Marines flew sturdy F9F Panther in Korea

[thedrifter]

September 04, 2006
Marines flew sturdy F9F Panther in Korea

By Robert F. Dorr
Special to the Times

As part of its holdings, the new National Museum of the Marine Corps has a Grumman F9F Panther jet fighter from the Korean War era. Ready for display when the museum opens in November, the Panther is a reminder of when leathernecks first flew jets in combat.

The plane is a product of the Long Island, N.Y., company founded by Leroy Grumman. For decades, the firm produced Navy and Marine fighters that were so sturdy, so seemingly indestructible, that troops nicknamed the builder the “Grumman Iron Works.”

The F9F was significant because it came along when the Marine Corps was beginning a transition from propeller-driven to jet-powered warplanes.

Grumman developed the Panther in the immediate post-World War II era. After abandoning an F9F-1 design that would have included four engines, the plane maker began work in 1946 on the F9F-2 model, using a single imported British Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet, later known in U.S. jargon as the Pratt & Whitney J42.


The F9F-2 made its initial flight Aug. 16, 1948, and was soon followed by the improved F9F-3, powered by the Allison J33 turbojet engine.

While the Navy was putting the Panther on carrier decks, the first Marine Panthers were F9F-2 models that reached Marine Fighter Squadron 115 in August 1949. The first Panthers in combat were F9F-2B models operated by VMF-311 in support of the battle at North Korea’s Chosin Reservoir. The “B” in the model’s name signified a plane with six bomb-carrying pylons under the wing. The designation was later discarded when the feature became standard on every F9F.

Leathernecks eventually flew F9F-2, F9F-2B, F9F-4 and F9F-5 models of the Panther, as well as the camera-equipped F9F-5P reconnaissance model. About a dozen squadrons flew the plane during the Korean War era.

The last Marine Panther units were Reserve units that retired the plane in 1958. Its life was brief because it had straight wings; in the 1950s, swept-back wings were found to be more effective for jets.

The Marine F9F never excelled in air combat and was no match for the swept-wing Soviet MiG-15 used in Korea. But a Panther pilot could climb into his single-seat craft and deliver up to six 500-pound bombs in support of leathernecks on the ground. Pilots describe the Panther as extremely stable, meaning that it was also effective for air-to-ground strafing.

Grumman manufactured 1,385 Panthers between 1947 and 1953. In the final year, production shifted to the F9F-6 Cougar, which was based on the Panther but had swept-wing and tail surfaces. The Cougar eventually had a career of its own and was best known to most Marines in its two-seat incarnation as the F9F-8T used to train student aviators.

Robert F. Dorr is an Air Force veteran who lives in Oakton, Va. He is the author of books on military topics, including “Chopper,” a history of helicopter pilots. He can be reached at robert.f.dorr@cox.net.

Ellie

[Osotogary]

Wow, the Panther Jet. The first time I ever saw one was when I was a wee-butt watching the movie, The Bridges of Toko-Ri with William Holden, Mickey Rooney. What a fine looking jet. Did Ted Williams fly one?

[yellowwing]

From wikepedia on Ted Williams

Williams served as a US Marine pilot during both World War II and the Korean War, serving in the same unit (VMF-311) as John Glenn in the latter. These absences — taking almost five years out of the heart of a great career — significantly reduced his career totals.

[hrscowboy]

Ok why hasnt someone posted a photo of the f9f so we all know what it looked like??

[yellowwing]

Several good photos at the bottom of page here.

Or one really cool one here.

[Osotogary]

Yellowwing,
You and must have on the same wave length. Good work.

[hrscowboy]

Orahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good job Marines..

[crashman]

served with VMF-313 1953-54 here is some info on our first F9F in our sq.

[ggyoung]

If I rember right Ted also flew the F-86 Saber on a exchange program with the USAF.

[yellowwing]

If I rember right Ted also flew the F-86 Saber on a exchange program with the USAF.

Close. AcePilots.com has some good content on John Glenn and Ted Williams.
They both flew F9F in Korea, John Glenn went on the exchange program then on to test pilot after the war.

Boston.com has a good picture of Ted Williams in his F9F here.

[ggyoung]

Wing--Thanks. I just got mixed-up a little. It was John Glen.

[Osotogary]

F-86 Saber
There was another movie around the same time as The Bidges at Toko-Ri and Men of the Fighting Lady titled Saber Jet with non other than Robert Stack, if memory serves me correct. Good arial photography of dog fights over Korea.