F-89D Scorpion - Valparaiso, FL
N 30° 27.965 W 086° 33.629
16R E 542191 N 3370514
The F-89 was the first multi-seat, all weather jet interceptor. It was the first aircraft designed to carry an all-rocket armament. The major production version of the Scorpion was the F-89D which was armed with 104 rockets.
Waymark Code: WMGZYD
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 04/29/2013
Views: 5
F-89D Scorpion 53-2610 was last assigned to the 119th Fighter Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, Hector Field, North Dakota.
The F-89 was a twin-engine, all-weather fighter-interceptor designed to locate, intercept and destroy enemy aircraft by day or night under all types of weather conditions. It carried a pilot in the forward cockpit and a radar operator in the rear who guided the pilot into the proper attack position. The first F-89 made its initial flight in August 1948 and deliveries to the Air Force began in July 1950. Northrop produced 1,050 F-89s.
On July 19, 1957, a Genie test rocket was fired from an F-89J, the first time in history that an air-to-air rocket with a nuclear warhead was launched and detonated. Three hundred fifty F-89Ds were converted to J models, which became the Air Defense Command's first fighter-interceptor to carry nuclear armament.
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): F-89D Scorpion
Tail Number: (S/N): 53-2610
Construction:: original aircraft
Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): USAF Armament Museum
inside / outside: outside
Access restrictions:
The plane is one of 25 located outside the USAF Armament Museum just off Eglin AFB. There is no fence around the museum so the outdoor planes are accessible every day.
Other Information:: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)
Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.