Grumman F9F Cougar

Grumman · United States · first flew 1951 · fighter

The Grumman F9F Cougar was the US Navy's first swept-wing carrier jet fighter, derived from the straight-winged F9F Panther by adopting a 35-degree swept wing. It was the mount of the US Navy Blue Angels display team for much of the 1950s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Intakes in wing roots flanking the fuselage sides
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Single-engine swept-wing carrier-based fighter with wing-fold
Very similar nose to F9F Panther but with swept rather than straight wings
Intakes in wing roots flanking the fuselage sides

The Cougar's swept wing immediately distinguishes it from the otherwise similar Panther; wing-root intakes, a compact fuselage, and folding wings for carrier stowage are key identifiers.

Specifications

The Grumman F9F Cougar has a length of 12.47 m (41 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.52 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1041 km/h (647 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown on 20 September 1951, the Cougar entered Navy service in 1952. It served as the primary fleet fighter until the introduction of the F8U Crusader and F4D Skyray. Astronaut Wally Schirra flew Cougars and John Glenn set a transcontinental speed record in the F9F-8P photo-reconnaissance variant in 1957.

Variants

The F9F-6 was the initial swept-wing version; the F9F-7 used the Allison J33; the F9F-8 Cougar introduced a longer fuselage and more fuel; the F9F-8T was the two-seat trainer, later redesignated TF-9J.

Where you'll see it

Exclusively US Navy and Marine Corps; all retired by the early 1970s. Several examples are preserved in US museums.

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