Misplaced Pages

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74-437: The Banshee was developed during the mid to late 1940s. It was a derivative of the earlier FH Phantom , although the resulting aircraft would be considerably larger, more heavily armed, and furnished with far more powerful engines in the form of a pair of Westinghouse J34 turbojets . The Banshee incorporated several recent innovations, including a pressurized cockpit, "kneeling" nose landing gear and an ejection seat , which

148-438: A 2 ft 10 in (0.86 m) longer nose that housed a Sperry Corporation AN/APS-19 radar which required that the cannons be moved back to make room. An F2H-2N was returned to McDonnell to serve as the prototype for the enlarged F2H-3. Some F2H-2Ns retained the "kneeling" nose feature of the earlier F2H-1. The F2H-2P photo reconnaissance version had six cameras in a 2 ft 5 in (0.74 m) longer nose and

222-591: A September air show in Cleveland, Ohio , nearly caused a head-on low-altitude collision with a large formation of other aircraft; their Phantoms were turned over to test squadron VX-3 . The VMF-122 Phantoms were later used for air show demonstrations until they were taken out of service in 1949, with the team being known alternately as the Marine Phantoms or the Flying Leathernecks . The Phantom's service as

296-542: A US Navy jet fighter altitude record of 52,000 ft (16,000 m), but it wasn't enough to beat the 59,430 ft (18,110 m) reached by a de Havilland Vampire on 23 March 1948. This altitude record was motivated at least partially by inter-service rivalries, as the feat proved that the Convair B-36 Peacemaker strategic bombers of the United States Air Force (the existence of which had been

370-616: A brake failure and rolled off the carrier's deck into the ocean, drowning its pilot. Banshee utilization fell as the RCN shifted to anti-submarine warfare (ASW), which did not anticipate aerial attacks, and so there was little need for the Banshee under this doctrine. Also, due to the carrier's small size, there was no room to accommodate Banshees when Bonaventure was carrying enough Grumman CS2F Trackers to conduct around-the-clock ASW patrols, so it regularly operated without them. The Canadian military

444-508: A factor in the cancellation of the USS ; United States , which would have been the U.S. Navy's first " supercarrier ") was vulnerable to interceptor aircraft even at its maximum altitude. During August 1948, similarities to the FH-1 meant that McDonnell was able to complete the first F2H-1 , a mere three months after the last FH-1 was built; service evaluations commenced that same month Compared to

518-489: A frontline fighter would be short-lived. Its limited range and light armament – notably, its inability to carry bombs  – made it best suited for duty as a point-defence interceptor aircraft . However, its speed and rate of climb were only slightly better than existing propeller-powered fighters and fell short of other contemporary jets, such as the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star , prompting concerns that

592-641: A jet aircraft, high ceiling of 48,500 ft (14,800 m), and speed that made it difficult to intercept even by other jet aircraft. As a result, the F2H-2P was responsible for supplying roughly 40% of the United States Air Force (USAF) Fifth Air Force 's daytime reconnaissance needs. The F2H-3 was an all-weather fighter, with a larger diameter Westinghouse AN/APQ-41 radar fitted in an 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m) longer fuselage which also increased its internal fuel load by over 50%, to 1,102 US gal (4,170 L; 918 imp gal). This allowed

666-420: A large number of improvements to various onboard systems. The cockpit was pressurized and air conditioned , while the flaps , landing gear , folding wings , canopy, and air brakes were electrically rather than pneumatically operated. The front of the windscreen was bulletproof glass that was electrically heated to prevent frost. The Banshee was provisioned with a "kneeling" nose landing gear that had

740-400: A larger and thicker wing. The more powerful engines were more fuel hungry, thus the fuselage was enlarged and strengthened to facilitate an increase in fuel capacity, which permitted a mission radius of up to 600 miles to be flown. No provisions for external stores were present on early production aircraft. Armament comprised four 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon , the U.S. Navy's successor to

814-448: A mockup was completed. The project survived the numerous cancellations that came around the end of the conflict, however, the pace of development was slowed considerably, leading to the first of three prototypes not being completed until late 1946. On 11 January 1947, the first prototype performed its maiden flight from Lambert Field , St. Louis, Missouri , piloted by McDonnell test pilot Robert M. Eldholm. During this first test flight,

