wbalogo.gif (14066 bytes)



[Back to Warbird Alley Main Page]


Fighter / Attack:
   Bell P-39 Airacobra
   Bell P-63 Kingcobra
   Brewster Buffalo
   Chance-Vought F-4U Corsair
   Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
   Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
   Douglas A-1 Skyraider
   Douglas A-26 Invader
   Douglas SBD Dauntless
   Fairey Firefly
   Focke-Wulf Fw 190
   Grumman F4F Wildcat
   Grumman F6F Hellcat
   Grumman F7F Tigercat
   Grumman F8F Bearcat
   Grumman TBF Avenger
   Hawker Hurricane
   Hawker Sea Fury
   Lockheed P-38 Lightning
   Messerschmitt Bf-109
   Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen
   North American P-51 Mustang

   Polikarpov I-16
   Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
   Supermarine Spitfire
   Yakovlev Yak-3
   Yakovlev Yak-9


Trainers:
  
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan (C-45)
   Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
   Boeing / Stearman PT-17

   Commonwealth CA-25 Winjeel
   Commonwealth CA-1 Wirraway
   DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
   DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth
   Fairchild PT-19 Cornell
   Hunting / Percival Provost
   Meyers OTW
   Nanchang CJ-6
   Naval Aircraft Factory N3N
   N. Am. BT-9 / BT-14 / Yale
   N. Am. T-6 Texan / SNJ / Harvard
   N. American T-28 Trojan

   Piaggio P149
   Ryan PT-22 Recruit

   Scottish Aviation T1 Bulldog
   Vultee BT-13 Valiant
   Yakovlev Yak-11
   Yakovlev Yak-18
   Yakovlev Yak-52


Bombers:
   Avro Lancaster
   Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
   Boeing B-29 Superfortress
   Bristol Blenheim / Bolingbroke
   Consolidated B-24 Liberator
   Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

   Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
   DeHavilland Mosquito
   Fairey Swordfish
   Heinkel He-111 / Casa 2.111

   Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon / Ventura
   Martin B-26 Marauder
   North American B-25 Mitchell


Transports:
   Beechcraft C-45 (AT-11)

   Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter (KC-97)
   Curtiss C-46 Commando
   Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota
   Douglas C-54 Skymaster

   Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
   Fairchild C-123 Provider
   Grumman C-1 Trader (S-2)
   Lockheed C-60 Lodestar
   Lockheed C-69 Constellation


Utility / Observation / Special Duty:
   Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper
   Aeronca L-16 Grasshopper
   Antonov AN-2 Colt
   Auster AOP 6/9
   Avro 652 Anson
   Avro Shackleton
   British Taylorcraft I-V
   Cessna L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog
   Cessna O-2 Super Skymaster
   Cessna T-50 / UC-78 Bobcat
   Consolidated PBY Catalina

   DeHavilland U-6A / L-20 Beaver
   Fairey Gannet
   Fairey Swordfish
   Fieseler Fi156 Storch
   Grumman S-2 Tracker (C-1)
   Grumman HU-16 Albatross
   Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
   Junkers Ju 52/3m

   Lockheed P2V Neptune
   Max Holste M.H.1521 Broussard
   Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

   Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman
   North American L-17 Navion
   N. Am./ Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
   Piper L-4 Grasshopper
   Stinson L-5 Sentinel
   Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper
   Westland Lysander


Jets:
   Aero L-29 Delfin
   Aero L-39 Albatros
   Aermacchi MB-326
   Avro Vulcan
   BAC Strikemaster
   Blackburn (BAC) Buccaneer
   Canadair Tutor
   Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
   DeHavilland Vampire
   DeHavilland Venom
   English Electric Canberra
   English Electric Lightning
   Folland Gnat
   Fouga CM-170 Magister
   Gloster Meteor
   Grumman F9F Panther
   Hawker Hunter
   Hispano HA-200 Saeta
   Hunting Jet Provost
   Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
   Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
   McDonnell-Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
   McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
   Messerschmitt Me-262
   Mikoyan MiG-15
   Mikoyan MiG-17
   Mikoyan MiG-21
   N. Am. F-86 Sabre / FJ-4 Fury
   N. Am. F-100 Super Sabre
   N. Am. / Rockwell T-2 Buckeye
   Northrop T-38 Talon / F-5
   PZL / WSK TS-11 Iskra
   Saab J35 Draken
   Soko G-2A Galeb
   Temco Pinto & Super Pinto


[Back to Warbird Alley Main Page]

 

Grumman F9F Panther

(Variants/Other Names: See History below)


Grumman F9F Panther
The Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas, USA owns the last flyable Grumman Panther,
a 1952 model, registered N9525A, Photo by Buck Wyndham.

History: Emerging from World War II as one of the most potent fighting arms on the planet, the US Navy recognized that the day of the piston-engine fighter was drawing to a close. Having supplied the fleet with the Tigercat and Bearcat, Grumman began design work on a carrier-based fighter to rival the McDonnell FH-1 Phantom. A conventional design with straight wings and excellent low speed characteristics, the first of 567 F9Fs reached the fleet in 1949 powered by two Rolls-Royce Nene engines providing 5,000 pounds of thrust.

They were none too soon. On August 6, 1950, Panthers were the first carrier jets to see action in Korea and performed almost half of all attack missions for the Navy and Marine Corps. Armament included four 20mm cannon plus two bombs or an assortment of rockets. Among the major Panther variants were the F9F-2B, a modified ground attack version with hardpoints for underwing stores; the F9F-5, the most numerous model, of which 616 were built; and the F9F-5P, an unarmed photo-surveillance version. A swept-wing model, the F9F-6 Cougar with higher speeds, would enter service in late 1951.

At least two Panthers have been restored to airworthy condition and operated as privately-owned warbirds, both in the USA, but only one remains airworthy today.

Nicknames: Unknown

Specifications (F9F-5):
        Engine: One 6,250-pound thrust Pratt & Whitney J48-P-6A turbojet engine
        Weight: Empty 10,147 lbs., Max Takeoff 18,721 lbs.
        Wing Span: 38ft. 0in.
        Length: 38ft. 10in.
        Height: 12ft. 3in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 579 mph
            Cruising Speed: 481 mph
            Ceiling: 42,800 ft.
            Range: 1,300 miles
        Armament:
            Four 20-mm cannon;
            Underwing hardpoints for two 1,000-pound bombs or six 127-mm (5-inch) HVAR rockets.

Number Built: ~1300

Number Still Airworthy: One

Links:
AeroWeb Aircraft Locator -- F9F Panther
Cavanaugh Flight Museum F9F -- The last flyable Panther!
Military History (April '96) feature -- F9Fs against MiG-15s

 

 


[Back to Warbird Alley's Main Page]


All text and photos Copyright 2016 The Doublestar Group, unless otherwise noted.
You may use this page for your own, non-commercial reference purposes only.


wbalogo.gif (14066 bytes)