McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee - Ottawa, Ontario. - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

The following information is from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum's website:

Highlights:

An American single-seater jet fighter designed and produced by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation from 1948 to 1953

A larger and more powerful version of an earlier McDonnell fighter aircraft

Its wings folded to save space on aircraft carriers

Used in the Korean War as an escort for U.S. Navy long-range bombers

Served as the Royal Canadian Navy's only jet fighter; operated from land bases and carrier HMCS Bonaventure

Was the first Canadian fighter aircraft with air-to-air missiles: the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile

Used by the Royal Canadian Navy's Grey Ghost aerobatic team

First flight was in August 1948 (F2H-1)
Artifact no.:
1967.0672
Manufacturer:
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
Manufacturer Location:
United States
Manufacture Date:
1953
Registration no.:
126464 (RCN)
Acquisition Date:
1965
History:

The Banshee entered US Navy service in 1948 as their second carrier jet fighter. They served with distinction with the USN in Korea. The Banshee replaced the Royal Canadian Navy’s Hawker Sea Fury as the RCN’s first and only jet fighter. The RCN acquired 39 Banshees from 1955 to 1958. Banshees operated from shore bases and from the aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure after 1957. The Banshee was the RCN’s last fighter and was not replaced when retired in 1962. A total of 805 were made.

RCN pilots deserve credit for being able to operate the Banshee successfully from the carrier HMCS Bonaventure. Its small size made jet-fighter operation difficult.

Current Location:

Naval Flying Exhibition, Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Provenance:

Donation from the Royal Canadian Navy

This Banshee was manufactured in 1953 by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri. It was accepted by the U.S. Navy in April of the same year and served at naval stations in Florida and Virginia, and on three aircraft carriers.

The Royal Canadian Navy acquired the aircraft in August 1957. It alternated service between shore base HMCS Shearwater and the carrier HMCS Bonaventure. It was also used as part of the Royal Canadian Navy's aerobatic team, the Grey Ghosts.

When the aircraft was retired in 1962, it was kept outside at HMCS Shearwater and was stripped of some of its equipment. In 1965 it was donated to the Canadian War Museum and moved to Rockcliffe airport. It later became the property of the Museum. From 1975 to 1986, the aircraft was restored by No. 400 Air Reserve Squadron, with assistance from No. 411 Squadron at Downsview, Ontario.

Technical Information:

Wing Span 12.7 m (41 ft 9 in)
Length 14.7 m (48 ft 2 in)
Height 4.4 m (14 ft 6 in)
Weight, Empty 5,980 kg (13,183 lb)
Weight, Gross 9,531 kg (21,013 lb)
Cruising Speed 742 km/h (461 mph)
Max Speed 933 km/h (580 mph)
Rate of Climb 1,829 m (6,000 ft) /min
Service Ceiling 14,200 m (46,600 ft)
Range 1,883 km (1,170 mi)
Power Plant two Westinghouse J34-WE-34 axial flow engines, 1,450 kg (3,200 lb) static thrust

Reference: (visit link)

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee Tail Number: (S/N): 126464 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Canada Aviation and Space Museum inside / outside: inside Other Information:: Space and Aviation Museum - Ottawa, Ontario Opening hours Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fees Adult $15, Youth (3-17) $10 Senior (age 60+) / Student $13 - Free on Thursday from 4 to 5 PM An additional 5$ entrance fee to visit the hanger where this aircraft is located will need to be purchased before the visit takes place. You will be escorted by a tour guide. Tours of the hangar are scheduled for 11 AM and 1 PM. There is paid parking on site. Taking photographs is allowed. Access restrictions: You will be briefed by the tour guide at the commencement of your tour and he/she will explain the activities that you may have to restrain from within the hangar. There are barriers on the floor that serve to prevent visitors from approaching too close and touching the aircrafts.

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.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/22/2023 jiggs11 visited it