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888-431: A number of engine combinations, varying from eight 9.5 in (24 cm) diameter engines down to two engines of 19 inches (48 cm) diameter. The final design used the two 19 in (48 cm) engines after it was found to be the lightest and simplest configuration. The engines were buried in the wing root to keep intake and exhaust ducts short, offering greater aerodynamic efficiency than underwing nacelles , and

962-487: A pair of small wheels forward of the regular nosewheel. The regular nosewheel could be retracted so that the aircraft would rest on the smaller wheels; it could taxi with its nose down, redirecting the hot jet blast upwards to pose less risk to ground crews, and to allow parked aircraft to be tucked under each other to save space. This function was usually removed from later variants as it was found to be of little practical use and caused deck handling problems. During April 1945,

1036-405: A pilot-switchable aileron power boost. The latter was necessary to control the roll to the left when a heavy nuclear bomb was carried. One cannon was removed to provide room for the electronics needed to arm the weapon. 25 F2H-2Bs were built. The F2H-2N was the U.S. Navy's first carrier-based jet night fighter , making its first flight on 3 February 1950, although only 14 would be built. It had

1110-622: A possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan led to Marine F2H-2Ps performing 27 overflights of possible Chinese staging areas without incident, escorted by Marine fighter Banshees based in South Korea. During 1951, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) drafted a $ 40 million deal for 60 new Banshees to replace its obsolete fleet of Hawker Sea Furies . However, the purchase was not approved by the Parliament of Canada until 1953, by which point production of

1184-516: A possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan . During the mid 1950s, the U.S. Navy and USMC began retiring their Banshees in favour of newer and more capable jet aircraft, such as the swept wing Grumman F-9 Cougar and McDonnell F3H Demon , and the delta wing Douglas F4D Skyray . Several of these aircraft would be acquired by Canada for the Royal Canadian Navy as production of the Banshee was terminated in 1953. Introduced to Canadian service in 1955,

1258-639: A production contract was awarded on 7 March 1945 for 100 FD-1 aircraft. With the end of the war, the Phantom production contract was reduced to 30 aircraft, but was soon increased back to 60. The first prototype was lost in a fatal crash on 1 November 1945, but the second and final Phantom prototype ( serial number 48236 ) was completed early the next year and became the first purely jet-powered aircraft to operate from an American aircraft carrier , completing four successful takeoffs and landings on 21 July 1946, from Franklin D. Roosevelt near Norfolk, Virginia . At

1332-540: A result of their air superiority throughout most of 1950, UNC squadrons were able to carry out ground attack missions instead, especially close air support and interdiction of North Korean army supply lines. The Banshee, like most naval jets of its generation, had a serious handicap. Naval air services, including the USN, had resisted faster, swept wing designs from fears that poor low speed flight characteristics made them unsafe to operate from aircraft carriers . Consequently,

1406-476: A test aircraft suffered extensive damage to the wing and tail after the afterburners were lit. An F2H-3P reconnaissance variant was proposed to replace the F2H-2P, but was ultimately not built. On 24 September 1953, production of the Banshee was ended following the delivery of 895 aircraft. Under the 1962 unified designation system surviving F2H-3 and F2H-4 were redesignated F-2C and F-2D respectively. The F-2A and F-2B designations were never assigned, as

1480-461: A two-seat trainer ( Model 24P ), a two seat interceptor ( Model 24Q ), several single seat interceptors ( models 24R & 24S ), multiple variants with lengthened fuselages, alternate wings and tails, swept wings ( model 24J , and others) and afterburners ( model 24K, 24L and others), and various engine ( model 24W , and others) and radar installations ( model 24Y , and others), few of which were built. Plans for adding afterburners were canceled after

1554-593: A war in Europe involving the Soviet Union, in particular on the location of airfields. The US Navy's "Operation Steve Brody ", with four F2H-2P photo reconnaissance Banshees were to fly from a carrier on routine maneuvers off Greece and fly north, photographing Russian territory bordering the Black Sea. In May 1952, this was presented to Secretary of Defense Robert A. Lovett , but Lovett canceled it. Later, during 1955, fears of

