The Vought XF5-U: That Time America Built a Flying Saucer...

[@megaprojects9649]

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[@raymathews1474]

I've always liked this one. I've from time to time considered a homebuilt version of the test craft.

[@leonmusk1040]

Me three in this day and age of high power belt drives and motorcycle engines you could build one much much lighter and eliminate the stupid drag (mechanical) inducing and vibration producing gearbox. Was one of my first thoughts for a microlite but wound up going hover wig par instead until some crack head decided my variable pitch prop assembly was worth more in crack to them than as a prop for me apparently🙄

[@patrickcanavan4563]

This aircraft was featured in the 2003 video game Secret Weapons over Normandy. You fly it in one of the story missions.

[@kaelibw34]

That was my first exposure to the plane

[@NN1Ckl.]

Gosh damn that takes me back.

[@parkerbond9400]

That was my second favorite plane in that game!

[@Volcanosf32]

This plane is also featured in the 1995 shmup arcade game "Strikers 1945" and its remake "Strikers 1945 Plus" released in 1999.

[@michaellinderman8635]

haven't heard that name in awhile

[@turtleboy4111]

The yellow version of this thing makes me think of Generation 1 Cybertronian mode Bumblebee from the original transformers cartoon.

[@roblopez8481]

It also Kinda looks like the t-47 airspeeder from star wars if it was built on Earth in the 1950s

[@laurenmp7486]

The sad thing is that it just got dumped instead of being handed over to NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) which did work with experimental airplanes. To NACA that the design was already dated wouldn't matter, they'd just want the data from flying it. Alas, no one seems to have even asked the people at NACA. And it's one of the great losses, that it was junked without being flown.

[@Phil_AKA_ThundyUK]

Vought did a better job with Homelander.

[@andrewvogel5344]

You're not wrong

[@MrCromocrunch]

I don’t know. Homelander is pretty flawed.

[@01oo011]

No. They really didn’t.

[@LouJustlou]

Compound V was effective-ish

[@Justanotherconsumer]

I’d bet the pancake enjoys milk too.

[@finnmcool2]

You should cover the VZ-9 Avrocar. It was an attempt at an actual flying saucer.

[@peterixon8708]

Good video Simon. Smiled a lot at the possibilities. Interesting it could load 5,000 lbs of fuel, human and weapons. Stunned to hear why it ended up never flying.

[@marclevin1928]

I was wondering why they didn't look at upscaling the concept for a bomber.

[@AdamtheRed-]

Im not sure what you mean about the Nic Cage comparison. He only gives highs and ultra-highs. "How'd it get burned?!" - An Emmy worthy classic

[@Justanotherconsumer]

He also gives some real B performances though. There were the B’s, and the “not the B’s!”

[@Tahoza]

Is that from the... what's it called... Hell Rider films or whatever? The "Uh uh uh..." with the finger wag still lives rent free in my mind.

[@ferociousgumby]

"Not the beeeeeeeeeees. . . "

[@soulknife20]

The slap of doom.

[@AdamtheRed-]

@@Tahoza Even better. It's from Wicker Man!

[@montylc2001]

Another great video, Simon. I've built the 1/48 scale model kit of this. Looks really cool.

[@bronsonstrange3827]

I doubt anyone on Simon's team will see this, but PLEASE make a video on the XF-84H Thunderscreech. You can watch The Fat Electrician's short video on it, but essentially it was designed with the goal of having a propeller-driven aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier. In order to achieve such high speeds, the propeller had to turn so fast that the propeller blades were creating 900 sonic booms per second. It is one of those projects where you simply look at it and think, "Yep. Thats America for you." So PLEASE make a video on it someday!

[@vonries]

I'd love to see an ultralight miniature version of that. Can you imagine all of the UFO rumors you could start. 😂

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

That's one bad-ass looking aircraft, it's a shame that it never got to fly.

[@Quasarnova1]

There's no dash between the '5' and 'U' in its designation. Just like the F4U Corsair the 'F' indicated that it was a fighter, the '5' indicated that it was the 5th fighter design from that company, while the Corsair was the 4th, and the 'U' was the designation for Vought. Dashes were placed after those designation to indicate version numbers, ie the F4U-4 or F4U-5.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:45 - Chapter 1 - Design & development 1:30 - Mid roll ads 3:05 - Back to the video 10:25 - Chapter 2 - Specs & capabilities 14:30 - Chapter 3 - Death on the drawing board

[@Linuxpunk81]

I use this plane sometimes on strikers 1945 arcade games

[@Vicarious_Heart]

ABSOLUTELY BASED

[@EmilyJelassi]

Love the names... flying Pancake and Flying Flapjack 😂😂😊❤

[@oxcart4172]

A new F5-U would be an incredible airshow performer!

