Another Cutlass snags the net. In the final sequence, from July 14, 1955, an F7U-3 lands short; the only fatality was pilot LCDR Jay Alkire of the VF-124 Stingrays. Explore Subscribe Newsletters ...

Finally, the Vought F7U Cutlass, with its experimental design, was underpowered and unreliable. These five fighters serve as reminders that not all innovations take off. The fighter jet might be ...