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1628-624: Is a twinjet , straight-wing , carrier-based fighter aircraft designed and first flown during late World War II for the United States Navy . As a first-generation jet fighter , the Phantom was the first purely jet-powered aircraft to land on an American aircraft carrier and the first jet deployed by the United States Marine Corps . Although only 62 FH-1s were built it helped prove the viability of carrier-based jet fighters. As McDonnell's first successful fighter, it led to

1702-454: Is a 20 mm autocannon that was widely used by the United States Navy after World War II . The Mk 12 was an advanced derivative of the wartime Hispano HS 404 that was used on French, British and some American fighter aircraft during World War II . It used a lighter projectile with a bigger charge for better muzzle velocity and higher rate of fire at the cost of hitting power. It entered U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps service in

1776-647: The Philippines and Portugal. The only exceptions were Israel and Singapore . The Israeli Air Force replaced the Mk 12 cannon with the French 30 mm DEFA cannon (a revolver design) in its Skyhawks, while the Republic of Singapore Air Force fitted the British 30 mm ADEN cannon (another revolver). Indonesia later bought some used A-4s from Israel. As of 2013, the Mk 12 cannon

1850-585: The Banshee can be traced back to the FH Phantom , the United States Navy 's first carrier-based jet fighter. This predecessor had been first proposed by McDonnell in January 1943 and made its first flight on 2 January 1945. Even prior to production-standard Phantoms commencing delivery in January 1947, the company had already progressed with development of a successor. On 2 March 1945, the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics instructed McDonnell to produce three prototypes of

1924-419: The Banshee had been terminated. Accordingly, the RCN acquired 39 second-hand US Navy F2H-3s for $ 25 million which were delivered between 1955 and 1958. They would be flown from HMCS  Bonaventure or as NORAD interceptors from shore bases. In order to improve the Banshee as an interceptor, the RCN equipped their aircraft with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. During November 1959, the RCN conducted sea trials of

1998-502: The Banshee proved to be almost 100 mph (160 km/h) slower than the latest land-based fighters, which has been largely attributed to its use of a straight wing rather than a swept wing configuration. Nevertheless, several variants were procured; the F2H-2N was the first carrier-based jet-powered night fighter flown by the U.S. Navy, albeit only in limited numbers, while the F2H-2P was also

2072-594: The Banshee was almost 100 mph (160 km/h) slower than the latest land-based fighters. Their obsolescence was reinforced by the introduction of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 in November 1950. Most UNC air combat missions, such as patrols over " MiG Alley ", were undertaken by North American F-86 Sabres of the USAF Far East Air Forces . Consequently, F2H fighters operated most of the war beyond

2146-699: The F2H-1 and F2H-2 had already been retired. No Banshee flew under the new designations as the last examples were already in storage when the new designations came into effect. The F2H-2 served during the Korean War with the US Navy's Task Force 77 and the Marine Corps. On 23 August 1951, a Banshee flew the type's first combat mission in the Korean theatre from USS Essex . The F2H-2 initially proved its worth as an escort fighter for

2220-522: The F2H-2 and most subsequent Banshee variants. The F2H-2 was the basis for three sub-variants. The F2H-2B had strengthened wings and an additional pylon adjacent to the intake on the port side to allow it to carry a 1,650 lb (750 kg) Mark 7 nuclear bomb or a 3,230 lb (1,470 kg) Mark 8 nuclear bomb . To compensate for the increased load, the F2H-2B was fitted with stiffer landing gear struts and

2294-619: The F8U-1P (later RF-8A) variant of the Vought F8U Crusader as these aircraft became available. During 1954, a Banshee flew coast-to-coast, nonstop without refueling, approximately 1,900 miles (3,100 km) from NAS Los Alamitos , California to NAS Cecil Field , Florida, in approximately four hours. During the Korean War, the US was concerned about the lack of intelligence available should there be

