It had been just one-motor, straight-winged big date fighter armed with four 20mm (0.79 in) cannons that will bring rockets and you may bombs. The new Panther was used because of the United states Navy and you can United states Marine Corps about Korean War where in fact the Panther provided air cover for propeller fighter bombers F4U Corsairs and you may Ad Skyraiders. It was also utilized by the us Navy blue Angels 
and new Argentine Navy.
Into the finished for three unmarried engine prototypes appointed given that XF9F-dos
On the step 1 June 1945, Grumman gotten an overview requirements to have a high abilities evening combatant. Their suggested flights framework are a straight middle-side, two-seat (Pilot and you will Radar Agent), nights fighter running on five Westinghouse 24C turbojet motors put up in the sets significantly less than for every wing. It may be skyrocketed regarding providers and take away from unassisted from an obvious patio. It can started armed with four 20mm cannons that have 250 series for every single firearm is located in the nose. There is arrangements getting twist-normalized rockets which may getting carried in regarding nacelle fillets. To own storage into the providers, this new exterior side areas creased plus the nose technology create kneel as a result of let the nostrils to move up in end or wing of another routes. On eleven April 1946, Grumman are issued a binding agreement additionally the All of us Navy provided the newest Grumman framework the fresh designation XF9F-step 1 hence endured having, X=fresh, F=combatant, 9=ninth method of, F=Grumman’s contractor page designation and you can -1=basic model.
The fresh new XF9F-step 1 manage got fifty legs much time that have a span of 55 base and you can an encumbrance regarding thirty-two,306 lbs having an estimated rate off 585 mph.
Some other advantage of the fresh new Rolls-Royce Nene system structure was it don’t exit one share with-facts tobacco cigarette walk on the challenger to recognize
At the time, the newest XF9F-1 was in race together with other nights combatant models out-of Douglas, Curtis and you may Fleetwings. The usa Navy deemed the fresh Douglas offer as the most readily useful structure (and this after turned this new F3D Skyknight) and you can made a decision to cancel the XF9F-step 1 deal. While performs had been over on the XF9F-step one, various other Grumman build class is dealing with patterns having one motor naval spraying combatant to be powered by british Moves-Royce Nene turbojet engine. In the place of canceling this new XF9F-1 price, Grumman sure the united states Navy so you can modify current offer in order to complement the fresh aircraft build in lieu of cancelling this new offer downright. The original journey of prototype occurred for the twenty four November 1947. And no biggest change being called for, new F9F-2 Panther ran into design. The first production F9F-2 made the maiden airline on the 24 November 1948 precisely year after.
New Panther was created within Moves-Royce RB.41 Nene turbojet system although motors you to definitely ran into the production F9F-2s were not United kingdom depending. They were registered manufactured in the usa of the Pratt & Whitney and was appointed the latest J42-P-six. It lead 5,100000 pounds from push dry and you can 5,700 pounds from thrust damp however it didn’t come with afterburner. Accessibility the motor for the all Panthers was achieved by removing the new end section of the routes and therefore established the whole engine and you can deplete end pipe. The us F-80, F-84 and F-86 spray competitors but not leftover very long trails of black cigarette and therefore generated self-confident character so easy for challenger pilots. Even in the event, british did offered new Nene engine with the Soviets which therefore opposite designed a healthier copy hence powered the fresh MiG-fifteen.
The new F9F-2 got a blank pounds away from 9,303 weight and you may a max disgusting weight regarding 19,five hundred pounds. An inside electricity load from 923 gallons try carried and you can considering a variety over step one,100 kilometers. Top rates is actually doing 525 miles per hour plus it you certainly will rise in order to 10,000 ft in under 70 mere seconds. To aid in service provider landings, the latest Panther had vanguard flaps to the wings that have been an alternate ability during the time. These devices aided decrease the getting speed of one’s aircraft.
