INTRODUCTION to the VOUGHT HERITAGE SITE

This web site was produced as a joint effort between Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Vought Retiree Club. By preserving the history of Chance Milton Vought and the company he founded over 90 years ago, we strive to pass on the heritage of Vought to future generations. The company, under its current name, Vought Aircraft Industries Incorporated, has changed its identification and ownership more than 18 times since it was founded as Lewis and Vought Corporation in 1917. From a few dozen people in the beginning to the current  thousands, the Vought story is an epic featuring all of the men and women who ever worked for the company. Despite the many name changes, Vought and its many products have been in the forefront of the American Aerospace Industry because of the talented, innovative and farsighted leadership exhibited by Mr. Vought and those leaders who followed in his footsteps.

From the delivery of the VE-7 “Bluebird” in 1920 through Desert Storm in 1991, there was never a day that there was not a Vought airplane on board a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, battleship or cruiser. Though they have passed out of the U.S. Military inventory, Vought A-7 Corsair II aircraft still serve with Allies of the United States.

The Vought Heritage and Education Internet project is now in being as a web site for all to share. Our continuing objective is to spark the interest of future generations of children in math, science and engineering through the medium of aeronautical history.

To better understand how Vought fits into the 20th century, significant events which were taking place as Vought developed are described. This helps to provide a historical perspective

This web site is dedicated to all of the people, past and present, who worked for or were associated with Vought under all of its titles. Distinguished among these are the U.S. military personnel who used Vought products in peace and war to preserve our freedoms.