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2368-685: The Mk 12 was standard cannon armament on gun-armed American naval fighters and attack aircraft from the early 1950s to the early 1970s, including the F4D Skyray , F3H Demon , A-4 Skyhawk , F-8 Crusader , F-11 Tiger and early navy versions of the LTV A-7 Corsair II . International customers of the A-4 Skyhawk , F-8 Crusader , and the A-7 Corsair II also used the Mk 12 cannon: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Kuwait , Malaysia , New Zealand,

2442-786: The Panther or Banshee. In June 1949, VF-171 (VF-17A) re-equipped with the Banshee, and their Phantoms were turned over to VF-172 ; this squadron, along with the NATC, VX-3, and VMF-122, turned over their Phantoms to the United States Naval Reserve by late 1949 after receiving F2H-1 Banshees. The FH-1 would see training duty with the USNR until being replaced by the F9F Panther in July 1954; none ever saw combat, having been retired from frontline service prior to

2516-487: The Phantom lacked, as well as a large number of improvements to other aircraft systems. On 11 January 1947, the first prototype performed its maiden flight . During August 1948, the first F2H-1 , the initial production model, was completed. The F2H-2 was the basis for three sub-variants; the nuclear-armed F2H-2B , the F2H-2N night fighter , and the F2H-2P photo reconnaissance aircraft. Upon its introduction in late 1948,

2590-456: The Phantom would be outmatched by future enemy jets it might soon face. Moreover, recent experience in World War II had demonstrated the value of naval fighters that could double as fighter-bombers , a capability the Phantom lacked. Finally, the aircraft exhibited some design deficiencies – its navigational avionics were poor, it could not accommodate newly developed ejection seats , and

2664-485: The Sidewinder, resulting in the successful downing of several remotely piloted drones . Although initially well-liked by its Canadian pilots for its flying qualities, the Banshee began to suffer from problems. The RCN would eventually lose 12 of its original 39 Banshees to accidents, a loss rate of 30.8%. One Banshee and its pilot were lost after an inflight failure of the folding wing mechanism, and another Banshee suffered

2738-847: The USAF bombers supporting United Nations Command (UNC) ground forces, largely due to its favourable performance when flown at high altitude. The Banshee was able to demonstrate clear performance advantages over the Grumman F9F Panther . From mid-1950, the F2H-2 had negligible exposure to hostile aircraft over Korea, due to several factors. During the opening weeks of the war, the North Korean air force had been almost completely annihilated by UNC fighter units. Later, North Korea and its allies were unable to operate from airfields near combat zones in South Korea, forcing them to operate out of air bases in China . As

2812-520: The United States as well as in Canada. Data from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 , Combat Aircraft since 1945 , U.S. Navy Standard Aircraft Characteristics , except as noted General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists McDonnell FH Phantom The McDonnell FH Phantom

2886-527: The XF2D-1, the F2H was a larger aircraft in practically all aspects, while the fuel capacity was increased to 877 US gal (3,320 L; 730 imp gal). The empennage was a new design, the dorsal fin was reduced, and the dihedral was eliminated from the horizontal stabilizers. The wing and tail were reduced in thickness to increase the critical Mach number and different airfoil sections were used. The F2H-1

2960-512: The aircraft demonstrated a climb rate of 9,000 ft/min (2,700 m/min), twice that of the F8F Bearcat , the Navy's primary fleet defense interceptor . The flight test programme, which included carrier trials, was considered to be a success, however, various improvements and refinements to the aircraft were suggested. The U.S. Navy also permitted McDonnell to borrow one of the prototypes to assist in

3034-401: The contemporary Grumman F9F Panther , the Banshee's wingtip tanks were detachable. A pair of armament pylons were added under each inboard and outboard wing, for a total of eight, allowing the aircraft to carry 1,580 lb (720 kg) of stores, consisting of up to four 250 lb (110 kg) bombs and four 5 in (130 mm) unguided rockets. The "kneeling" nose gear was omitted from

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3108-399: The designation XFD-1 was assigned. Under the 1922 United States Navy aircraft designation system , the letter "D" before the dash designated the aircraft's manufacturer. The Douglas Aircraft Company had previously been assigned this letter, but the USN elected to reassign it to McDonnell because Douglas had not provided any fighters for navy service in years. McDonnell engineers evaluated

