[Development] XF5U-1: Dreams Come True! (3 - Page) ) - News

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XF5U-1: Dreams Come True!

31 October 2025 Development

Today we’re very excited to share the special vehicle for this year’s Dreams Come True event – the experimental American XF5U-1 “Flying Flapjack”!

XF5U-1: A Premium Fighter for the USA at Rank IV

At a glance:

Unique aerodynamic design
Very low stall speed
Equipped with six .50 caliber guns and bombs
Capable of very tight turns

The concept of the “flying pancake” design was proposed by American Charles Zimmerman in 1933, and represented a radical departure from traditional aircraft design. Zimmerman wanted to create an aircraft with as much lift as possible, and so the proposed design incorporated a fuselage that would also serve a single circular wing. After impressing the US Navy with a radio-controlled model, he received funding to create a prototype, which would receive the designation V-173.

This lightweight wooden aircraft with a maximum speed of 220 km/h successfully completed multiple years of testing, and resulted in a wealth of experience, which ultimately lead to the creation of a fully-fledged prototyped, designated as the XF5U-1, featuring an all-metal fuselage and two Pratt & Whitney R-2000-7 engines. By the time the prototype was completed in 1947 however, it was facing insurmountable complications. Ground tests revealed worrying control instability at low speeds, and against the backdrop of the successes of jet aviation, the US Navy closed the project in March 1947.

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Introducing the XF5U-1!

The main prize of the Dreams Come True event is the thoroughly unique XF5U-1 “Flying Flapjack” fighter prototype. This is easily one of the most unusual aircraft ever to come to War Thunder, and we’re eager to tell you all about it!

The original concept of the “flying pancake” design was intended to provide an incredibly short takeoff run, which would let the aircraft safely operate from short runways and carrier decks. The entire fuselage of the XF5U-1 is effectively just one big wing, and the large extended propellers prevent additional drag. Overall, the speed of the XF5U-1 is fairly average across the board, though it reaches a respectable 600 km/h at sea level, and can accelerate to 700 km/h at high altitudes. One of the standout features it has is the ability to perform very tight turns, which is very impressive for a heavy propeller fighter. That’s not all though, due to the frankly incredible lift, the XF5U-1 can comfortably outmaneuver almost any enemy in a stall fight.

Interesting: during the test flights of the wooden V-173 prototype in Connecticut, there were several cases of concerned citizens contacting the police with reports of UFOs.

The XF5U-1 is armed with six 12.7 mm machine guns, three on each side of the cockpit. The vertical arrangement makes the guns very comfortable to aim at range, and a pair of either 500 lb or 1000 lb bombs can be equipped for combined battles.

Interesting: when the aircraft was sent to be dismantled, its airframe proved so strong that a wrecking ball had to be used to destroy it, which even then required significant effort.

The XF5U-1 will not only become a valuable collectors aircraft, but a highly functional fighter with a unique playstyle that other fighters couldn’t hope to match. Play War thunder, complete the stages of the Dreams Come True event and receive your very own pancake-plane, along with many other rewards absolutely free!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.