VS-6

VS-6
Name	VS-6
Type	Scout bomber
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Vought
First flight	1938
Introduction	1939
Retired	1943
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	144
Developed from	Vought SB2U Vindicator

VS-6. The VS-6 was a monoplane scout bomber aircraft developed for the United States Navy by the Vought division of United Aircraft in the late 1930s. It served as a carrier-based aircraft during the early years of World War II, seeing combat in both the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean theaters before being relegated to training duties. The design was an evolution of the earlier Vought SB2U Vindicator, incorporating a more powerful engine and improved armament.

History

The development of the VS-6 was driven by the United States Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics requirement for a modern monoplane scout bomber to replace older biplane types like the Vought O3U Corsair. Following the design and service entry of the Vought SB2U Vindicator, Vought engineers sought to create a more capable variant. The project received approval in 1937, with the prototype completing its maiden flight the following year. The aircraft entered service with Fleet Air Wing units in 1939, coinciding with a period of rapid naval aviation expansion prior to World War II.

Design and development

The VS-6 was an all-metal, low-wing monoplane with a semi-monocoque fuselage and retractable landing gear, including a tailwheel. It was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, which provided greater horsepower than the powerplant used in the Vought SB2U Vindicator. The crew of two, a pilot and a radio operator/gunner, sat in tandem under a long greenhouse canopy. Defensive armament typically consisted of one fixed forward-firing .30 caliber machine gun and one flexible-mounted .30 caliber machine gun in the rear cockpit. Its primary offensive role was as a dive bomber, capable of carrying one 1,000-pound bomb or a smaller depth charge on a centerline rack.

Operational history

The VS-6 achieved operational status with the United States Navy in 1939, initially assigned to scouting squadrons aboard aircraft carriers such as the USS Ranger (CV-4). At the outbreak of World War II, it performed anti-submarine patrols and convoy escort duties in the Atlantic Ocean. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, surviving aircraft were deployed to the Pacific Ocean, where they saw limited combat during the early campaigns, including the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway. By 1943, the type was considered obsolete compared to newer aircraft like the Douglas SBD Dauntless and was withdrawn from frontline service, with remaining airframes used for training naval aviators at bases like Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Variants

* VS-6: The initial production model for the United States Navy, with 144 aircraft built. * VS-6A: A proposed export variant for the French Navy with minor equipment changes; orders were cancelled following the Battle of France. * VS-6B: A land-based version evaluated by the United States Marine Corps for observation duties, featuring increased fuel capacity and revised radio equipment.

Operators

* United States: The primary operator was the United States Navy, which used the aircraft in both fleet and training commands. A small number were also operated by the United States Marine Corps for utility roles. * France: The French Navy placed an order for the VS-6A variant, but none were delivered before the Armistice of 22 June 1940. * United Kingdom: The Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm evaluated one captured ex-French aircraft under the designation "Vought Scout I" but did not adopt it for service.

Specifications (VS-6)

|+ Vought VS-6 ! General characteristics |- | Crew: || 2 (pilot, radio operator/gunner) |- | Length: || 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m) |- | Wingspan: || 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m) |- | Height: || 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) |- | Wing area: || 305 sq ft (28.3 m²) |- | Empty weight: || 5,634 lb (2,556 kg) |- | Gross weight: || 7,842 lb (3,557 kg) |- | Powerplant: || 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 825 hp (615 kW) |- | Propellers: || 3-bladed constant-speed propeller |- ! Performance |- | Maximum speed: || 250 mph (400 km/h, 220 kn) at 9,500 ft (2,900 m) |- | Cruise speed: || 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn) |- | Range: || 1,000 mi (1,600 km, 870 nmi) |- | Service ceiling: || 27,500 ft (8,400 m) |- | Rate of climb: || 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s) |- ! Armament |- | Guns: || 1 × forward-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine gun and 1 × flexible .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine gun in rear cockpit |- | Bombs: || Up to 1,000 lb (450 kg) of bombs or depth charges on a centerline rack

Category:United States bomber aircraft 1930–1939 Category:Vought aircraft Category:World War II dive bombers of the United States