3182-438: The detachable wingtip fuel tanks to be reduced to 170 US gal (640 L; 140 imp gal) each, and due to the increased internal capacity, these were now seldom needed. The cannons were moved back, away from the nose to accommodate the larger diameter radar while allowing for an increased ammunition capacity. The horizontal stabilizers were lowered from the fin to the fuselage and were given dihedral, and on all but

3256-500: The development of afterburners and to test fly a modified wing design with an extended trailing edge . During 1947, the prototype was redesignated XF2H-1 after the Navy placed an order for an unrelated jet fighter from the Douglas Aircraft Company , which had previously been assigned the manufacturer's letter D . An initial order for 56 aircraft was issued by the U.S. Navy on 29 May 1947. During August 1949, an F2H-1 set

3330-489: The development of the follow-on F2H Banshee , which was one of the two most important naval jet fighters of the Korean War ; combined, the two established McDonnell as an important supplier of navy aircraft. McDonnell chose to bring the name back with the third-generation, Mach 2-capable McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II , the most versatile and widely used Western combat aircraft of the Vietnam War era. The FH Phantom

3404-503: The engine exhaust path and reducing the risk that the hot blast would damage the aircraft carrier deck. The construction methods and aerodynamic design of the Phantom were fairly conventional for the time; the aircraft had unswept wings, a conventional empennage , and an aluminum monocoque structure with flush riveted aluminum skin. Folding wings were used to reduce the width of the aircraft in storage configuration. Provisions for four .50-caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns were made in

3478-411: The engines were angled slightly outwards to protect the fuselage from the hot exhaust blast. Placement of the engines in the middle of the airframe allowed the cockpit with its bubble-style canopy to be placed ahead of the wing, granting the pilot excellent visibility in all directions. This engine location also freed up space under the nose, allowing designers to use tricycle gear , thereby elevating

3552-559: The first USMC combat squadron to deploy jets. VF-17A became the USN's first fully operational jet carrier squadron when it deployed aboard USS  Saipan on 5 May 1948. The Phantom was one of the first jets used by the U.S. military for exhibition flying. Three Phantoms used by the Naval Air Test Center were used by a unique demonstration team called the Gray Angels , whose members consisted entirely of naval aviators holding

3626-493: The first XFD-1, serial number 48235 , was completed in January 1945, only one Westinghouse 19XB-2B engine was available for installation. Ground runs and taxi tests were conducted with the single engine, and such was the confidence in the aircraft that the first flight on 26 January 1945 was made with only the one turbojet engine. During flight tests, the Phantom became the first U.S. Navy aircraft to exceed 500 mph (434 kn, 805 km/h). With successful completion of tests,

3700-466: The first aircraft, large triangular fillets were added to the leading edges. The weapons load was increased to 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles would be cleared for use. The F2H-3 also added provisions for aerial refueling consisting of as-needed bolt-on, in-flight refueling probe that replaced the upper port cannon. 250 were built, with the first flight being made on March 29 1952. The final variant to be produced

3774-404: The improved derivative they had envisioned, designated XF2D-1 . The company's design team had originally intended for this aircraft to be a straightforward modification of the Phantom and thus to share many components between the two aircraft, but it promptly became clear that the new aircraft ought to possess heavier armament, greater internal fuel capacity, and several other improvements that made

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3848-504: The location of the machine guns in the upper nose caused pilots to be dazzled by muzzle flash . The F2H Banshee and Grumman F9F Panther , both of which began flight tests around the time of the Phantom's entry into service, better satisfied the navy's desire for a versatile, long-range, high-performance jet. Consequently, the FH-1 saw little weapons training, and was primarily used for carrier qualifications to transition pilots from propeller-powered fighters to jets in preparation for flying

3922-497: The mid-1950s, replacing the earlier M3 cannon. In service, the Mk 12 proved less than satisfactory. Although its muzzle velocity and rate of fire were acceptable, it was inaccurate and frequently unreliable. Pilots of the F-8 Crusader over North Vietnam , in particular, appreciated the presence of the cannon, but jams and stoppages were common, especially following hard dogfighting maneuvers in high-g environments. Nevertheless,

