FJ-1 Fury
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| FJ-1 Fury | |
|---|---|
 An FJ-1 Fury in 1947 |
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| Type | Fighter aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | North American Aviation |
| Maiden flight | 11 September 1946 |
| Introduced | October 1947 |
| Primary users | United States Navy United States Marine Corps |
| Number built | 31 (including prototype) |
The North American FJ-1 Fury was the first operational jet aircraft in United States Navy service, and was developed by North American Aviation as the NA-135.[1]
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[edit] Design and development
Ordered in late 1944 as the XFJ-1 in competition with proposals from Douglas and Vought, the Fury began as a straight-wing, tricycle gear fighter with a single turbojet passing through the fuselage. The wing, empennage and canopy strongly resembled that of the piston-engined P-51 Mustang, North American Aviation's highly successful World War II fighter. The design was also the basis for the XP-86 prototype of the United States Air Force's F-86 Sabre.
The first flight of the prototype XFJ-1 took place on 11 September 1946, with the first of thirty deliveries beginning in October 1947. The Fury's first landing on an aircraft carrier was made 10 March 1948 aboard USS Boxer. Flown operationally by Navy squadron VF-5, the FJ-1 pioneered jet-powered carrier operations and underscored the need for catapult-equipped carriers. The Fury was capable of launching without catapult assistance, but on a crowded flight deck the capability was of small practicality. In reality, taking off without a catapult launch, pitched the FJ-1 into a perilous, slow climb that was considered too risky for normal operations.[2]
As straight wings were seen at the time as the only way to ensure the low speed and stability needed for carrier landings, the FJ-1 used a straight wing. No provision for wing-folding had been made as dive brakes mounted in the wings, made that option unfeasible. In order to conserve carrier deck space, a unique "kneeling" nose undercarriage along with a swivelling "jockey wheel" allowed the FJ-1 to be stacked tail-high, close to another FJ-1.[3]
Although ordered into production, the initial order for 100 units were trimmed to only 30 aircraft which were mainly used in testing at NAS North Island, with VF-5A, later redesignated VF-51, operated the type in operational service beginning in August 1948. Although VF-51 went to sea on the USS Boxer by May 1949, the FJ-1s were phased out in favor of the new F9F-3 Panther.[4]
Ending its service career in US Naval Reserve units, the FJ-1 eventually was retired in 1953. The one highlight in its short service life was VF-51's win in the Bendix Trophy Race for jets in September 1948. The unit entered seven FJ-1s, flying from Long Beach, California to Cleveland, Ohio, with VF-51 aircraft taking the first four places, ahead of two California ANG F-80 Shooting Stars.[1]
[edit] Variants
- FJ-1
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (FJ-1)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
- Dassault Mystère
- F9F Panther
- FH Phantom
- F-84 Thunderjet
- Hawker Sea Hawk
- Saab Tunnan
- Supermarine Attacker
Related lists
- List of fighter aircraft
- List of military aircraft of the United States
- List of Sabre and Fury units in US military
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "The FJ-1 Fury." Retrieved: 29 April 2008.
- ^ "North American FJ-1 Fury – carrier-borne fighter." aviastar.org. Retrieved: 29 April 2008.
- ^ "FJ Fury." boeing.com. Retrieved: 29 April 2008.
- ^ "FJ Fury." globalsecurity.org. Retrieved: 29 April 2008.
[edit] Bibliography
- Taylor, John, W.R., ed. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1965-1966. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1967. ISBN 0-71061-377-6.
- Wagner, Ray. The North American Sabre. London: Macdonald, 1963. No ISBN.
- Winchester, Jim, ed. Military Aircraft of the Cold War (The Aviation Factfile). London: Grange Books plc, 2006. ISBN 1-84013-929-3.
[edit] External links
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