| F2H Banshee | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Type | Carrier-basedfighter aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Aircraft |
| Primary users | United States Navy |
| Number built | 895 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1947 to 1953 |
| Introduction date | August 1948 |
| First flight | 11 January 1947 |
| Retired | 30 September 1959 USN 1959 USMC 1960 USN, USMC (F2H-2P) 1961 USNR, USMCR 12 September 1962 RCN |
| Developed from | McDonnell FH Phantom |
TheMcDonnell F2H Banshee (company designationMcDonnell Model 24) is a single-seatcarrier-based jetfighter aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturerMcDonnell Aircraft. It was an early jet fighter operated byUnited States Navy andUnited States Marine Corps, as well as being the onlyjet-powered fighter to ever be deployed by theRoyal Canadian Navy.[1] The aircraft's name is derived from thebanshee of Irish mythology.
The Banshee was developed during the mid to late 1940s. It was a derivative of the earlierFH Phantom, although the resulting aircraft would be considerably larger, more heavily armed, and furnished with far more powerful engines in the form of a pair ofWestinghouse J34turbojets. The Banshee incorporated several recent innovations, including apressurized cockpit, "kneeling" noselanding gear and anejection seat, which the Phantom lacked, as well as a large number of improvements to other aircraft systems. On 11 January 1947, the first prototype performed itsmaiden flight. During August 1948, the firstF2H-1, the initial production model, was completed. The F2H-2 was the basis for three sub-variants; thenuclear-armedF2H-2B, theF2H-2Nnight fighter, and theF2H-2Pphoto reconnaissance aircraft.
Upon its introduction in late 1948, the Banshee proved to be almost 100 mph (160 km/h) slower than the latest land-based fighters, which has been largely attributed to its use of a straight wing rather than aswept wing configuration. Nevertheless, several variants were procured; the F2H-2N was the first carrier-based jet-powered night fighter flown by the U.S. Navy, albeit only in limited numbers, while theF2H-2P was also the service's first jet-powered reconnaissance aircraft. US Navy and Marine pilots often referred to the F2H as the "Banjo".[2] It was one of the primary American fighters used during theKorean War, typically being flown as an escort fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. Radar-equipped Banshees were also used for all-weather fleet defense. Furthermore, during 1955, 27 overflights of potential Chinese staging areas were conducted by USMC Banshees in response to a possible Chinese invasion ofTaiwan.
During the mid 1950s, the U.S. Navy and USMC began retiring their Banshees in favour of newer and more capable jet aircraft, such as the swept wingGrumman F-9 Cougar andMcDonnell F3H Demon, and the delta wingDouglas F4D Skyray. Several of these aircraft would be acquired by Canada for the Royal Canadian Navy as production of the Banshee was terminated in 1953. Introduced to Canadian service in 1955, the type became the sole fighter operated following the retirement of the piston-enginedHawker Sea Fury. It operated at sea fromHMCS Bonaventure or from shore bases asNORADinterceptor aircraft. Amid a reorientation towardsanti-submarine warfare (ASW) and reduced value being placed on fighter operations, as well as decreasing reliability, Canada opted to withdraw its last Banshees without any direct replacement in September 1962.
The origins of the Banshee can be traced back to theFH Phantom, theUnited States Navy's first carrier-based jet fighter.[3] This predecessor had been first proposed by McDonnell in January 1943 and made its first flight on 2 January 1945. Even prior to production-standard Phantoms commencing delivery in January 1947, the company had already progressed with development of a successor.[4] On 2 March 1945, the U.S. Navy'sBureau of Aeronautics instructed McDonnell to produce three prototypes of the improved derivative they had envisioned, designatedXF2D-1. The company's design team had originally intended for this aircraft to be a straightforward modification of the Phantom and thus to share many components between the two aircraft, but it promptly became clear that the new aircraft ought to possess heavier armament, greater internal fuel capacity, and several other improvements that made the original concept infeasible.[5][6]
The resulting aircraft required the use of much larger and more powerful engines; the powerplant selected was a pair of newly developedWestinghouse J34turbojets, which provided nearly double the total thrust from 3,200 to 6,000 lbf (14,000 to 27,000 N) compared to the Phantom but, since the larger engines still had to fit within the wing roots, this required a larger and thicker wing.[6] The more powerful engines were more fuel hungry, thus the fuselage was enlarged and strengthened to facilitate an increase in fuel capacity, which permitted a mission radius of up to 600 miles to be flown. No provisions for external stores were present on early production aircraft.[6]
Armament comprised four20 mm (0.79 in) cannon, the U.S. Navy's successor to the obsoleteWorld War II-era.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; these were mounted underneath the redesigned nose as this positioning meant that pilots would not be blinded bymuzzle flash when firing at night, which had been a problem with the Phantom.[6] From the tenth production aircraft onwards, the Banshee incorporated anejection seat, another feature that had been absent on the Phantom.[6] The aircraft also incorporated a large number of improvements to various onboard systems. The cockpit waspressurized andair conditioned, while theflaps,landing gear,folding wings, canopy, andair brakes were electrically rather thanpneumatically operated. The front of the windscreen wasbulletproof glass that was electrically heated to prevent frost.[7]
