The Cougar was a swept-wing development of the earlier G-79 Panther. The fuselage was similar but the wings and tailplane were swept at 35°. First flown in prototype form on 20 September 1951, the initial production version was the F9F-6 armed with four 20 mm cannon and powered by a 32.25kN Pratt & Whitney J48-P-8 turbojet engine. The F9F-6P was an unarmed photographic-reconnaissance version with a longer nose to accommodate K-17 and tri-metrogon cameras. Next came the F9F-7, similar to the previous version except that it was powered by a 28.25kN Allison J33-A-16A engine.
The first production F9F-8 flew on 18 January 1954. Powered by J48-P-8 engine, it was a development of the F9F-6 with increased speed and range. Movable leading-edge slats were replaced by fixed cambered leading-edge extensions outboard of the wing fences. Total internal fuel capacity was increased by 530 litres. A photographic-reconnaissance version (the F9F-8P) flew for the first time on 21 August 1955 and had an extended nose for the cameras. The F9F-8 went out of production in 1957.
The final version of the Cougar was the F9F-8T two-seat fighter-trainer, first flown on 4 April 1956. Production of this version ended on the last day of 1959 after 399 had been built. Total production of the Cougar was 1,985 aircraft. Many F9F-8Ts were flown operationally in Vietnam.
Grumman F9F Cougar on YOUTUBE
3-View
A three-view drawing of F9F-8 Cougar (1278 x 926)
Specification
MODEL
TF-9J
ENGINE
1 x Pratt & Whitney J48-P-8A turbo-jet, 32.0kN
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight
9344 kg
20600 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan
10.52 m
35 ft 6 in
Length
13.54 m
44 ft 5 in
Height
3.73 m
12 ft 3 in
PERFORMANCE
Ceiling
15240 m
50000 ft
Range
966 km
600 miles
ARMAMENT
2 x 20mm cannon, 907kg of weapons on external hardpoints
I graduated from Avionics school in 1962 and was assigned to VMT-2 at MCAF El Toro. We had 12 to 18 TF9J's. Very basic avionics systems, UHF radio, Tacan, IFF /SIF, compass and gyro. Deployed to Yuma, and Litchfield Park for war games.
I flew the TF-9J at NAS Chase in 1970. I remember when it got above about 95 degrees, we stopped flying because the "Lead Sled" was too under-powered to fly in hot humid weather. The article above doesn't mention this trainer version or the engine, but it definitely had a Westinghouse centrifugal flow engine which could take an eagle in the intake and not have much effect on the 6900 pound thrust engine. It wasn't the safest plane to fly. In the 6 months I flew it, the base lost at least 4 planes that I remember, three were fatal - one my classmate and one a friend I had dinner with the night before.
Chase Field and the supersonic F-9 Great fun and a v good instructou ? Forgot his name. No ship to land on so-Shame on me, I went from USMC to USNR. Last one ever to do this and the corps was not happy! Off to GMGRU-1 at Barbers Pt. Hawaii. F9-5 and FJ-3 /4s. More fun.
I was a sim tech (TD2) attached to VF126 at NAS Miramar in 1965 to 1968 and was fortunate enough to fly back seat. The purpose of this was to train F4 crews for Viet Nam. I was even fortunate enough to get some stick time in the back seat to and from the exercise area. One time, on the way back to Miramar, I was flying back seat and noticed a lot of right wing down trim required. I found I had an F8 flying just underneath our starboard wing tip. Was a great opportunity. Can't do that now of course unless you are assigned to a flying billet.
1953 First swept wing F9F came into North Island. I was posted as armed guard with loaded 45. Told only people with security card could come near the plane. Piolet left and returned shortly with an Admiral. I did n ormal challange and asked to see their cards. Seems the Admiral didn't have his so I told him he could not approch the plane. As he was getting into his car to go back to his office I realized maybe that wasn't the right way to handle it. Wrong! Got an attaboy for standin g my mpost as ordered.
Great airplane. I started at NAAS Chase field, Beeville, TX as an E3 airman in an engine check crew. I was there from 1958-1961. Finished up there as a crew leader ADJ2. I loved taking that F9 apart, inspecting, and then running it up. I will never forget crawling down the intake with a small allen wrench to set the fuel pumps to 99% in emergency with the engine at idle. I am now 75 yrs old. Anybody out there remember me?
