F9F Panthers

[Malo83]

Nice set of pics on the Panther during the Korean War, check out pics 2303,2304, crazy nose gun setup, looks like they swivel fwd or dwn.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13327&start=630

 

[theblakeness]

Great pictures! the Panther was my grandfathers favorite plane to fly.

 

[brownshoe]

Photos

I know I’m telling my age here; but VF-45, the Blackbirds were next door to us (VA-44) in hangar 67 at Cecil, they flew the F-9. It was a low to the ground airplane, and actually very quiet for a jet. I agree a very nice looking aircraft. Great pictures. Thanks E2C Mech!

Makes me want to watch “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” again this evening, a great movie. Hey, maybe Skeeterman will thrill us with a few “real life” sea stories.

Steve

 

[Rocketman]

My old man was in the NAVCAD program and flew Marine F9's and AD's.

They did primary in SNJ's and advanced in Hellcats. Cool times

 

[robav8r]

Nice set of pics on the Panther during the Korean War, check out pics 2303,2304, crazy nose gun setup, looks like they swivel fwd or dwn.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13327&start=630[/quot


WOW - those pics were awesome. Really puts you in the "era" of that airframe. Question - have never seen pics of machine guns being mounted 90 deg off axis of the fuselage and pointed towards the ground, where did that come from and how effective was it ???

 

[A4sForever]

A further post said:

"2304 and 2305 are the Emerson X17A gun turret. It was to include radar ranging and fire control. Here is the gun sight. No need to pull lead. However, the electronics required turned out to be a bit too bulky to be carried by a single-engine jet fighter... "

From another source:

" ... In the summer of 1950, a re-engined F9F-3 (BuNo 122562) was fitted with an experimental electro-hydraulically driven Emerson Aero X17A roll-traverse turret housing four 0.50-inch machine guns. The guns could be directed at any angle from directly forward to 20 degrees aft, and the gun mount could be rolled the full 360 degrees in either direction. The turret could roll at a rate of 100 degrees per second, and the guns could be traversed at up to 200 degrees per second. Although the tests with the turret went fairly well, delays in the development of the associated radar and fire control system led to the project being cancelled in early 1954 ..."

LOVE them Aviation Greens, however ... and I note in pix #2303 that the USMC driver evidently missed the wires AND the barricade (?) and is heading for the pack on the bow while standing on his brakes AND standing on his head ... while the flight deck personnel are bailing ... I wonder if he "made it"???

 

[blackbart22]

Straight decks had barriers as in the old song:

 

[blackbart22]

oops. Old song Our LSO never wears glasses - but that doesn't mean he can see - he crys as we crash through the barrier - he was alright when he went by me!

 

[Catmando]

Panthers were great!

But I'm a little more partial to Cougars, since I flew a few.

 

[HAL Pilot]

But I'm a little more partial to Cougars, since I flew a few.

Never flew any Cougars but I've been in a few......

 

[a_m]

Never flew any Cougars but I've been in a few......

Kinky. She have someone take care of her kids?