McDonnell F2H Banshee - Bilder og Video

Den McDonnell F2H Banshee var et enseters hangarskipbasert jetjagerfly utplassert av United States Navy og United States Marine Corps fra 1948 til 1961. Det var en av de viktigste amerikanske jagerflyene som ble brukt under Korea-krigen, og var den eneste jetdrevne jagerflyet som noen gang ble utplassert av Royal Canadian Navy, og tjente RCN fra 1955 til 1962. Flyets navn er avledet fra banshee av irsk mytologi.

Kilde: McDonnell F2H Banshee på 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 The Banshee was retired from US service in 1961 and from Canadian service in 1962, having been replaced by more advanced supersonic fighters.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.