Northrop F-89 Scorpion series

[Steve Pace]

Here's a color shot of the XF-89 (46-678) with Fred C. Bretcher in the cockpit.

 

[Steve Pace]

Some additional images including the YF-89A.

 

[Steve Pace]

One more...

 

[RyanC]

The Scorpion!

It's why Northrop was never really able to sell a first line combat aircraft to the US military for a long time -- the Scorpion series left a pretty bad taste in a lot of people's mouths.

While a lot of aircraft in the fifties had flaws, and "no go areas" -- the F-100 series had a particular part of it's envelope which was basically very dangerous -- the Scorpion was unique for having flaws which could kill the pilot even if he was very conscientious -- like the wings falling off in flight (and when that was fixed, then the engines would explode in flight).

Despite these flaws, I do like the Scorpion -- mostly for the cavalcade of errors which kept cropping up.

 

[RyanC]

Apologies for dust speckles -- if you activiate anti dust features on my scanner, it doubles or triples scanning time. And at 600 DPI.... :-\

 

[RyanC]

More F-89 Pictures

 

[Steve Pace]

Three F-89Ds were modified to serve as service test F-89H airplanes. These three F-89Ds were USAF serial numbers 52-1830 (an F-89D-35-NO), 52-1939 (an F-89D-45-NO) and 52-2149 (F-89D-45-NO). The only one to get the YF-89H designation however was 52-1939. (Some sources claim that 53-249 was the third F-89D converted but this serial number was actually issued to a Boeing KC-97G.) -SP

 

[CostasTT]

F-89A Scorpion with trainable guns in Martin D-1 turret:

 

[Steve Pace]

Very cool, CostasTT! Do you have higher res than those you posted? -SP

 

[CostasTT]

Very cool, CostasTT! Do you have higher res than those you posted? -SP

Unfortunately, no. I'd found them here:
http://strangernn.livejournal.com/931800.html

The Aerofax Datagraph book has photos of F-89C S/N 51-5766 fitted with four 30mm Oerlikon 302RK cannon. I can send you scans if you like. Just pm me your email.

 

[sferrin]

I love the F-89. It's always been one of my favorites.

 

[Triton]

Uploaded on Feb 20, 2012

Fred Erb talks about his time at Northrop Aircraft Company during the development of the F-89 Scorpion Jet fighter and accidents.

http://youtu.be/2Xi-ylYhmXM

 

[kcran567]

My great uncle Nick Lazar was an engineer for Northrop on the Scorpion. He took me to many air shows in California area and El Toro Marine airbase when I was a kid. I should have asked him about the Scorpion!

 

[Perdikofas]

Very cool, CostasTT! Do you have higher res than those you posted? -SP

 

[Perdikofas]

One of the F-89C with the 30 mm Oerlikon 302RK guns.

 

[Sabrejet]

One of the F-89C with the 30 mm Oerlikon 302RK guns.

One of a number of F-89s assigned to Project Gun-Val.

 

[Perdikofas]

And another one with T-110E3 rocket launchers.

 

[Sabrejet]

'795 was another Gun-Val F-89.

 

[bercr]

XF-89 images (circa 1948/1949 ? Muroc/Edwards Air Force Base) found here https://www.skytamer.com/Northrop_1946_N-24_XP-89.html

 

[NMaude]

It's a pity the J-47 powered F-89 didn't go into production.

 

[BlackBat242]

It's a pity the J-47 powered F-89 didn't go into production.

The designation F-89E was also applied to a proposed single-seat escort fighter version of the Scorpion. The proposed F-89E was to be powered by a pair of 9100 lb.st. afterburning General Electric J47-GE-21 engines. The wings were enlarged and were fitted with a swept leading edge. The armament consisted of 108 FFARs mounted in a pair of large pods mounted at mid-span on the wings. The main landing gear was stowed inside the pods. The nose was to be altered to carry armament--alternative arrangements of ten 0.50-inch machine guns, six 20-mm cannon, or six MX-904 rockets were considered. The escort fighter F-89E was projected to have a maximum speed of 688 mph and a combat radius of 1010 miles. The project never got past the design study stage.

 

[NMaude]

So the F-89E would've been a Super Scorpion?

 

[GTX]

See here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/unbuilt-f-89s.232/