The Banshee was provisioned with a "kneeling" noselanding gear that had a pair of small wheels forward of the regular nosewheel. The regular nosewheel could be retracted so that the aircraft would rest on the smaller wheels; it could taxi with its nose down, redirecting the hot jet blast upwards to pose less risk to ground crews, and to allow parked aircraft to be tucked under each other to save space. This function was usually removed from later variants as it was found to be of little practical use and caused deck handling problems.[8] During April 1945, a mockup was completed. The project survived the numerous cancellations that came around the end of the conflict, however, the pace of development was slowed considerably, leading to the first of three prototypes not being completed until late 1946.[9]
On 11 January 1947, the first prototype performed itsmaiden flight fromLambert Field,St. Louis, Missouri, piloted by McDonnell test pilot Robert M. Eldholm.[6] During this first test flight, the aircraft demonstrated a climb rate of 9,000 ft/min (2,700 m/min), twice that of theF8F Bearcat, the Navy's primary fleet defenseinterceptor.[7] The flight test programme, which included carrier trials, was considered to be a success, however, various improvements and refinements to the aircraft were suggested. The U.S. Navy also permitted McDonnell to borrow one of the prototypes to assist in the development ofafterburners and to test fly a modified wing design with an extendedtrailing edge.[6]
During 1947, the prototype was redesignatedXF2H-1 after the Navy placed an order for an unrelated jet fighter from theDouglas Aircraft Company, which had previously been assigned the manufacturer's letterD. An initial order for 56 aircraft was issued by the U.S. Navy on 29 May 1947.[10][6] During August 1949, an F2H-1 set a US Navy jet fighter altitude record of 52,000 ft (16,000 m), but it wasn't enough to beat the 59,430 ft (18,110 m) reached by ade Havilland Vampire on 23 March 1948.[11] This altitude record was motivated at least partially by inter-service rivalries, as the feat proved that theConvair B-36 Peacemakerstrategic bombers of theUnited States Air Force (the existence of which had been a factor in the cancellation of theUSS United States, which would have been the U.S. Navy's first "supercarrier") was vulnerable to interceptor aircraft even at its maximum altitude.[12][13][14]
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During August 1948, similarities to the FH-1 meant that McDonnell was able to complete the firstF2H-1, a mere three months after the last FH-1 was built; service evaluations commenced that same month[15][6] Compared to the XF2D-1, the F2H was a larger aircraft in practically all aspects,[16] while the fuel capacity was increased to 877 US gal (3,320 L; 730 imp gal). Theempennage was a new design, the dorsal fin was reduced, and thedihedral was eliminated from the horizontal stabilizers. The wing and tail were reduced in thickness to increase the critical Mach number and different airfoil sections were used. The F2H-1 was retrofitted with 3,150 lbf (14,000 N) engines as they became available.
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Although the Navy was satisfied with the F2H-1, it was the more capableF2H-2 that was most widely used.[17] Powered by Westinghouse J34-WE-34 engines, capable of producing 3,250 lbf (14,500 N) of thrust, it proved to be capable of significantly improved performance. The wings were strengthened to add provision for 200 US gal (760 L; 170 imp gal)wingtip fuel tanks but, unlike those of the contemporaryGrumman F9F Panther, the Banshee's wingtip tanks were detachable. A pair of armament pylons were added under each inboard and outboard wing, for a total of eight, allowing the aircraft to carry 1,580 lb (720 kg) of stores, consisting of up to four 250 lb (110 kg) bombs and four 5 in (130 mm) unguided rockets.[16][17] The "kneeling" nose gear was omitted from the F2H-2 and most subsequent Banshee variants.[8]
The F2H-2 was the basis for three sub-variants. TheF2H-2B had strengthened wings and an additional pylon adjacent to the intake on the port side to allow it to carry a 1,650 lb (750 kg)Mark 7 nuclear bomb or a 3,230 lb (1,470 kg)Mark 8 nuclear bomb.[18][19] To compensate for the increased load, the F2H-2B was fitted with stiffer landing gear struts and a pilot-switchableaileron power boost.[20] The latter was necessary to control the roll to the left when a heavy nuclear bomb was carried. One cannon was removed to provide room for the electronics needed to arm the weapon.[21] 25 F2H-2Bs were built.[11]
TheF2H-2N was the U.S. Navy's first carrier-based jetnight fighter, making its first flight on 3 February 1950, although only 14 would be built.[11][19] It had a 2 ft 10 in (0.86 m) longer nose that housed aSperry CorporationAN/APS-19radar which required that the cannons be moved back to make room. An F2H-2N was returned to McDonnell to serve as the prototype for the enlarged F2H-3.[18] Some F2H-2Ns retained the "kneeling" nose feature of the earlier F2H-1.[22]
TheF2H-2Pphoto reconnaissance version had six cameras in a 2 ft 5 in (0.74 m) longer nose and was the US Navy's first jet-powered carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft. First flight was on 12 October 1950, and 90 were built.[23] The pilot could rotate the cameras in both vertical and horizontal planes, and the aircraft could carry a pair of underwing pods that each contained 20flash cartridges for night photography. The camera bay was electrically heated.[24] The F2H-2P was a valuable photo-reconnaissance asset due to its longrange for a jet aircraft, high ceiling of 48,500 ft (14,800 m), andspeed that made it difficult to intercept even by other jet aircraft.[25] As a result, the F2H-2P was responsible for supplying roughly 40% of theUnited States Air Force (USAF)Fifth Air Force's daytime reconnaissance needs.[26]
