McDonnell F2H Banshee – Foto e Video

Le McDonnell F2H Banshee è stato un aereo da caccia monoposto a reazione schierato dalla United States Navy e dal United States Marine Corps dal 1948 al 1961. Fu uno dei principali caccia americani utilizzati durante la guerra di Corea e fu l'unico caccia a propulsione a reazione mai schierato dalla Royal Canadian Navy, servendo la RCN dal 1955 al 1962. Il nome dell'aereo deriva dalla banshee della mitologia irlandese.

fonte: McDonnell F2H Banshee su Wikipedia

The 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.
The 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 The Banshee was retired from US service in 1961 and from Canadian service in 1962, having been replaced by more advanced supersonic fighters.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.