Grumman F9F Panther - Korean War Carrier Jet Fighter

Grumman Aircraft Engineering produced several successful aircraft during WW2, but it is perhaps best remembered for creating one of the US Navy's first jet-powered carrier-based fighters, the F9F Panther.

The Panther was a single-engine, straight-winged fighter. During the Korean War, it was used extensively by the US Navy and the Marine Corps.

Equipped with four 20 mm cannons and a wide array of air-to-ground weapons, the Grumman F9F Panther successfully delivered quick air support to American units surrounded by enemy forces on the Korean Peninsula.

From 1949 to 1954, the Panther became the workhorse of the US air forces. Besides its close air support effectiveness, the F9F is credited with engaging in the first jet on jet combat and achieving victory by taking down a Soviet MiG 15.

It was a legendary aircraft used by legendary men, such as a young 21-year-old Neil Armstrong, the first man to ever land on the moon.

Fewer than 1500 units were produced, and it was only used by the US and the Argentine Navy. The aircraft would be the foundation of the Grumman F9 Cougar and other American jet fighters of the Cold War.

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