[@PythonesqueSpam]

The Gloster Meteor was deployed operationally on Jul 12 1944 in RAF 616 squadron and had it's first V1 "kill" on 3rd Aug 1944. While the ME262 fighter joined the Kommando Nowotny a few days later, although the claimed first kill for an ME262 of a Mosquito aircraft on 20th Aug 1944 is unverified due to the RAF not recording an aircraft loss of that type on that day. So the ME262 was not the first operational jet aircraft, nor did it have the first kill, that was the Gloster Meteor in both cases.

[@moogle68]

The same group claiming to have two _actual_ "firsts" in the War also being the group responsible for verifying that their enemy for the last few years had beat them to it is an undeniable conflict of interest, especially since your entire argument rests on a matter of record keeping (claiming that the ME262 wasn't first simply because a kill of the "Mosquito's" type on that day wasn't made). Think of how easy it'd be to only record the kill the next day because "we had to go out and find the wreckage as proof" in order to cast doubt on the German's claims.

[@oxcart4172]

Gloster

[@PythonesqueSpam]

@@oxcart4172 Oops.. thank you. 😁

[@PythonesqueSpam]

​@@moogle68 Your assertion that loss verification was manipulated through specifics such as date and/or time is unlikely and unjustified, especially as multiple sources were used in the assessment, including eye witnesses, wreckage and post-incident reports. Your vested interests argument works both ways. Also the Luftwaffe at that time operated a bounty system that paid pilots for each reported kill, resulting in over-reporting, such that out of the first twenty five claimed kills by the ME262, only three were confirmed by the RAF.. incidentally, who's record keeping at that time is considered reasonably accurate according to the various historians I've read for this knowledge.

[@WillyKling]

This would be a very nice RC aircraft with today's outrunner motors.

[@jameshead9119]

If I recall while they didn’t get taken in by the US airforce I understand there was a dozen or so ready to be commissioned but was cancelled some time in 1947 not longer before the pilot who coined the term flying saucer made his sighting which makes me think he might of seen them being taken somewhere

[@Fiddlers-Green42]

This video serves as a great reminder that almost all UFO sightings in the US can be connected to the US military testing highly classified vehicles in the area...

[@dianapennepacker6854]

The one I seen with a friend was a UFO. Years later I found out it is actually a common sighting called the Tr3-B. Even Alex Hollings from Sandbox saw it. In the same state, Connecticut, around the same decade or 2004ish for me. What stood out to me was it hovering quietly so we pulled over, but I could see the silhouette on full moon night. It was a triangle shape with three lights on the corners with a reddish inner light in the middle that reflected differently as I walked back, and forth. Just hovered without movement for five minutes. Then it went from a complete hover to an insane speed with zero acceleration. Those Gs would've broke bones or outright killed a person. Then it went north over the tree horizon before popping out for a moment heading east towards the ocean or Rhode Island. It happened so quick. Was it aliens? I have no clue. I do know jets, and helicopters, and that thing shot off like a bullet with zero noise or exhaust plum. Take the account as you will! It was cool!

[@michaelbarnard8529]

That might be related to why the flapjack was practically buried. The US military started working on disk shaped jet fighters shortly after the war, but everything about them has kept secret until relatively recently.

[@Real_Claudy_Focan]

One is in display in... France ! In the "Futuroscope" park !

[@sevex9]

It looks like it would make for a good drone design. I'm sure there's a VTOL drone heavily based off this, apart from the prototype.

[@valkyrie013]

Loved this plane.. they should return to this design

[@marvinheemeyer6660]

Right, this, concrete ships & flintlock rifle....🤦‍♂️

[@valkyrie013]

@@marvinheemeyer6660 yep.. put a turbo prop in it, and it would be a good low speed ground attack craft like the Tucano. and since it took a wreaking ball forever to trash it.. it would have good survivablity..

[@charlesachurch7265]

One is on display at Futuroscope,Poitiers, France.

[@doghousedon1]

That thing had to be scarry beyond belief to fly!

[@olanderdecastro52]

All of these flat, mostly finless prototypes did help us with something. The engineers realize that while these aircraft were flying, their radar cross-section was extremely small. Thus leading us to the B2 bomber as well as the B21. An accident of history that is turned out to be an amazing discovery.

[@adamkelly2855]

What’s crazy is if you look at 5th gen fighters. The dimensions are closer to something like this than the fighters of the day.

[@EmilyDsF]

Your channel is a source of entertainment as well as inspiration. Please continue to entertain us with your talent!🏋️🦣😙

[@jayburn00]

Its gearbox design would actually see later use in the v22 osprey.

[@mulalobusinge]

Wonder if the fighter jet america has been working on (and then they later added other countries to help finance the projecy) will also be like this vought plain

[@KarlBunker]

Somebody should build this airplane today -- just because it's so cool.

