| F2H Banshee | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Type | Carrier-based fighter aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Aircraft |
| Primary users | United States Navy |
| Number built | 895 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1947 to 1953 |
| Introduction date | August 1948 |
| First flight | 11 January 1947 |
| Retired | 30 September 1959 USN 1959 USMC 1960 USN, USMC (F2H-2P) 1961 USNR, USMCR 12 September 1962 RCN |
| Developed from | McDonnell FH Phantom |
The McDonnell F2H Banshee (company designation McDonnell Model 24) is a single-seat carrier-based jet fighter aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft. It was an early jet fighter operated by United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as being the only jet-powered fighter to ever be deployed by the Royal Canadian Navy.[1] The aircraft's name is derived from the banshee of Irish mythology.
The Banshee was developed during the mid to late 1940s. It was a derivative of the earlier FH Phantom, although the resulting aircraft would be considerably larger, more heavily armed, and furnished with far more powerful engines in the form of a pair of Westinghouse J34 turbojets. The Banshee incorporated several recent innovations, including a pressurized cockpit, "kneeling" nose landing gear and an ejection seat, which the Phantom lacked, as well as a large number of improvements to other aircraft systems. On 11 January 1947, the first prototype performed its maiden flight. During August 1948, the first F2H-1, the initial production model, was completed. The F2H-2 was the basis for three sub-variants; the nuclear-armed F2H-2B, the F2H-2N night fighter, and the F2H-2P photo reconnaissance aircraft.
Upon its introduction in late 1948, the Banshee proved to be almost 100 mph (160 km/h) slower than the latest land-based fighters, which has been largely attributed to its use of a straight wing rather than a swept wing configuration. Nevertheless, several variants were procured; the F2H-2N was the first carrier-based jet-powered night fighter flown by the U.S. Navy, albeit only in limited numbers, while the F2H-2P was also the service's first jet-powered reconnaissance aircraft. US Navy and Marine pilots often referred to the F2H as the "Banjo".[2] It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War, typically being flown as an escort fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. Radar-equipped Banshees were also used for all-weather fleet defense. Furthermore, during 1955, 27 overflights of potential Chinese staging areas were conducted by USMC Banshees in response to a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
During the mid 1950s, the U.S. Navy and USMC began retiring their Banshees in favour of newer and more capable jet aircraft, such as the swept wing Grumman F-9 Cougar and McDonnell F3H Demon, and the delta wing Douglas F4D Skyray. Several of these aircraft would be acquired by Canada for the Royal Canadian Navy as production of the Banshee was terminated in 1953. Introduced to Canadian service in 1955, the type became the sole fighter operated following the retirement of the piston-engined Hawker Sea Fury. It operated at sea from HMCS Bonaventure or from shore bases as NORAD interceptor aircraft. Amid a reorientation towards anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and reduced value being placed on fighter operations, as well as decreasing reliability, Canada opted to withdraw its last Banshees without any direct replacement in September 1962.