My father Gary Hamre was a flight instructor at Chase Field from 1958- 1961 with VT -24 If you remember him please mail me back. I was 3-6 y /o. I remember that the Cougar could break the sound barrier in a dive, which he did over our house on Huntington. Some neighbors windows broke, but no one complained, it was the cold war and seen as a sign of US strength.
I was a plane captain at Kingsville '58 and later went to the P /P shop. Also worked on the "bowser" crew awhile. Washed and polished a lot of F-9's. Darned blow-in doors would get your "boys" if your weren't careful crawling over the spine.
Flew this bird as a weekend warrior while attending premed on the GI bill at the University of Colorado in 1957-1959 era. Flew out of NAS Denver (old Henderson Field). On a hot summer day it took all of 10,000 feeet to get into the air and still blew dust off the prairie for a few miles before starting to climb. Noseed over straight down at 40,000 feet, full throttle and after a bit the mach needle bounced through 1.0, shaking and shuddering. We did our summer 2 week active duty at Miramar before it bacame the Top Gun school. Underpowered but fun to fly.
I WAS PART OF THE RESCUE TEAM THAT PICKED UP TWO MARINE PILOTS SHOT DOWN IN TH A'SHAU VALLEY..CHRISTMAS 1967 CALL SIGN "FUR BRITCHES.." MAJOR RG HOWARD USAF RET
Flew the 8T in Instrument training with VF-124 at Moffett in '58 & '59, and also a proficiency flying at Whidbey Island while my day job was a bombarder /Navigator in A3s.
I was an ADJ3 in VT-25 (1963 to 1966) at NAS Chase Field, Beeville, Texas. We had AF9J's & TF9J's. I started with the squardon as a Plane Captain then moved to power plant shop. I qualified for High Power engine runup's and spent alot of my time doing that. Have many fond memories of fellow shipmates and Beeville, Texas.
Flew this airplane in the Training Command in VT-24...great jet to fly and fight. It took off at around 180kts on a hot day in Beeville, TX, and the landing speed was around 145kts. Did the hot runway trick in El Paso...was in ground effect for about 6 miles! The centrifugal flow engine was not very powerful but it never stalled. It went a long way at 40K...flew from Alameda back to Beeville non-stop! We took off heading toward the Bay Bridge and had to fly underneath it due to the hot temps...then climbed out over San Fransico and got up to 45K with great tail winds. The instructor knew how to get it "on the step" and we cruised all the way home...had to do a straight-in since the fuel was almost gone and putting G's on in the break would've probably flamed it out. We had an instructor plow-back park one in the trees at the 180 one night...they got the plane out the next morning and cleaned it up, then flew it on the flight schedule that afternoon! Grumman Iron Works at it's finest! Great dogfighting jet, and a good bomber too. I left there to go to Lemoore fying A-7s...great fun!
Fast Ed, Was that John Major that departed at the 180? I got my wings in Aug of 1971 & John was a classmate who got plowed back to vt-24. Great airplane.
I was a helocopter pilot in the Marines and retrained in jets at Cherry Point in the TF9J in 1964. I found it to be a good transition jet. Later I flew A4's in the reserves. To this day I miss the old Marine Squadron life.
Was assigned to VT-22 in 1962 started out as plane captain then worked in the maintenance office making enteries in aircraft log books. Was then assigned to the AME shop even though I was a AMH. Made many flights in the back seat of F9F-8T. Are there any F9Fs in salvage yards or parts available.
I also was lucky enought to get checked out in the pressure chamber etc. . I was in vf 101 nas key west at the time9 (A PROUD PLANE CAPTAIN) we had 2 f9's. got to go up in a lot of hops
My father Gary Hamre was a flight instructor at Chase Field from 1958- 1961 with VT -24
If you remember him please mail me back. I was 3-6 y /o. I remember that the Cougar could break the sound barrier in a dive, which he did over our house on Huntington. Some neighbors windows broke, but no one complained, it was the cold war and seen as a sign of US strength.
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