This
aircraft flew combat missions over North Korea with US Navy Fighter
Squadron VF-51, the Screaming Eagles, from 2 January until
5 March 1953, when it was damaged in a barrier engagement during
a carrier landing. VF-51 was attached to Carrier Air Group FIVE aboard
the USS VALLEY FORGE (CVA-45).
Combat Air Museum recovered the Panther in derelict condition
in June-August 1983 from an open storage silo in a rural area near
Elkton, MN. RRS Aviation, Hawkins, Texas restored it to its former
VF-51 markings from August 2001 to September 2002.
The
first entry on BuNo 126226’s History Card is October
14, 1952. The US Navy accepted the aircraft from its manufacturer,
Grumman aircraft Engineering Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island,
New York on this date.
This
Aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation Pensacola,
Florida
Other Assignments: |
|
| |
Fleet Aircraft Services Squadron (FASRON) 7 – San Diego,
California |
| |
FASRON 11 – Atsugi, Japan
|
| |
Overhaul & Repair Bureau of Aeronautics Maintenance & Repair – Alameda,
California
|
| |
FASRON 10 - Moffett Field, California
|
| |
USN Fighter Squadron VF-93 – Alameda, California
|
| |
USN Fighter Squadron VF-154 – Moffett Field, California and USS YORKTOWN
(CVA-10)
|
| |
FASRON 117 – Barbers Point, Hawaii
|
| |
US Marine Corps Attack Squadron VMA-323 – El Toro, California
|
| |
Naval Air Reserve Training – Naval Air Station Minneapolis, Minnesota
|
| |
This was BuNo 126226’ last assignment
|
27 July 1959 |
Stricken from inventory |
| |
|
TECHNICAL
NOTES: |
|
Manufacturer: |
Grumman
|
Basic Role: |
US Navy carrier-based fighter/bomber. Also flown from land bases
by US Marines
|
Crew: |
One
|
Engines: |
One 6,250 lb (28.4kN) static thrust Pratt & Whitney J48-P-6A
centrifugal-flow turbojet.
|
Maximum speed: |
604 mph (972km/hr) at sea level
|
Cruising Speed: |
481 mph (776km/hr)
|
Max. Range: |
1,300 miles (2,097km)
|
Initial climb: |
5,090 ft/min (1,551m/min)
|
Service ceiling: |
42,800 ft (13,045m)
|
Wingspan: |
38 ft (11.58m)
|
Length: |
38 ft 10 in (11.85m)
|
Height: |
12 ft. 4 in (3.76m)
|
Wing Area: |
250 sq ft (23.23sq. m)
|
Weight (empty): |
10,147 lb. (4,603kg)
|
Weight (gross): |
18,721 lb. (8,492kg)
|
Armament: |
Four fixed forward-firing 20mm guns with 190 rounds per gun.
Each wing rack could carry a 5-inch (12.7cm) rocket or up to a 500 lb. (227kg)
bomb
|
Serial number: |
US Navy BuNo 126226 |
|
