Gallery - Airports, Airlines, Aircraft - All Years - click on image to view >> NRAB Miami, Naval Air Station (NAS) Miami, MCAS Miami then Opa-locka Airport - Historical Photo Gallery > 1950's - Marine Corps F7U-1 Cutlass #128466 on the ramp at Marine Corps Air Station Miami
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1950's Courtesy of Eric D. Olson, Esq.

1950's - Marine Corps F7U-1 Cutlass #128466 on the ramp at Marine Corps Air Station Miami

Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida


Thank you to Eric D. Olson, Esq. for contributing this great old image.

Some notes on Marine Corps history at MCAS Miami:

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From http://www.mag31.marines.mil/MAG-31-Units/VMFA-251/About/ :

In 1957, VMA-251 was relocated to MCAS Miami, Florida and began flying the FJ-4 “Fury”. With the transition to the FJ-4 came the re-designation to VMF-251 on 20 April 1957.

In April 1958 VMF-251 left MCAS MIami and returned to MCAS El Toro.
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From: http://californiamilitaryhistory.org/MCASElToro.html

In 1958, Navy and Marine aviation went through a major reorganization. With the closing of MCAS Miami, the Third Marine Air Wing moved to El Toro where the wing remained for the next 40 years.
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Guest 19-Oct-2021 22:03
I remember no F7Us only F9 Cougars in 1958 while with Marine Reserves before I signed up for PLC..officer tang.
Al Casby 16-Jan-2017 03:20
Actually Mark, this aircraft WAS assigned to the Marine Corps at Opa-locks, as well as two other F7U-3 Cutlass aircraft,
It was assigned to the Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron for use in the evaluation of high-speed mine laying techniques. This aircraft, 128466 was one of the first sixteen early bulb-nosed Cutlasses equipped with Allison J35-A-29 non-after burning engines. The other two aircraft were later model F7U-3's equipped with the Westinghouse J46-WE-8B after burning engines. One of the Marine aircraft, Bureau Number 129582, survived for a time by being towed to Ft. Lauderdale's Holiday Park where it provided entertainment as a kiddie slide for years, eventually being removed in the early seventies due to injuries being sustained by playground children. I stripped this aircraft of its internals for use in my restoration of another F7U-3 in the summer of 1982 prior to it being hauled to the Avon Park Bombing Range and destroyed.

I have photographs of all three Marine F7U's both in service with the Marine experimental detachment at Opa-locka, as well as at other points in time during their service career.

Al Casby
Project Cutlass, LLC
Mark Lincoln 16-Oct-2016 20:14
I meant "test" version, not "teat" version. Naughty fingers!
Mark Lincoln 16-Oct-2016 20:13
This is a Vought F7U-3, not a F7U-1. The F7U-1 was an unsuccessful service teat version which never served with active squadrons and which differed significantly from the later F7U-3.

The F7U was the last design of Rex Beisel who designed the Navy's first carrier fighter the TS-1. His most famous design was the Vought F4U which was in production longer than any other piston engine fighter.

The F7U was a troubled airplane, under powered and with a poor accident record. Nicknamed the "Gutless," or "Ensign Eliminator," the airplane was actually seen as having nice flying qualities. The F7U saw a short service life with most being withdrawn in 1956-57.

This airplane is mysterious as the Marines never operated the F7U and there are no squadron numbers. A check of the Bureau number show the airplane was operated by a Navy experimental squadron, VX-5, from 1952 to 1954.

Chances are that this airplane was intended as a "Gate Guardian" or for recruiting display and thus was painted as if it were a Marine Corps aircraft.