Grumman F9F Panther
Grumman F9F-2 Panther
Description
Role	Carrier-based naval fighter
Crew	1
Manufacturer	Grumman Aircraft Corporation
Dimensions
Length	37 ft 5 in	11.3 m
Wingspan	38 ft 0 in	11.6 m
Height	11 ft 4 in	3.8 m
Wing area	250 ft²	23.2 m²
Weights
Empty	9,303 lb	4,220 kg
Loaded	14,235 lb	6,456 kg
Maximum takeoff	16,450 lb	7,462 kg
Powerplant
Engines	1 × Pratt & Whitney J42-P-6/P-8 turbojet
Thrust	5000 lbf dry 5950 lbf "wet"	22.2 kN "dry" 26.5 kN "wet"
Performance
Maximum speed	575 mph	925 km/h
Combat range	1353 miles	2,177 km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	44,600 ft	13,594 m
Rate of climb	5140 ft/min	1,567 m/min
Armament
Guns	4 × Hispano 20 mm cannon
Bombs	2000 lb (907 kg) on 8 underwing racks
Rockets

The Grumman F9F Panther was the manufacturer's first jet fighter and the US Navy's second. It first flew in 1947. Power was a Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet built under license by Pratt & Whitney as the J42 . Since there was insufficient space within the wings and fuselage for fuel for the thirsty jet, permanently mounted wingtip fuel tanks were added.

Multiple versions were produced:

• F9F-2: first production version, J42 powered.
• F9F-2B: version fitted with underwing racks for bombs and rockets. All F9F-2's were eventually so modified, and the B designation was dropped.
• F9F-2P: unarmed photographic reconnaissance version used in Korea
• F9F-3: Allison J33 powered version produced as insurance against the failure of the J42, 54 built. All converted to J42 power later
• F9F-4: longer fuselage with greater fuel load, J33 powered. Most re-engined with J42s.
• F9F-5: As -4, but Pratt & Whitney J48 (Rolls-Royce Tay built under licence) powered. 616 built.
• F9F-5P: unarmed photo-reconnaissance version, 36 built, longer nose.

Panthers served with distinction in the Korean War, downing five Mikoyan MiG-15s with no loss despite the MiG's superior performance. The type was the primary Navy jet fighter and ground-attack plane in the Korean conflict.

Panthers were withdrawn from front-line service in 1956, but remained in training roles and with the reserves until 1958.

The only foreign buyer of the Panther was Argentina, who bought 24 ex-USN aircraft in 1958. The catapults on the then only Argentine carrier, ARA Independencia, were considered not powerful enough to launch the F9F, so the aircraft were based on land. They saw brief combat during the 1965 border clash between Argentina and Chile, and were taken out of service in 1969 because of lack of spare parts.

A swept-wing derivative of the Panther was later built, after concerns about the Panther's inferiority to its MiG opponents in Korea; this plane was the Grumman F9F Cougar.