 A specification was issued by the U.S. Navy 's Bureau of Aeronautics ( BuAer ) for a single @-@ seat , carrier @-@ based fighter powered by a Westinghouse 24C ( later J34 ) axial turbojet on 5 September 1944 . Chance Vought was awarded a contract for three V @-@ 340 ( company designation ) prototypes on 29 December 1944 . 