TheF2H-3 was an all-weather fighter, with a larger diameterWestinghouseAN/APQ-41 radar fitted in an 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m) longer fuselage which also increased its internal fuel load by over 50%,[23] to 1,102 US gal (4,170 L; 918 imp gal). This allowed the detachable wingtip fuel tanks to be reduced to 170 US gal (640 L; 140 imp gal) each, and due to the increased internal capacity, these were now seldom needed. The cannons were moved back, away from the nose to accommodate the larger diameter radar while allowing for an increased ammunition capacity. The horizontal stabilizers were lowered from the fin to the fuselage and were given dihedral, and on all but the first aircraft, large triangular fillets were added to the leading edges.[23] The weapons load was increased to 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) andAIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles would be cleared for use.[23][27] The F2H-3 also added provisions foraerial refueling consisting of as-needed bolt-on,in-flight refueling probe that replaced the upper port cannon. 250 were built, with the first flight being made on March 29 1952.[23]
The final variant to be produced was theF2H-4. It had aHughesAN/APG-37 radar and slightly more powerful Westinghouse J34-WE-38 3,600 lbf (16,000 N) engines that increased the aircraft's service ceiling to 56,000 ft (17,000 m).[28][23] The F2H-4 was externally indistinguishable from the F2H-3.
McDonnell also created at least 48 proposals, including a long range escort fighter (Model 24H), a two-seat night fighter (Model 24N), a two-seat trainer (Model 24P), a two seat interceptor (Model 24Q), several single seat interceptors (models 24R & 24S), multiple variants with lengthened fuselages, alternate wings and tails, swept wings (model 24J, and others) and afterburners (model 24K, 24L and others), and various engine (model 24W, and others) and radar installations (model 24Y, and others), few of which were built. Plans for addingafterburners were canceled after a test aircraft suffered extensive damage to the wing and tail after the afterburners were lit.[29] AnF2H-3P reconnaissance variant was proposed to replace the F2H-2P, but was ultimately not built.[23]
On 24 September 1953, production of the Banshee was ended following the delivery of 895 aircraft.[9] Under the1962 unified designation system surviving F2H-3 and F2H-4 were redesignatedF-2C andF-2D respectively. TheF-2A andF-2B designations were never assigned, as the F2H-1 and F2H-2 had already been retired.[30] No Banshee flew under the new designations as the last examples were already in storage when the new designations came into effect.[citation needed]
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The F2H-2 served during theKorean War with the US Navy'sTask Force 77 and the Marine Corps. On 23 August 1951, a Banshee flew the type's first combat mission in the Korean theatre fromUSS Essex.[31] The F2H-2 initially proved its worth as an escort fighter for the USAF bombers supportingUnited Nations Command (UNC) ground forces, largely due to its favourable performance when flown at high altitude.[citation needed] The Banshee was able to demonstrate clear performance advantages over theGrumman F9F Panther.[19]
From mid-1950, the F2H-2 had negligible exposure to hostile aircraft over Korea, due to several factors. During the opening weeks of the war, theNorth Korean air force had been almost completely annihilated by UNC fighter units. Later, North Korea and its allies were unable to operate from airfields near combat zones in South Korea, forcing them to operate out of air bases inChina. As a result of their air superiority throughout most of 1950, UNC squadrons were able to carry out ground attack missions instead, especiallyclose air support and interdiction ofNorth Korean army supply lines.[32]
The Banshee, like most naval jets of its generation, had a serious handicap. Naval air services, including the USN, had resisted faster,swept wing designs from fears that poor low speed flight characteristics made them unsafe to operate fromaircraft carriers. Consequently, the Banshee was almost 100 mph (160 km/h) slower than the latest land-based fighters. Their obsolescence was reinforced by the introduction of theMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 in November 1950. Most UNCair combat missions, such as patrols over "MiG Alley", were undertaken byNorth American F-86 Sabres of the USAFFar East Air Forces.[32] Consequently, F2H fighters operated most of the war beyond the range of enemy fighters.[32] Banshee pilots scored no victories, while three F2H-2s were lost toanti-aircraft gunfire.[citation needed]
The F2H-2P flew reconnaissance missions during the Korean War, primarily with the USMC. At that time of the war,surface-to-air missiles had not yet been deployed and few enemy aircraft hadradar, whileAA guns were ineffective against fast, high-altitude targets. Air defense was still largely visual, and so a lone high-flying F2H-2P was almost impossible for ground forces to shoot down. The aircraft was in demand for its invaluable battlefield photography. F2H-2Ps had USAF fighter escorts when in areas frequented by enemy fighters. Despite being deployed constantly throughout the war, only two F2H-2Ps were lost to radar-directed AA gunfire, and suffered no air-to-air losses.
