Warbird Information Exchange

Saw this on Barnstormers. Anyone familar with this aircraft, could it be made flyable??

NORTHROP F-89 SCORPION JET • $59,995 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • F-89 complete with engines. Needs restoration. Own a piece of history. Great display aircraft. • Contact Cynthia A. Macha - WESTERN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT, Owner - located Torrance, CA USA • Telephone: 714-300-5524 . • Posted February 16, 2009 • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad

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Jim Bloomer

I am very familar with this aircraft, I see I almost every weekend. First of all it is really located in upland California at Cable airport. Second this aircraft is not in the best shape. It is in pieces and the wings look like they were crudely separated from fuselage. I have no idea about corrosion but the plane did sit outside at Hathorne airport for years in semi salty air. Basicly it would make a good static airplane but to make it fly again would be very hard and expensive considering the complexidy of the aircraft.
I will try and take pictures tomarrow.

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 53 ft 10 in (16.4 m)
Wingspan: 60 ft 5 in (18.4 m)
Height: 17 ft 6 in (5.3 m)
Wing area: 606 ft² (56.3 m²)
Empty weight: 24,200 lb (11,000 kg)
Loaded weight: 42,250 lb (19,200 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 46,800 lb (21,200 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Allison J35-A-35A afterburning turbojets
Dry thrust: 5,600 lbf (24.9 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 7,400 lbf (32.9 kN) each
Performance

Maximum speed: 636 mph (553 knots, 1,020 km/h)
Range: 1,367 mi (1,188 nm, 2,200 km)
Service ceiling: 49,200 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: 8,360 ft/min (42.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 69.7 lb/ft² (340.4 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.35 (3.4 N/kg)


Paul K would surely know better than I, but @ 11,000 LBs of thrust I bet this thing would be a real performer at 46,000 lbs take off weight. I bet it would be "real cheap" to get it flying again.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

Yeah, machining very large hunks of magnesium is cheap-and fun too!

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

My uncle used to crewchief F-89J's here in the VTANG. Dad was EOD about the same time. They both knew the pilots very well. I remember one of them commenting about the 89. If you tried to get her off before she was ready, the nose would come up and she would stay planted right there on the pavement until you did not have anymore ahead of you.

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

Dad and his old squadron buds always said the F-89 was a ground-hugging pig, especially the later "D", "H" and "J" models that were heavier than the early "C" at a 38,000 lb gross weight. It helped performance greatly flying in the Alaska winter. Dad mentioned one flight bringing an F-89C back from depot or winter mods at Hill AFB Utah in the summer and how exciting and lonnnnng the takeoff roll was on a hot day. For sure it was an interceptor, not a fighter, though the split dive brakes or decelerons gave them one trick up their sleeve in a classic dogfight since it turned like a turd.

[quote="EDowning"]General characteristics


Thrust with afterburner: 7,400 lbf (32.9 kN) each

Maximum speed: 636 mph (553 knots, 1,020 km/h)

I have seen these figures quoted many times, but I wonder where they originated as the Flight Manual gives 470 kts M0.9 as limitations.

Typically those "General Characteristics" list the maximum true airspeed capable of being obtained by the aircraft. The limits are indicated airspeed (KIAS, (MPH)IAS) or at best calibrated airspeed (KCAS, (MPH)CAS).

Gents,

I have been in love with this bird since I was a kid, I always seem to pick dogs! I do not remember the exact numbers (as soon as I get home I will send more info) But if I remember correctly the 89's speed was reduced multiple times during it's life time due to fatique and design problems with its name sake tail and rear fuselage.

The F-89 for sale at cable airport

The F-89 for sale at cable airport

The F-89 for sale at cable airport

Wow 3 F-89s for sale! And all in the same exact condition!

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

That can be true and I'll dig the dash ones out again tomorrow to check, but the machmeter limit is a telling one.

As Hercules 130 observed, the speed of the Scorpion was reduced during its service. The dash one for the F-89B in January 1951 gave the limiting structural airspeed as 565 kts / 0.95 Mach.
The F-89C of August 1953 gives 425 kts , 0.90 Mach below 20,000 feet.
F-89D of June 1957 470 kts / 0.90 Mach below 20,000 feet.
F-89H of October 1958 470 kts / 0.90 Mach below 20,000 feet.
F-89J of December 1959 450 kts / 0.90 Mach below 20,000 feet.
Later amendments to those manuals may have altered these figures, but the only examples I have are listed above.
Speedy, the Scorpion was not!
RAF Canberras were invited to the US for air defence exercises. Neither the F-89s nor the F-94s could touch them at night (nothing by day, either!)
The Canberras flew too high to be intercepted. The crews were instructed to fly at lower altitudes. They did. Still they were not intercepted as they were too fast.