Grumman F9F Panther/Cougar

 Author's Summary

By the end of World War II, piston-powered fighters were at their absolute zenith. As good as those airplanes were, America's aviation industry found itself starting over in the Jet Age with new airplanes powered by anemic and somewhat cantankerous turbine engines. More importantly, just as these new aircraft were maturing, they were thrust into war in the skies over Korea. Grumman's first jets were potent aircraft in their own right, but also proved to be the building blocks from which two more famous Grumman 'cats' were born -- the supersonic F11F Tiger and swing-wing Mach 2 F-14 Tomcat.      

Grumman F9F Panther/Cougar tells the story of the pivotal F9F Panther from its initial concept through early design and manufacturing, flight test, aircraft carrier trials, and combat operations in the Korean War. Completing this story is coverage of the more advanced swept-wing transonic Cougar that goes on to become an effective trainer and photo-recon aircraft as well. Detailed appendices provide the reader with complete data on F9F production numbers, carrier deployments, and squadron histories.

MWSA Review

This book is about the Grumman Aircraft Companies contribution to our military's air craft. It centers around the F9F jet fighter.  The period is the latter part of WW11.

Brad Elward who compiled this work has done a terrific job of giving the reader a look into the past of jet development and its impact on the United States military power and air superiority.  Complete with appendices, bibliography and indexed  it provides all the details a history and aviation buff craves and will devour in a sitting.

Loaded with great aircraft photos involved in all aspects of their functions this book cannot help but capture the interest of aviation fans young and old. Another great pictorial work from Specialty Press.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)