3996-614: The nose, while racks for eight 5 in (130 mm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets could be fitted under the wings, although these were seldom used in service. Adapting a jet to carrier use was a much greater challenge than producing a land-based fighter because of slower landing and takeoff speeds required on a small carrier deck. The Phantom used split flaps on both the folding and fixed wing sections to enhance low-speed landing performance, but no other high-lift devices were used. Provisions were also made for Rocket Assisted Take Off (RATO) bottles to improve takeoff performance. When

4070-439: The obsolete World War II -era .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns ; these were mounted underneath the redesigned nose as this positioning meant that pilots would not be blinded by muzzle flash when firing at night, which had been a problem with the Phantom. From the tenth production aircraft onwards, the Banshee incorporated an ejection seat , another feature that had been absent on the Phantom. The aircraft also incorporated

4144-488: The original aircraft was still under development – a proposal that would lead to the design of the Phantom's replacement, the F2H Banshee . Although the new aircraft was originally envisioned as a modified Phantom, the need for heavier armament, greater internal fuel capacity, and other improvements eventually led to a substantially heavier and bulkier aircraft that shared few parts with its agile predecessor. Despite this,

4218-411: The original concept infeasible. The resulting aircraft required the use of much larger and more powerful engines; the powerplant selected was a pair of newly developed Westinghouse J34 turbojets , which provided nearly double the total thrust from 3,200 to 6,000 lbf (14,000 to 27,000 N) compared to the Phantom but, since the larger engines still had to fit within the wing roots, this required

4292-681: The outbreak of the Korean War . In 1964, Progressive Aero, Incorporated of Fort Lauderdale, Florida purchased three surplus Phantoms, intending to use them to teach civilians how to fly jets. A pair were stripped of military equipment and restored to flying condition, but the venture was unsuccessful, and the aircraft were soon retired once again. Data from Naval Fighters #3 : McDonnell FH-1 Phantom, and McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Colt Mk 12 cannon The Colt Mk 12

4366-460: The production run, the navy reassigned the designation letter "D" back to Douglas, with the Phantom being redesignated FH-1. Including the two prototypes, a total of 62 Phantoms were finally produced, with the last FH-1 rolling off the assembly line in May 1948. Realizing that the production of more powerful jet engines was imminent, McDonnell engineers proposed a more powerful variant of the Phantom while

4440-506: The radar-equipped F2H-3 and F2H-4 for all-weather fleet defense after the Korean War as a stopgap measure until the swept wing Grumman F-9 Cougar and McDonnell F3H Demon , and delta wing Douglas F4D Skyray could be deployed. Later Banshee variants were only briefly on the front lines and saw no action. Similarly, the F2H-2P was superseded by the F9F-8P (later RF-9J) variant of the F9F Cougar and

4514-453: The range of enemy fighters. Banshee pilots scored no victories, while three F2H-2s were lost to anti-aircraft gunfire. The F2H-2P flew reconnaissance missions during the Korean War, primarily with the USMC. At that time of the war, surface-to-air missiles had not yet been deployed and few enemy aircraft had radar , while AA guns were ineffective against fast, high-altitude targets. Air defense

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4588-401: The rank of rear admiral ( Daniel V. Gallery , Apollo Soucek and Edgar A. Cruise .) The team's name was an obvious play on the name of the recently formed U.S. Navy Blue Angels , who were still flying propeller-powered Grumman F8F Bearcats at the time. The "Grays" flew in various air shows during the summer of 1947, but the team was abruptly disbanded after their poorly timed arrival at

4662-463: The service's first jet-powered reconnaissance aircraft. US Navy and Marine pilots often referred to the F2H as the "Banjo". It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War , typically being flown as an escort fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. Radar-equipped Banshees were also used for all-weather fleet defense. Furthermore, during 1955, 27 overflights of potential Chinese staging areas were conducted by USMC Banshees in response to

4736-506: The time, she was the largest carrier serving with the U.S. Navy, allowing the aircraft to take off without assistance from a catapult . The second prototype crashed on 26 August 1946. Production Phantoms incorporated a number of design improvements. These included provisions for a flush-fitting centerline drop tank , an improved gunsight, and the addition of speed brakes . Production models used Westinghouse J30 -WE-20 engines with 1,600 lbf (7.1 kN) of thrust per engine. The top of

