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Vought XF5U-1. The second test example is visible in the rear of this picture. US Navy Vought XF5U-1 showing entry steps and cockpit rail. US Navy and they realised that the future lay with jets, so continuation of this project had been in doubt for several years. As a consequence, the V-173 trials were abruptly ended and the Pen- tagon pulled the plug on all further XF5U-1 development. Vought was in the process of relocating to Dallas. Senior company officials were preoccupied with the move and seemed to be unconcerned about the cancel- lation of their troublesome Skimmer project. While the V-173 was passed to the Smith- sonian, the fully completed XF5U-1 was not so lucky. On 17th March 1947, the Navy rather bizarrely instructed Vought to reduce it to . scrap, despite protests from Chance Vought’s _ high pile of metal scrap, which included jigs _ realised, a number of»staff and security per- senior test pilot Boone Guyton, who tried to and special tooling equipment from the plant. sonnel were hastily assigned to search the physically prevent the wrecking crew from car- Within the wreckage was $6,000 worth of _ scrap heap but the silver proved impossible to rying out their assignment. Reports suggest that __ silver that had been used for parts in the gear- _ locate and their search was finally abandoned. the XF5U-1 resisted the wrecking ball forsome boxes ($6,000 was a small fortune in those However, the local scrap dealer who hauled time, but the aircraft was finally smashed to days!). Nobody had remembered to retain this | away the wreckage eventually found the silver pieces and ended up in a massive 40ft (12m) precious metal and, when the mistake was — and this attracted FBI interest when he came high pile of metal scrap, which included jigs _ realised, a number of»staff and security per- and special tooling equipment from the plant. sonnel were hastily assigned to search the Within the wreckage was $6,000 worth of _ scrap heap but the silver proved impossible to silver that had been used for parts in the gear- _ locate and their search was finally abandoned. boxes ($6,000 was a small fortune in those However, the local scrap dealer who hauled days!). Nobody had remembered to retain this | away the wreckage eventually found the silver precious metal and, when the mistake was and this attracted FBI interest when he came 31 Vought XF5U-1. The second test example is visible in the rear of this picture. US Navy Vought XF5U-1 showing entry steps and cockpit rail. US Navy Early Circular-Winged Aircraft