[@aigslmnop6559]

circular fuselages are a thing too; distinct from this more a wing to get the best of both suppose

[@larrybremer4930]

From what I have read the yellow protype (non combat proof of concept) was both very fast and very slow. It had a lot of promise as a carrier aircraft but the pre production fighter was both overweight and had a multitude of problems with its powerplant and propellers. Because conventional aircraft were doing just fine winning the war investing more into this fighter was deemed pointless since the writing was on the wall for props being replaced by jets. I think the XF5 could have been made into a great postwar design if they continued developing it and perhaps fitted it with a turboprop engine.

[@j.t.frompa5508]

No hyphen before the 5. It was XF5U or XF5U-1 X for experimental, F for fighter, 5 because it was the 5th fighter design FROM Vought , U was the letter designation the Navy assigned to Vought ( these more often than not did not match the 1st letter of a company's name ) and -1 means it is the 1st version (sources not consistent on this part as I thought the" " - "number" " wasn't assigned unless the design went into Y prototype status or even full scale production status.) . If it had been successful production versions would have the X or Y prefix dropped and -1, -2, -3 etc added as newer versions were developed. (Maybe someone else has pointed this out as I haven't read all the comments yet)

[@Plaprad]

I still argue that this could have been an excellent COIN aircraft had development continued into the 50's. Turboprops would have been a great addition.

[@jonathonspears7736]

This plane has a tragic history. It was so close to being a staple of the US navy and the technology it held was and is simply incredible.

[@Bubbles74743]

I'm watching this whilst playing War Thunder

[@ferociousgumby]

I'm eating Oreo cookies.

[@randybentley2633]

I can't help but think that the Marines would have found a use for this aircraft.

[@masterglaizer5918]

I would love to see what it could do with modern jets and a coat of anti reflective paint!!!

[@Zeithri]

This airplane always reminds me of the flying Turtle-airplane from MSGundam 0079.

[@reggiep75]

This needs revisited but with jet engines and modern streamlining.

[@treavy1]

i wish we had this wonderful plane in warthunder

[@ruthlessrubberducky5729]

I think drone makers should take inspiration from this design.

[@flucky_1]

It looks like an F7F spent the weekend with grandma

[@Justanotherconsumer]

You ain’t on no diet, girl, not in grandma’s house!

[@ferociousgumby]

Looks like Grandma crocheted it.

[@charlescaine6022]

I'd love to see this plane with jet engines!

[@AntonioLopez-vv9ns]

They are still building them but with greater success

[@LordDustinDeWynd]

Howdy from Temple, Texas, USA! How're y'all?

[@MatthewCox-s5i]

This is such a weird aircraft but you REALLY need to cover the P-39 and P-63. Fighters designed to shoot down bombers that ended their lives being shot at by bombers instead.

[@Theshropshireratter]

Secret weapons over Normandy memories

[@tomsmith2209]

I think it would make a good COIN/CAS platform.

[@raymondmartin6737]

That's some flap-jack for IHOP. 😅

[@christopherwheeler2070]

It always amazes me that someone will spend hours creating 3D models of these old experimental aircraft

[@ferociousgumby]

They got tired of their stamp collection.

[@lucasokeefe7935]

Should have continued the F-5U regardless of jet tech and named one of the Forrestal carriers the "USS IHOP"

[@themannerchannel784]

THE BOYS MENTIONED

[@Khalid-yn5nq]

That is our job, our honor. We are Vought. We make planes super.

[@Georgi_Slavov]

Did they really expect something that looks like THIS to fly?!

[@Bacteriophagebs]

I'm surprised this hasn't been tried again with jets, especially back when the military was so desperate for supersonic planes that didn't stall at low speed that they invented swing-wing aircraft. And I can see possible advantages for stealth aircraft, as well.

[@Appletank8]

I suspect some of the drag problems might come back when they're no longer countering the vortexes with those giant propellers.

[@Justanotherconsumer]

The Nazi ridiculous WuWa get so much coverage but there were some pretty nutty Allied designs as well. The XP-79 was ever that much more extra than the Ho-229.

[@organickevinlondon]

the Ho-229 was way ahead of its time.

[@_Sami_H]

that looks like a really old version of b21/b2 bomber (somehow )

[@poodlescone9700]

We are still using propeller planes and slow moving tough aircraft is still needed for close ground support and for civilian use where runways are lacking for jet aircraft. This prototype should be resurrected with modern materials and engineering. It would make one hell of a plane that could operate in rough terrain.

[@patrickbo2045]

We laugh now, but the B-2 bomber is basically this, a plane that's a wing.

