Private Grumman F9F Panthers

Strangely enough I think the two seat trainer variant was the only Cougar to see combat duty, as some sort of C&C platform. Not sure if it was for other aircraft or artillery.

In 1966-67, four TF-9Js of H&MS-13* were used in the airborne command role to direct airstrikes against enemy positions in South Vietnam. This marked the only use of the Cougar in combat.

*Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 13; Marine Air Group 13; 1st Marine Air Wing; USMC

The Marine Corps, during the early 1960’s, adopted the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) and organized its aviation supporting units into the Headquarters and Maintenance Squadrons (H&MS). This organization was developed to enhance aviation supportability by providing intermediate (“I”) level maintenance for all aircraft, and aircraft support equipment attached to a specific Marine Aircraft Group (MAG).

The operational structure of the H&MS was not standardized throughout the
Marine Corps. Some H&MS were operational squadrons with assigned aircraft, while other H&MS had no aircraft assigned and provided only IMA support to the air groups.

H&MS-13 was reactivated March 15, 1951, at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, as Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 13. During September 1966, the squadron deployed to the Republic of Vietnam and remained until October 1970.

H&MS-13 was one of the “operational” H&MS units, flying TF-9J Cougars in the 1960s, TA-4F Skyhawks in the 1970s, and OA-4M Skyhawk IIs through most of the 1980s.

In June 1965, MAG-13 became a unit of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, where it operated until September 1966 when it deployed to the Republic of Vietnam. Based out of Chu Lai, MAG-13 supported the III Marine Amphibious Force and other forces in I Corps and II Corps tactical zones, Laos, North Vietnam and Cambodia. Initially the Group consisted of VMFA-314, VMFA-323 and VMFA-542 all operating F-4B Phantoms.

As an aside, I was in the USMC from 1981-89, and as an “I”-level avionics tech, I was assigned to H&MS-13 from 2/83-6/87, except for deployed periods overseas – 6 months with H&MS-12 in Japan in 1984 & some short periods with AIMD aboard USS Ranger (Carrier Air Wing 2) in 1985-87. I was with H&MS-11 in 1988-89.

I cannot find the Panther on my photos, but I do have one of the Cougar, see below. This was taken in 2002.

Archer, which plane is this and at what location? Thanks.

I cannot find the Panther on my photos, but I do have one of the Cougar, see below. This was taken in 2002.

Before Tom Reilly Aviation moved away from Kissimmee, Florida several years ago, they had a beat up old Panther sitting outside. It was in pretty rough shape and may have been from one of the gunnery ranges because it had a few holes in the fuselage. There were some extra parts or maybe even another partial airframe nearby. There was also a two seat Blue Angels TF-9J Cougar #147287 sitting outside not too far away. I have about 30 minutes of video that I taped around 2001 that I watched a few weeks ago while looking for details about a Corsair restoration mentioned in another thread, and I noticed them then. The TF-9J was in pretty decent shape with the original Blue Angels paint scheme still intact, if a little faded. Strangely enough I think the two seat trainer variant was the only Cougar to see combat duty, as some sort of C&C platform. Not sure if it was for other aircraft or artillery.

I’m not sure what happened to those aircraft because they were sitting outside, and I believe Tom Reilly Aviation moved north up to Georgia after getting hit (again?) by a hurricane. (And this one wasn’t made by Hawker!)

Several years ago a friend of mine (retired naval aviator) told me that you wouldn’t see very many Panthers or Cougars except in Navy museums because the U.S. was really the only operator and it had a very short production life and a short time on active duty. He also said the Argentinian Cougars “Were an accident” and as soon as we realized it we “Cut them off” and never supplied any parts or spares.

I don’t have more information than what you see below the photos. As for cruising altitudes, there are a lot of ex-mil jets active in the US and those altitudes are not uncommon I think. Obviously you should do this IFR.

My guess is that the combination of an IFR pilot in an IFR aircraft made the pilot ‘forget’ the VFR restriction. There was a 1200 ft ceiling with 3 miles visibility, not really weather for a VFR flight in such a high performance jet.

