The Vought Company designed the Cutlass as a tailless, carrier-based fighter for high speed and high rate of climb. Three models were designed, F7U-1, F7U-2 and F7U-3, but owing to problems with the power plant in the F7U-2, only the F7U-1 and F7U-3 were produced. Experience with the F7U-1 indicated that the F7U-3 would benefit from redesign of the airframe. The most obvious of the changes was in the nose section. All F7U-1s served as trainers; only the F7U-3 deployed in the fleet as a fighter aircraft.