North American FJ-1 Fury

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_FJ-1_Fury

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.
The FJ-1 was an early transitional jet of limited success which carried over
similar tail surfaces, wing, and canopy derived from the piston-engined P-51D
Mustang. The evolution of the design to incorporate swept wings would become the
basis for the land-based XP-86 prototype - itself originally designed with a
very similar straight-wing planform to the FJ-1 airframe - of the United States
Air Force's enormously influential F-86 Sabre, which in turn formed the basis
for the Navy's carrier-based North American FJ-2/-3 Fury.

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-51D Mustang, North American Aviation's
highly successful World War II fighter, enclosing a relocated cockpit
accommodation further forward in relation to the Mustang's design, to ensure
good forward pilot visibility for carrier operations.


Role
Fighter aircraft

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
North American Aviation

First flight
11 September 1946

Introduction
October 1947

Primary user
United States Navy

Number built
33 (including prototypes)

Developed into
North American F-86 Sabre

The first flight of the prototype XFJ-1 took place on 11 September 1946, with
the first of 30 deliveries beginning in October 1947. Flown by Navy squadron
VF-5A, the FJ-1 made the USN's first operational aircraft carrier landing with a
jet fighter at sea on 10 March 1948 aboard USS Boxer, pioneering US jet-powered
carrier operations and underscoring 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 limited use. Taking off without a catapult
launch limited the FJ-1 to a perilous, slow climb that was considered too risky
for normal operations.

As German research into swept wing aerodynamics was not yet available when the
design was finalized, 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.

Although ordered into production, the initial order for 100 units was trimmed to
only 30 aircraft which were mainly used in testing at NAS North Island,
California. VF-5A, soon redesignated as VF-51, operated the type in service
beginning in August 1948. Although VF-51 went to sea on Boxer by May 1949, the
FJ-1s were phased out in favor of the new F9F-2 Panther.

Ending its service career in U.S. 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 Air National Guard
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars.

Specifications (FJ-1)

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 34 ft 5 in (10.48 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 2 in (11.63 m)
Height: 14 ft 10 in (4.52 m)
Wing area: 221 ft2 (20.5 m2)
Empty weight: 8,843 lb (4,010 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,118 lb (6,854 kg)
Fuel provisions Internal fuel load: 465 gal (1,743 l), Wing Tip Tanks: 2 × 170
gal (644 l)
Powerplant: 1 × Allison J35-A-2 turbojet, 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN)

Performance
Maximum speed: 547 mph at 9,000 ft (880 km/h at 2,743 m)
Range: 1,496 mi, (2,407 km) 1,496 mi (2,407 km) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 32,000 ft. (9,753 m)
Rate of climb: 3,300 ft/min at sea level (1,005 m/min)
Thrust/weight: 0.38
Stalling speed (power off): 121 mph (106 kn, 194 km/h)

Armament

Guns: 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns (1,500 rounds in total)





*