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The F9F Cougar is the swept-wing variant of its forerunner, the F9F Panther -- Grumman's first jet fighter plane. As MiG-15s tangled with the slower, less agile Panthers and McDonnell Banshees over Korea, the need for a higher performance fighter became apparent. Grumman and the Navy considered a swept-wing configuration and included provisions for it from the beginning of the Panther design effort. Grumman thus had a head start on the Cougar. The first Cougars were delivered in November of 1951, but never saw combat in Korea. However, the Cougar became a mainstay of Navy carrier fighter squadrons for most of the 1950s.
A total of 1,988 Cougars were built during 1951-60, but the type was superseded in the late-1950s by the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Vought F-8 Crusader, and other advanced types. The Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team flew the Cougar during 1954-57, and one trainer airframe was retained until 1969. The last Navy Cougar, an advanced trainer version, was phased out in 1974.
The Museum's Cougar was built at Grumman's Bethpage, New York factory and delivered to the Navy on January 25, 1955. The plane served with Navy and Marine units at Cherry Point, North Carolina (VMF-114), Norfolk, Virginia (O&R BuAer M&S), and Chase Field, Texas (VT-24). In 1964, it was loaned to the King County Parks and Recreation Department and put on display at Marymoor Park. The Parks Department transferred the Cougar to the organization that became The Museum of Flight in 1969. Today, it wears the colors of Navy Fighter Squadron VF-81.
This aircraft is on from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.
The F9F Cougar is the swept-wing variant of its forerunner, the F9F Panther -- Grumman's first jet fighter plane. As MiG-15s tangled with the slower, less agile Panthers and McDonnell Banshees over Korea, the need for a higher performance fighter became apparent. Grumman and the Navy considered a swept-wing configuration and included provisions for it from the beginning of the Panther design effort. Grumman thus had a head start on the Cougar. The first Cougars were delivered in November of 1951, but never saw combat in Korea. However, the Cougar became a mainstay of Navy carrier fighter squadrons for most of the 1950s.
A total of 1,988 Cougars were built during 1951-60, but the type was superseded in the late-1950s by the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Vought F-8 Crusader, and other advanced types. The Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team flew the Cougar during 1954-57, and one trainer airframe was retained until 1969. The last Navy Cougar, an advanced trainer version, was phased out in 1974.
The Museum's Cougar was built at Grumman's Bethpage, New York factory and delivered to the Navy on January 25, 1955. The plane served with Navy and Marine units at Cherry Point, North Carolina (VMF-114), Norfolk, Virginia (O&R BuAer M&S), and Chase Field, Texas (VT-24). In 1964, it was loaned to the King County Parks and Recreation Department and put on display at Marymoor Park. The Parks Department transferred the Cougar to the organization that became The Museum of Flight in 1969. Today, it wears the colors of Navy Fighter Squadron VF-81.
This aircraft is on from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.
