The F9F Panther entered service in 1949. It was the first Grumman jet fighter, the first Carrier-Borne Navy jet fighter in combat, the first USN jet to shoot down an enemy airplane, first jet aircraft used by the Blue Angels. A total of 1,382 F9Fs were made. VF-781 was the first squadron to volunteer for combat in Korea and were 100% volunteers earning them the name “Pacemakers”. The F9F flew 78,000 sorties with VF-781 flying 2,721 of them without a single loss of life. The Panther was removed from front-line service in 1956.

• Crew: 1
• Performance
• Engine – (1) Pratt & Whitney J48-P-4/P-6A turbojet @ 6,250 lb.s.t.
• Internal fuel capacity - 1,003 US gallons
• Maximum speed - 604 mph @ sea level, 579 mph @ 5,000 ft, 543 mph @ 3,500 ft
• Cruising speed - 481 mph
• Stalling speed - 132 mph
• Initial climb rate - 5,090 fpm
• Service ceiling - 42,800 ft
• Range - 1,300 miles
• Dimensions
• Wingspan - 38 ft 0 in
• Length - 38 ft 10 1/2 in
• Height - 12 ft 4 in
• Wing area - 250 sq ft
• Weights
• Empty - 10,147 lbs
• Gross - 17,766 lbs
• Maximum takeoff - 18,721 lbs
• Armament
• (4) 20-mm cannon in the nose
• (8) Under wing hard points could accommodate up to 3,465 lbs. of bombs and rockets