F9 Cougar or F9F Panther

Mick G · **Joined:** Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:39 pm **Posts:** 213

Curious if any of these are airworthy? Anybody know?

LysanderUK · **Joined:** Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:01 pm **Posts:** 271

As for Panthers, there are none currently airworthy although there are two that are potential airworthy projects (or so they were advertised as a few months ago). The last time a Panther flew I think would have been the Kalamazoo Panther that ended up being badly damaged in a force landing and fire about twenty years ago.

There haven't been any airworthy swept-wing Cougars for decades unfortunately, I'm pretty sure none have been flown as warbirds. *EDIT: Not correct, see below.*

Randy Wilson · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 3:03 pm

Cavanaugh Flight Museum has an F9F-2B which was flying in the mid 1990s. I don't think it has been flown for a number of years, possibly due to insurance and other issues. It was still on display in the "jet" hangar, last I was there, maybe a year ago.

Randy

P.S. Photo on display here: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/7857817

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

https://www.colettiscombataircraft.com/ ... %2C%201954.
The last Cougar was phased out when Training Squadron 4 (VT-4) re-equipped in February 1974.

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

There was an F9F - I don't know if was a Panther or a Cougar thas was brought back from,Argentina over 20 years ago.

I seem,to recall it was made airworthy, and was based at the Brazoria County airport, in Texas.

Did it go to Dallas?

Tulio, with no answers.

EDITED

It was an F9F-2B (BuAer 127147) was registered as N91867 to Clyde Barton, Lake Jackson, TC.

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

And, there was a TF-9J (BuAer 142498) also brought back from Argentina, registered as N24WJ and destroyed in flight, Oct31, 1991 over the Louisiana coast.

Saludos,

Tulio

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:13 pm

I think the last Cougar to fly was Don Whittington's (World Jet) N24WJ, a TF-9J which disappeared on Oct. 31, 1991 returning to FL from the Museum of Flying auction. Flown by a colorful individual named John Verdi.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/34873

A couple of threads regarding this one here:

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... hp?t=32933

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... f=3&t=5365

Blog on John Verdi:

http://blackshadowaviation.blogspot.com ... verde.html

In lieu of a flying Panther/ Cougar, here is a video of the known flying Panthers displaying together at Tico in 1987, courtesy of their owners Art Wolk and Harry Doan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NffYKWQz_7A

T J

K5DH · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:40 pm

Old age may be getting the better of me, but I distinctly recall seeing a dismantled Grumman F9F-something jet stored behind one of the late Howard Pardue's hangars at Breckenridge back in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Someone there told me that the jet was a Cougar, and I was pretty excited about it since I wasn't aware of any of them being in private hands at that time. Somewhere in my archives I might have a photo of it, but it would take forever to find.

JohnH · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:55 pm

Good memory , yes you did see that in the Breckinridge pic and I remember it too. Good question as to which one it was.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:37 pm

Nelson Ezell have me a tour of Breckenridge circa 2004....he had keys to Howard's hangars and showed me various bits which could become projects given enough money (I recall a Corsair center section)....
No Grumman jets there then.

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Texas Air Museum, in Rio Hondo, TX, had a sad looking F9'F earlier this century.

Leon Moer, of WIX fame, had at least one of them Grummans at his property in Northern Ohio. I think that it had multiple bullet holes in it.

Pima Air museum had one on outside display, very colorful.

Saludos,

Tulio

Kyleb · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:35 pm

Strangely, there was a Cougar in Lafayette, GA several years ago when I used to go there for work frequently. It was outdoors and the wings were removed.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:57 am

Tulio wrote:

Leon Moer, of WIX fame, had at least one of them Grummans at his property in Northern Ohio. I think that it had multiple bullet holes in it.

Are you thinking of Leon Cleaver? If so, that was F9F-6P BuNo 128298 and F9F-8P Cougar B/N 144388. Photos on this thread:
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... =3&t=32600

Archer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:13 pm **Posts:** 433

Back in 2002, this one was in storage at Fantasy of Flight. Probably still there.

IM000856_crop by Jelle Hieminga, on Flickr

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Chris Brame wrote:

Tulio wrote:

Leon Moer, of WIX fame, had at least one of them Grummans at his property in Northern Ohio. I think that it had multiple bullet holes in it.

Are you thinking of Leon Cleaver? If so, that was F9F-6P BuNo 128298 and F9F-8P Cougar B/N 144388. Photos on this thread:
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... =3&t=32600

Yes... My sincere apologies to both Leons. :drink3:

And, thank you for clearing my SNAFU

Saludos,

Tulio

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F9 Cougar or F9F Panther

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