The USN deployed the radar-equipped F2H-3 and F2H-4 for all-weather fleet defense after the Korean War as a stopgap measure until the swept wingGrumman F-9 Cougar andMcDonnell F3H Demon, and delta wingDouglas F4D Skyray could be deployed. Later Banshee variants were only briefly on the front lines and saw no action. Similarly, the F2H-2P was superseded by the F9F-8P (later RF-9J) variant of the F9F Cougar and the F8U-1P (later RF-8A) variant of theVought F8U Crusader as these aircraft became available.
During 1954, a Banshee flew coast-to-coast, nonstop without refueling, approximately 1,900 miles (3,100 km) fromNAS Los Alamitos, California toNAS Cecil Field, Florida, in approximately four hours.[25]
During the Korean War, the US was concerned about the lack of intelligence available should there be a war in Europe involving the Soviet Union, in particular on the location of airfields. The US Navy's "OperationSteve Brody", with four F2H-2P photo reconnaissance Banshees were to fly from a carrier on routine maneuvers off Greece and fly north, photographing Russian territory bordering the Black Sea. In May 1952, this was presented to Secretary of DefenseRobert A. Lovett, but Lovett canceled it.[25]
Later, during 1955, fears of a possible Chinese invasion ofTaiwan led to Marine F2H-2Ps performing 27 overflights of possible Chinese staging areas without incident, escorted by Marine fighter Banshees based in South Korea.[25]
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During 1951, theRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN) drafted a $40 million deal for 60 new Banshees to replace its obsolete fleet ofHawker Sea Furies.[33][34] However, the purchase was not approved by theParliament of Canada until 1953, by which point production of the Banshee had been terminated. Accordingly, the RCN acquired 39 second-hand US Navy F2H-3s for $25 million which were delivered between 1955 and 1958. They would be flown fromHMCS Bonaventure or asNORAD interceptors from shore bases.
In order to improve the Banshee as an interceptor, the RCN equipped their aircraft with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. During November 1959, the RCN conducted sea trials of the Sidewinder, resulting in the successful downing of several remotely piloteddrones.[35]
Although initially well-liked by its Canadian pilots for its flying qualities, the Banshee began to suffer from problems. The RCN would eventually lose 12 of its original 39 Banshees to accidents, a loss rate of 30.8%.[35] One Banshee and its pilot were lost after an inflight failure of the folding wing mechanism, and another Banshee suffered a brake failure and rolled off the carrier's deck into the ocean, drowning its pilot.[36]
Banshee utilization fell as the RCN shifted toanti-submarine warfare (ASW), which did not anticipate aerial attacks, and so there was little need for the Banshee under this doctrine. Also, due to the carrier's small size, there was no room to accommodate Banshees whenBonaventure was carrying enoughGrumman CS2F Trackers to conduct around-the-clock ASW patrols, so it regularly operated without them.[36] The Canadian military was also under pressure to reduce its budget, and the obsolescent Banshees were expensive to maintain as their age, punishing carrier service, and the harsh NorthAtlantic were taking their toll. Having been the only jet-powered carrier-based fighters deployed by the RCN, the last examples were retired without replacement during September 1962.[37]
Banshees were the primary aircraft of the short-lived RCNGrey Ghosts aerobatic team. The team's name was a play on the Banshee name and the RCN color scheme. The RCN was too small to dedicate aircraft forairshows, so the team flew available operational Banshees for each show.
Aside from the three former RCN Banshees that survive, RCN Banshees were cut up for scrap or burned in firefighting exercises upon their retirement.[35]
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Surviving examples are on display in private collections and at several naval air stations and marine corps air stations in the United States as well as in Canada.
Data fromMcDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920,[58]Combat Aircraft since 1945,[59]U.S. Navy Standard Aircraft Characteristics,[60] except as noted
General characteristics
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Armament
Avionics
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