Grumman F9F Panther & Cougar

[F.L.]

Does anyone know why some Argentine F9F-2Bs have a kind of radome under the nose, behind the machine guns, and some other ones don't?
And what is the purpose of this radome ?

This seems strange to me, as the Argentinian Panthers were all F9F-2Bs and were received after a single order.

 

[Hood]

The ventral radome housed a UHF homing antenna.

 

[BlackBat242]

A UHF homing antenna in a fairing underneath the nose was often retrofitted to in-service aircraft in USN service.

The F9F-5 Panther and F9F-6 Cougar saw some aircraft produced without it, but most had it.

 

[F.L.]

Also on F9F-2 ?

 

[Hood]

Judging by photographic evidence the Argentine F9F's so fitted were:

Serial 0416 (coded 2-A-20/2-A-101/3-A-103)
0423 (2-A-27/3-A-108)
0448 (3-A-115)
0447 (3-A-123)
0453 (3-A-124/3-A-118/3-A-119)

 

[F.L.]

Judging by photographic evidence the Argentine F9F's so fitted were:

Serial 0416 (coded 2-A-20/2-A-101/3-A-103)
0423 (2-A-27/3-A-108)
0448 (3-A-115)
0447 (3-A-123)
0453 (3-A-124/3-A-118/3-A-119)

Thanks, interesting !

 

[JimK]

Here is a cutaway of the installation on a later model F9F-8 Cougar. Cutaway by Aviagraphica (Mike Badrocke).

 

[F.L.]

Does anyone know where it's possible to find a list of Argentine Panther BuAer, S/N & callsigns ?

 

[F.L.]

The ARA Independencia's BH 3 catapult was capable of launching aircraft weighing 20,000 pounds (~9,000 kg). (It seems that it had been modernised when the inclined deck was added). However, the F9F Panther had a gross weight of 8,492 kg.
So why have the Argentinian Panthers never been catapulted from Independencia ?

 

[BlackBat242]

The ARA Independencia's BH 3 catapult was capable of launching aircraft weighing 20,000 pounds (~9,000 kg). (It seems that it had been modernised when the inclined deck was added). However, the F9F Panther had a gross weight of 8,492 kg.
So why have the Argentinian Panthers never been catapulted from Independencia ?
View attachment 713905View attachment 713904

That was at a catapult end speed of 66 knots (75 mph).
Add 20 knots (23 mph) for ship speed, and you get 86 knots (98 mph) total.

Then compare that to the 105 mph landing speed of the F9F-2 (Argentina/s model) and take into account that that is with little or no external load and with not much fuel aboard - note that the F9F-5 had a stalling speed in combat loading of 132 mph.

So you see the problem - you would need considerable wind speed in addition to the ship and catapult speeds to launch even a moderately-loaded Panther from Independencia.

The info I have says that there was British improved hydraulic catapult that fit in the same footprint and could launch a 19,000 lb aircraft at 95 knots (108 mph) - this would have gotten the "no-wind" launch speed up to 131 mph - just satisfactory, but it would have cost a bit in money and time.

 

[F.L.]

Thanks @BlackBat242 !