Oh dear.. what a sorry sight that Panther is Archer. Any idea if its being restored or was it too badly damaged.?

Reading through that report, how common is it for privately owned historic jets such as the Cougar to have a then present day cruising altitude of 29,000 ft.?
Also makes one wonder why the pilot, who was only cleared for VFR in that specific aircraft, deemed it necessary to attain such an altitude. :confused:

Allright, that means that I was a bit quick in assuming that this example is still around. N24WJ is still registered and in the list I posted but obviously I should not have counted it as ‘potentially airworthy’.

I’m sure that I’ve seen photos of an airworthy F9F in good nick in magazines say a year or 5 to 10 ago. Which one could this have been? Or am I imagining things?

Edit: Solved it already, the one I remember is this one:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumman-F9F-3-Panther/0742079/L/
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumman-F9F-2-Panther/0916176/L/
and here’s what happened to it in 1996 (I thought it was more recent): http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumman-F9F-2-Panther/0986772/L/

The aircraft is no longer on the register, damaged beyond repair it seems.

Thanks for the correction T J. Was’nt there a Panther or Cougar that, together with its pilot, disappeared on a flight in the 80’s or 90’s.?

World Jet’s (Don Whittington) N24WJ went missing on return from the Santa Monica Museum of Flying auction in Oct. 91. The a/c nor pilot John Verdi and passenger has (as far as I know) been recovered.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=FTW92FAMS1&rpt=fi

The interesting part is that there was an unrestored (faded blue) F9F in one of World Jet’s hangars in Ft. Lauderdale in early 1992. Don’t know what happened to it.

T J

The three photos submitted by Mark12 look like its reg number is N9525A.
Mark12, you say you took the photos in Madera (California?) in 1986.
Lovely photos.
.

Yes. Madera California, ‘The Gathering of Warbirds’ Air Show.

Mark

Cavanaugh Flight Museum Panther

The three photos submitted by Mark12 look like its reg number is N9525A.
Mark12, you say you took the photos in Madera (California?) in 1986.
Lovely photos.
The Cavanaugh Flight Museum web site mentioned that they bought their machine in 1993. I assume its the same a/c, only earlier in its life.

And yes, The “Bridges at Toki Ri” was a very good story & movie.
The flying shots are beautiful. The attack on the bridges itself may have been done in the studio, but the markings on each a/c stayed the same for the same aircraft & pilot throughout.

The Cavanaugh one is on the FAA registry:
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9525A
Looks like it hasn’t flown since 1997.

There are 7 airframes on the FAA register (http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=F9F&PageNo=1), with 2 airworthy or near that condition (my guess, the World Jet example and the Cavanaugh one).

Was’nt there a Panther or Cougar that, together with its pilot, disappeared on a flight in the 80’s or 90’s.?

A two-seat Cougar, IIRC.

Thanks for the correction T J. Was’nt there a Panther or Cougar that, together with its pilot, disappeared on a flight in the 80’s or 90’s.?

What about the Panther that a Dr Jack Levine had airworthy… or was it the Panther that he lost his life in?

Levine flew a 51 through powerlines and cartwheeled into a barn. After his death the F9F was sold to guy named Art Wolk who later ploughed it into an embankment at an airport. He survived, but the a/c sustained major damage.

I remember an article about the F9F in Flypast around 1985-86. That was while it was owned by Art Wolk if I’m not mistaken.

T J

Before Spitfires captured my enthusiasm, in the mid 1950’s the Panther was my favourite aeroplane…probably heavily influenced by the film the Bridges of Toko-Ri.

Here are a few scruffy shots I took at Madera in 1986.

Mark

What about the Panther that a Dr Jack Levine had airworthy… or was it the Panther that he lost his life in?

The late warbird collector/restorer/pilot Harry Doan had one in Florida back in the 80s.

I can’t recall if he ever flew it. It’s a project in private hands, and might be the Cavanaugh example.