4810-532: The two aircraft were similar enough that McDonnell was able to complete its first F2H-1 in August 1948, a mere three months after the last FH-1 had rolled off the assembly line. The first Phantoms were delivered to USN fighter squadron VF-17A (later redesignated VF-171) in August 1947; the squadron received a full complement of 24 aircraft on 29 May 1948. Beginning in November 1947, Phantoms were delivered to United States Marine Corps squadron VMF-122 , making it

4884-523: The type became the sole fighter operated following the retirement of the piston-engined Hawker Sea Fury . It operated at sea from HMCS  Bonaventure or from shore bases as NORAD interceptor aircraft . Amid a reorientation towards anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and reduced value being placed on fighter operations, as well as decreasing reliability, Canada opted to withdraw its last Banshees without any direct replacement in September 1962. The origins of

4958-420: The vertical tail had a more square shape than the rounder tail used on the prototypes, and a smaller rudder was used to resolve problems with control surface clearance discovered during test flights. The horizontal tail surfaces were shortened slightly, while the fuselage was stretched by 19 in (48 cm). The amount of framing in the windshield was reduced to enhance pilot visibility. Halfway through

5032-455: Was a play on the Banshee name and the RCN color scheme. The RCN was too small to dedicate aircraft for airshows , so the team flew available operational Banshees for each show. Aside from the three former RCN Banshees that survive, RCN Banshees were cut up for scrap or burned in firefighting exercises upon their retirement. Surviving examples are on display in private collections and at several naval air stations and marine corps air stations in

5106-454: Was also under pressure to reduce its budget, and the obsolescent Banshees were expensive to maintain as their age, punishing carrier service, and the harsh North Atlantic were taking their toll. Having been the only jet-powered carrier-based fighters deployed by the RCN, the last examples were retired without replacement during September 1962. Banshees were the primary aircraft of the short-lived RCN Grey Ghosts aerobatic team. The team's name

5180-577: Was originally designated the FD Phantom , but this was changed as the aircraft entered production. In early 1943, aviation officials at the United States Navy were impressed with McDonnell's audacious XP-67 Bat project. McDonnell was invited by the navy to cooperate in the development of a shipboard jet fighter, using an engine from the turbojets under development by Westinghouse Electric Corporation . Three prototypes were ordered on 30 August 1943 and

5254-511: Was retrofitted with 3,150 lbf (14,000 N) engines as they became available. Although the Navy was satisfied with the F2H-1, it was the more capable F2H-2 that was most widely used. Powered by Westinghouse J34-WE-34 engines, capable of producing 3,250 lbf (14,500 N) of thrust, it proved to be capable of significantly improved performance. The wings were strengthened to add provision for 200 US gal (760 L; 170 imp gal) wingtip fuel tanks but, unlike those of

5328-426: Was still largely visual, and so a lone high-flying F2H-2P was almost impossible for ground forces to shoot down. The aircraft was in demand for its invaluable battlefield photography. F2H-2Ps had USAF fighter escorts when in areas frequented by enemy fighters. Despite being deployed constantly throughout the war, only two F2H-2Ps were lost to radar-directed AA gunfire, and suffered no air-to-air losses. The USN deployed

5402-517: Was the F2H-4 . It had a Hughes AN/APG-37 radar and slightly more powerful Westinghouse J34-WE-38 3,600 lbf (16,000 N) engines that increased the aircraft's service ceiling to 56,000 ft (17,000 m). The F2H-4 was externally indistinguishable from the F2H-3. McDonnell also created at least 48 proposals, including a long range escort fighter ( Model 24H ), a two-seat night fighter ( Model 24N ),

5476-445: Was the US Navy's first jet-powered carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft. First flight was on 12 October 1950, and 90 were built. The pilot could rotate the cameras in both vertical and horizontal planes, and the aircraft could carry a pair of underwing pods that each contained 20 flash cartridges for night photography. The camera bay was electrically heated. The F2H-2P was a valuable photo-reconnaissance asset due to its long range for

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