Jinxter13 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Does anyone know if there are any F9F Panthers/Cougars or Banshees still flying?. We see a lot of vintage 50's 60's USAF jets flying, are there no vintage Navy jets flying around?. It would seem the CAF, YAF, and other like groups would surely not forget this important part of our [military/aircraft] history. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 There are 2 Panthers I know of. There's also an FJ-4 Fury. Definitely a lack of Navy stuff out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fouga23 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 No panthers currently airworthy I think. The Fury is under repair after a belly landing a few months ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airjiml2 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 It depends on how you define airworthy, but there really are no flying Navy jets at this time outside of a few Pintos, T-2s, and maybe a TV-2 or two. There is one F9F that is potentially airworthy with the Cavanaugh Museum in Texas, but they do not fly it. The last F9F that flew with regularity was damaged in an accident in the early 90s and is now under restoration to static display. The FJ-4 had a little incident, but will be up flying again. There is also a FJ-3 under restoration to flying condition in Calif. Outside of the above there is nothing. No Cougars, Banshees, etc. Paul Allen has a couple of F-8s in storage that were flying into the 80s, and some A-4s are kicking around, but that is it. If you look closely most of the flying USAF jets really aren't. They are foreign airframes from Canada and South America. The USAF and USN were really good about making sure their aircraft didn't fly with civilians. Hence why there are so few Navy jets, less foreign operators. Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mustangbob51 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 It depends on how you define airworthy, but there really are no flying Navy jets at this time outside of a few Pintos, T-2s, and maybe a TV-2 or two. There is one F9F that is potentially airworthy with the Cavanaugh Museum in Texas, but they do not fly it. The last F9F that flew with regularity was damaged in an accident in the early 90s and is now under restoration to static display. The FJ-4 had a little incident, but will be up flying again. There is also a FJ-3 under restoration to flying condition in Calif. Outside of the above there is nothing. No Cougars, Banshees, etc. Paul Allen has a couple of F-8s in storage that were flying into the 80s, and some A-4s are kicking around, but that is it.If you look closely most of the flying USAF jets really aren't. They are foreign airframes from Canada and South America. The USAF and USN were really good about making sure their aircraft didn't fly with civilians. Hence why there are so few Navy jets, less foreign operators. Jim and we the civilians that paid for them in the first place have no say in the matter. it would be really cool to have some panthers and a cougars on the air show circuit. most kids nowadays have no idea what they are. then can you imagine all the century series flying again? all it takes is lots and lots of money! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) At least there are a bunch of Navy prop warbirds out there... As far as century series go, the most impressive has to be the Starfighters F-104. The F-100 is pretty sweet too! I just happened to see of the T-38s here in Los Angeles flying last week. One of my long time personal goals/dream was to restore an F-8 and fly it. -brian Edited March 31, 2009 by Brian P: Fightertown Decals Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 At least there are a bunch of Navy prop warbirds out there...As far as century series go, the most impressive has to be the Starfighters F-104. The F-100 is pretty sweet too! I just happened to see of the T-38s here in Los Angeles flying last week. One of my long time personal goals/dream was to restore an F-8 and fly it. -brian Now that bugs the freak out of me; I'm ex-USAF OK fine,........but I just purely love flying and as a kid one of my first jet toys was plastic..(who hasn't had one of those) and it was in the form of a F9F Panther OK so it wasn't exactly to scale , How did those citizens that fly that T-38 get their hands on the parts to re-construct a complete flying aircraft, I "heard" they scrounged parts from others that augered in and came up with the complete unit. OK where did they get the engines, did they get them the same way..if they did that's a lotta work and Moolah. I just bugs the hell outta me that we don't see the Navy equivalent to the century series or earlier flying. If I went to an airshow and saw a Panther, Cougar, Banshee, Fury, or Tiger.....I would certainly stand up and salute, or at least spin my wheelchair around, something....and God forbid if I saw a Vultee in the air lookout!!!..thats territory for a coronary :lol: . I know it's all wishful thinkin especially the Vultee. Well anyway thanx guys for the info and who knows maybe someone who thinks like us will hit a lotto and full fill my dreams. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madmanrick Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Part of the problem is that those early jets (both USAF & Navy) weren't made in the same numbers that many of the WWII aircraft were, so the airframes and more importantly the spares just are not available. Another part of that problem, was mentioned earlier, most of these aircraft weren't flown by many non-US countries and that many of them didn't make it into civilian hands quite like the WWII stuff did. Personally, I'd love to be able to see a Cutlass, Hun or F-89 flying again. However, the likelihood is just not very good. Rick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airjiml2 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 (edited) How did those citizens that fly that T-38 get their hands on the parts to re-construct a complete flying aircraft Luck. Chuck Thornton got at least one T-38 from the military in the 80s that wasn't properly demilled. He then scrounged parts and got it flying. Over the years I think he put together a two T-38s and a dual F-5. Ross Perot's son has a "T-38" which is more of a kitbash of T-38 and dual F-5 parts. Over the next few years you may see a few more CF-5s in the air in the states, as quite a few were purchased by Mr. Perot's son for training. Interestingly some of this aircraft are now showing up on the civil market. Jim P.S.: There are two Huns currently flying with a couple more potentials. There was a guy in Washington state trying to return a Cutlass to flying condition, but I think either that project has ground to a halt or was donated to a Museum. Edited April 1, 2009 by airjiml2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Part of the problem is that those early jets (both USAF & Navy) weren't made in the same numbers that many of the WWII aircraft were, so the airframes and more importantly the spares just are not available. In addition, the gas bill for an hour's worth of buzzing around in a 50s or 60s jet must be astronomical. Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 I wonder how much fuel an F-105 burns in an hour? How about the F-4D that the Collings Foundation runs around to air shows? There is a whole row of Thuds at Lackland AFB, Texas, that are probably pretty much complete. Getting the USAF to turn loose of 1 or 2 of them would be very difficult at best. Lots of $$$$ to get one airworthy again. Darwin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
afspret Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Doesn't the Collings Foundation have an airworthy TA-4? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyraider Maniac Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 (edited) DON'T FORGET ABOUT ARMY AVIATION!!!!!! Civillians have been able to get their hands on several OV-1 Mohawks (saw one at EAA Oshkosh about 7 years ago for $495,000, and another one recently for roughly the same). Granted, the army retired the last ones (D models I think) back in 1995, but they've been around since the 1959 and Viet Nam, plus the civillian populous has been able to get their hands on them. I'd say the Army has done a pretty good about selling them off AIR HOOAH! Edited April 2, 2009 by Skyraider Maniac Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aaronw Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 You have to look at utility too, many of those WW2 warbirds survived because they found paying gigs after the military, racers, cargo haulers, executive transports, crop sprayers, firefighters etc. Jet fighters just don't have that much use other than with the military or as a historical collectable, add into that most of the Navy fighters listed were pretty much out of service by the early 60's while the USAF aircraft that are around made it into the 70s or early 80s so there were far more pilots who could fly them that might be interested in saving them. Not many of the early piston engined helicopters left either, H34s have done ok because they found civilian jobs, but many were converted to turbine power. H-13s and H-19s not as well but many are still flying because they were useful and fairly cheap. You don't find many airworthy H-21s, HUPs, R4s, R5s etc. I don't think warbird restoration really took off until the 70s and by then many of those early jets had been scrapped. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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