This is the Grumman F9F-8 Cougar, the swept wing version of the Panther, and the latest aircraft for the Korean Air War add-on for European Air War. It is for the P51D slot. However, as the Cougar does not appear in ECAP, these files are not ECAP compatible.

This is an aircraft of VF-33, Air Group 6, USS Midway CV-41, May 1953.

This 3dz is a modification of Charles Gunst's P80, very well done by Earok, the skin is by me, FM and other data files are by Flyright. The cockpit and wingview are by Claudio Wilches, modified by me for the swept wing Cougar.

Grumman F9F-8 Cougar

In 1951 the US Navy accepted Grumman's proposal for a swept-wing version of the F9F Panther, and this first flew in September 1951 as the XF6F-6 with a 3289-kg 17,250-Ib) J48P-8 and a new 35degree swept wing carrying larger flaps, fences, leading-edge slats and spoilers in place of ailerons. Service deliveries of 706 F9F-6s began in November 1952, and this total included 60 F9F-6P reconnaissance aircraft. The 168 F9F-7s were identical to the F9F-6s apart from their Allison J33-A-t6A turbojets. Then came 712 F8F-8s with the wing redesigned for an effective 15 per cent increase in chord, a recontoured cockpit canopy and a 20.3-cm 18-in) increase in fuselage length to provide additions fuel volume; the F9F-8 total included F8F-9B attack version with missile armament, and 110 F9F-8P reconnaissance aircraft. There were also 399 F9F-8T tandem-seat trainers.

Specifications: Grumman F9F-6 (F-9F) Cougar single-seat carrierborne and land-based fighter and fighter-bomber
Span: 36ft 5in
Length:12.67m (4lft 7in)
Powerplant: lx Pratt & Whitney J48-F-8, 3289kg 7,250lb st
Armament: 4x20-mm cannon, plus provision for 2x454-kg 1,000-lb bombs carried under the wings
Max 110 weight: 9072 kg
20,000#
Max speed: 690 mph at sea level
Operational range: 1000 miles

The Navy's first operational carrier fighter to utilize the new high-speed sweptback wing configuration was Grumman's F9F-6 Cougar. Obviously a derivation of the Panther series, the Cougar was ordered on March 2,1951, to provide the Navy with a weapon to combat the swept-winged MiG15's being encountered in Korea. During the original planning of the Panther, Grumman had studied the effects of the raked wing and it was determined that they could be easily incorporated into the basic design. As a result, the prototype Cougar was completed in six months, first flying on September 20, 1951. Even less time was required for the initial production plane, this making its debut only five months later.
Accompanying the Cougar's wing change was an increase of 1,000 lbs. of thrust from a Pratt & Whitney J48-P-8 rated at 7,250 lbs. These factors gave the 706 F9P-6 Cougars an 85 mph increase over the Panther series. The second Cougar order gave the fighter a 6,350 lb. thrust Allison J33.A-16A, but water injection increased the rate to 7,000 lbs. One hundred sixtyeight of these F9F-7's were delivered.
The Cougar lived up to its expectations and its advancement over the Panther was obvious. But it was felt chat the swept-wing desigh was still at the low end of its development cycle. One area needing improvement was the low speed handling characteristics, This directed attention to the wings which were given wider outer panels and a cambered leading edge eliminating the slats. An increase to the trailing edge gave a thinner wing section raising the critical Mach number. Reworking the wing had the added benefit of increasing the fuel capacity. Lengthening the fuselage improved the fineness ratio and also allowed for another fuel tank, adding a total of 140 more gallons to the Cougar's capacity. As the F9F~8, the first of the revised fighters flew on December 18, 1953, and displayed a high speed of 714 mph - a difference of 24 mph over the F9F-7. This merited an order for 711 more F9F-8 Cougars making the type the most prevalent jet fighter in the Navy at the time, winged trainer. Grumman built 399 of this model which had a maximum speed of 705 mph.
Other versions of the F9F-8 were the camera-equipped F9F.8P's and the F9F-SB missile platform capable of launching four air-to-air missiles. Many cougars were fitted with refueling probes to extend their range to the requirements of their specific missions. On their retirement from front line duty, the Cougars continued serving as radio-controlled drones and drone conctrollers. These were usually redesignated QE-9's in keeping with the new classification.
The definitive F9F-8 Cougar had a wingspan of 34 feet 6 inches, length of 40 feet 10 inches and a height of 15 feet. Max. imum launch weight -was 20,000 pounds, service ceiling was 50,000 feet. Fixed armament was four 20 mm M3 cannons, and up to 3,000 pounds of bombs could be hauled on the underwing racks.


