McDonnell F2H Banshee – Φώτο & Βίντεο

Teh McDonnell F2H Banshee ήταν μονοθέσιο μαχητικό αεροσκάφος αεροπλανοφόρου που αναπτύχθηκε από το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών και το Σώμα Πεζοναυτών των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών από το 1948 έως το 1961. Ήταν ένα από τα κύρια αμερικανικά μαχητικά που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν κατά τη διάρκεια του πολέμου της Κορέας και ήταν το μόνο μαχητικό αεροσκάφος που αναπτύχθηκε ποτέ από το Βασιλικό Καναδικό Ναυτικό, υπηρετώντας το RCN από το 1955 έως το 1962. Το όνομα του αεροσκάφους προέρχεται από το banshee της ιρλανδικής μυθολογίας.

Πηγή: McDonnell F2H Banshee στη Wikipedia

Teh McDonnell F2H Banshee was a single-seat carrier-based jet fighter aircraft deployed by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps from 1948 to 1961. It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War and was the only jet-powered fighter ever deployed by the Royal Canadian Navy, serving the RCN from 1955 until 1962. The Banshee was a development of the successful McDonnell FH Phantom, but was designed to be more powerful, faster, and capable of longer range missions. The Banshee had a distinctive appearance with its twin tailpipes and large air intakes on either side of the fuselage. It was armed with four 20 mm cannons and could carry a variety of rockets, bombs, and missiles under its wings.
Teh Banshee was also one of the first jet fighters to incorporate radar and ejection seats. The Banshee was a versatile and reliable aircraft that performed well in various roles such as fighter-bomber, reconnaissance, and night fighter. It saw combat action in Korea, where it flew over 15,000 sorties and shot down at least four enemy aircraft. It also served as a training and test platform for many naval aviators and experimental programs. The Banshee was retired from US service in 1961 and from Canadian service in 1962, having been replaced by more advanced supersonic fighters. It was one of the longest-serving jet fighters in history, with a total of 895 aircraft built.