Grumman F9F Panther Carrier-Borne Fighter / Ground Attack Aircraft - History, Specs and Pictures

Authored By Staff Writer | Last Updated: 2/7/2013

A United States Navy Korean-era F9F Panther.

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The Grumman F9F Panther series saw extensive combat in the Korean War for the United States Navy, accounting for over 78,000 combat sorties. The system was primarily utilized as a close-support strike aircraft but could hold its own against the Soviet-built MiG jet fighters fielded by North Korea and China. In the end, the Panther would become the most widely used fighter for the USN and be credited with achieving the first combat kill for the branch at the outset of the war.

The F9F Panther was designed as early as the latter staged of World War Two. The Panther was initially equipped with an array of four turbojet engines mounted in the straight-wing assemblies - a testament to how poorly the early turbojets performed in terms of output. As engine designs caught up to available technologies, the Panther was redesigned to accept just two turbojet engines - complete with water-injection boosting capabilities - now mounted in the wing roots. The addition of wingtip fuel tanks was also tested to good effect and would go on to increase the range of the fighter.

The F9F Panther straight-wing design would go on to be further developed in the F9F Cougar, a similarly-designed swept-wing version of this jet fighter that retained only the cockpit fuselage portion of the Panther. The Panther would go on to see success in the Korean War against both land and air targets and stay in frontline service with the USN as late as 1958. In the mid-sixties, the system would be resurrected once more in a refurbishment program that saw the Panther sent to Argentine forces. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Grumman F9F Panther
Carrier-Borne Fighter / Ground Attack Aircraft

Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Grumman - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1950
Production: 1,382

Focus Model: Grumman F9F-2B Panther
Crew: 1

Length: 37.24ft (11.35m)
Width: 37.99ft (11.58m)
Height: 11.32ft (3.45m)
Weight (Empty): 9,994lbs (4,533kg)
Weight (MTOW): 19,493lbs (8,842kg)

Powerplant: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J42-P-8 turbojet engine generating 5,700lbs of thrust.

Maximum Speed: 545mph (877kmh; 474kts)
Maximum Range: 1,353miles (2,177km)
Service Ceiling: 44,619ft (13,600m; 8.5miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 5,140 feet per minute (1,567m/min)

Hardpoints: 2
Armament Suite:
STANDARD:
4 x 20mm Cannons

OPTIONAL:
6 x Air-to-Surface Rockets
Up to 2,000lbs of Bombs

Variants:
XF9F-1 - Proposed Model fitted with 4 x wing-mounted turbojet engines.

F9F-2 - Production Model featuring straight-wing design and a single Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine; wingtip-mounted fuel tanks for increased range.

F9F-5 - Featuring fuel-injection; Pratt & Whitney J48 turbojet; 616 produced.

Operators:
Argentina; United States

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