Flyright's FM readme:


GRUMMAN F9F-7 Cougar (Fighter-Reconnaisance)
    Panel Default-Flight Model

ECA Panel Guns and Ammunition Upgrades
4x20mm cannon (nose)            190rpg

 Armament: 4 x M3 Hispano cannon-muzzel velocity 2788f/s @ approx.750rpm

Engines Best Alt: 35000-ft
Maximum Altitude: 40200-ft
Maximum Velocity: 559-mph
Maximum Bombload: 2000-lb
 
 Loadouts: bomb/droptank 

UPDATED: 12/07/02

WARNING: must use the SnapShot utility in order for this modified FM to
inneract with any preselected craft that you wish to use or your Panel
will automatically default. 


The F9F-7 was identical to the F9F-6 with the exception of the substitution of a 
6350 lb.s.t. Allison J33-A-16 turbojet in place of the Pratt & Whitney J48. 
Contracts were placed for 168 F9F-7s. However, the J33 was less powerful and 
reliable than the J48, and the last fifty F9F-7s were delivered with J48s and 
were therefore indistinguishable from F9F-6s. In service, most F9F-7s were 
re-engined with the J48. 

Like the F9F-6, many F9F-7s were fitted in service with a UHF homing beacon in a 
fairing underneath the nose. 

A pair of F9F-7s took part in a very interesting experiment in 1954. This was 
the evaluation of the feasibility of landing wheels-up on an inflated rubber 
mat, or "flexdeck" as it came to be known. The basic idea behind flexdeck was 
that aircraft equipped to land on such a surface could dispense with the weight 
and complexity of a retractable undercarriage. Referred to as Design 94A by the 
company, the project involved the modification of F9F-7 BuNos 130862 and 130863. 
A false bottom was added underneath the center fuselage and the aircraft were 
re-engined with J48-P-8 engines. The leading edge slats were bolted permanently 
in the down position and the center flap section was locked shut. The first 
wheels up arrested landing took place on an inflated mat at NATC Patuxent River, 
Maryland on February 18, 1955. The tests proved that such landings could be 
performed safely and reliably. However, the Navy concluded that the basic idea 
was impractical, since aircraft without undercarriage could not divert to 
airfields or carriers that did not have flexdeck. The project was finally 
terminated in March of 1956. 

In 1962, the F9F-7 was redesignated F-9H under the new Defense Department 
Tri-Service unified designation scheme. 
Serials of Grumman F9F-7 Cougar

130752/130919		Grumman F9F-7 Cougar
			(130870/130919 delivered as F9F-6s)

Specification of the Grumman F9F-7 Cougar:
One Allison J33-A-16A turbojet rated at 6350 lb.s.t. dry and 7000 lb.s.t. with 
water injection. Performance: Maximum speed 628 mph at sea level, 559 mph at 
35,000 feet. Cruising speed 541 mph. Stalling speed 130 mph. Initial climb rate 
5100 feet per minute. An altitude of 30,000 feet could be attained in 11.6 
minutes. Service ceiling 40,200 feet. 1157 miles normal range. Internal fuel was 
919 US gallons. With two 150-gallon drop tanks, total fuel load was 1219 US 
gallons. Dimensions: wingspan 34 feet 6 inches, length 41 feet 5 inches, height 
12 feet 4 inches, wing area 300 square feet. Weights: 11,225 pounds empty, 
16,577 pounds combat, 18,905 pounds gross. Armament: The armament consisted of 
four 20-mm cannon in the nose plus two underwing racks for 1000-pound bombs or 
150-US gallon drop tanks. 