[@GreyOne13]

Any chance for a history of air to air refueling someday? I only just learned that the practice is over hundred years old the otherday thanks to anyother documentary youtuber posted a community post about it.

[@Justanotherconsumer]

Spokane Sun God needs some love!

[@richv1893]

This plane was destin for the dust bin of history.

[@michaelbarnard8529]

Bad government provided gearboxes. Also, they probably shouldn’t have tried for the extra few mph to get the take off speed down to zero. Also, I thought the Courser was not used much on carriers because of the difficulty landing.

[@dearthditch]

Everything eventually evolves into a crab 🦀

[@SkylerB17]

i noticed that wardrobe change.

[@jjkrayenhagen]

War thunder being the sponsor of this video while not actually having the aircraft in the game is peak irony.

[@linuxophile]

Could it be resurrected as either recon or transport?

[@TheKulu42]

I wonder how German and Japanese pilots would have reacted to the flying flapjack if it went into combat and what nicknames they would have granted it.

[@JohnHoranzy]

How did it handle with one engine out?

[@lordMartiya]

Better this way, or the Anericans would have risked losing the Pacific War, eventually resulting in Homelander.

[@oldfrittenfett1276]

Reminds me of a ray.

[@Paqua69]

Corsair was a failed carrier fighter, but when transferred to the Marines it excelled

[@johnculver2519]

Not true, the USN rejected it, but when the Royal Navy obtained corsairs they quickly worked around it's landing difficulties (mostly a matter of landing technique) to produce an outstanding carrier aircraft. The USA then cut off supply.

[@hedlund]

In defence of Nick Cage, the man does suffer from the unbearable weight of massive talent.

[@stevec7923]

A smaller version could be very useful as a drone in Ukraine. Horizontal flight would give it much better speed and payload than the quadcopters.

[@veruquaedalian9549]

Wow I played air strikes 1945? Forgot the year but anyway I thought it was fantasy planes specially that round flat plane called flying pancake who knew it was real plane😂

[@organickevinlondon]

it was actually called, "the Flying Flapjack" not the flying pancake.

[@joshuaradick5679]

So, you have U.A.C. a subsidiary of Vought?

[@BaronVonQuiply]

Canada's was way more saucery

[@johnwhorfin5150]

so they moved on to compound V

[@oddjob1795]

If only one of the xf5us’ had been saved, Whadda waste.

[@derekk8523]

Homelander is more dangerous than

[@a.i1137]

Is the audio compression tad bit better in the ad segment??? A little raspy in the rest of the video, almost like you got a sore throat!

[@Mothman999]

The Tick

[@emmiannon1266]

Nice AI thumbnail Simon, did an AI write the script too?

[@Sacto1654]

It was an interesting idea, but the mechanical complexity of this very design was its downfall.

[@mrnickbig1]

Is Simon insane? At 4:40 he makes the idiotic claim that the F4U Corsair was arguably the best carrier fighter of WW2! IT WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE AS A CARRIER FIGHTER! It was even marginal as a land based fighter. Yes, it was amazing in combat, ONCE AIRBORNE, but it was a maitenance nightmare, overly complicated, overly expensive, and HIGHLY prone to crashing on takeoffs and landings, and other low speed maneuvers. It was completely unsuited for carrier ops, due to poor low speed handling and very bad visibility at high angles of attack. They even had trouble landing on fixed runwayws, with all sorts of visual aids, like lights and flags.

[@BobK58]

I've voted twice.

[@wm9346]

VOTER FRAUD.

[@EAcapuccino]

What's the mystery behind UFO sightings? The Americans built them in the 1930s, returning to haunt the skies in the 1990s and the main antagonist of The X Files! 😅

[@Railfan2308]

epic ai generated thumbnail

[@khurshidchaudhry2227]

Pan cake is to ugly to be a fighter jet or a plane .

[@Alt.ZER0]

0:34 the design isnt lost forever. the side profile looks like a certain common fighter jet of today the XF5-U flying pancake became the F-35 FatAmy

[@WadeWontson]

Ah, the best AA fighter in Azur Lane

[@charlestaylor3195]

Simon you need the blazer. Why do people want to look like a slob from California. The blazer tells us that you care about what we see.

[@rambojazdude3023]

First non-bot

[@funfactor4528]

Warthunder play for "free"

[@Banned_Daily]

He was known as the most hated person on youtube that has to constantly find new channels in order to stay relevant........ Darn you Simon....

[@Kyleplier]

This weirdo of a plane is in World of Warplanes. I haven’t played World of Warplanes since I remembered War Thunder. I now have over 1600 hours in War Thunder, I have several high and top tier Premium Aircraft and several top tier American Tech Tree aircraft. Currently have the F-14A and F-14B Spaded, the F-16C Spaded, and working on the F-15A. Currently RP’ing the AIM-9M’s.