Introducing the ready-to-ship AF5U mahagany model. This 1/27 scale model was handmade with precision and accuracy to produce the finest model that will be the centerpiece of your collection for years to come. This model is a perfect gift for pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike. This model features a wingspan of 14 inches and a length of 12 inches. This model features a very accurate paint scheme with realistic panel lines. This collectible model Vought AF5U Flying Pancake represents one of the most unusual experimental aircraft ever built – an early flying wing. Painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by our skilled craftsmen, this 1/32-scale model TBF/TBM-3 Avenger makes a great pilot gift or a present for any veteran, aviation enthusiast or history buff.

About this Model:

Your model will be delivered exactly as shown in the photographs with the exact same paint scheme.  The stand shown in this photograph may vary or change with the model you receive. If you would like to change this model in any other way, please visit the Custom Model section of our website to commission a customized model to be built.  

History of the Vought AF5U:

The brainchild of Charles H. Zimmerman, a noted aeronautical engineer, the A5FU was designed to use its twin propellers to cancel out induced drag at its wingtips. The disc-shaped aircraft was also designed to operate from very low speeds – even able to hover, some engineers hoped – with tops speeds approaching 500 mph. Although development of test models began in the early 1940s, progress was slow. Vibrations in the complex gearbox that connected the two large props to the single engine were a particular issue. The design proved to be easy to fly and maneuverable, but by 1946, the Navy – its intended customer – was already looking to jets for the next generation of aircraft. The prototype, the V-173, made its final flight in 1946 and is now in the collection of the National Air & Space Museum.