 The Vought F6U Pirate was the Vought company 's first jet fighter , designed for US Navy during the mid @-@ 1940s . Although pioneering the use of turbojet power as the first naval fighter with an afterburner and composite material construction , the aircraft proved to be underpowered and was judged unsuitable for combat . None were ever issued to operational squadrons and they were relegated to development , training and test roles before they were withdrawn from service in 1950 . 
