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General characteristics

* Crew: 1
* Length: 46 ft 11 in (14.3 m)
* Wingspan: 31 ft 7.5 in (9.6 m)
* Height: 13 ft 3 in (4.0 m)
* Wing area: 250 ft² (23 m²)
* Empty weight: 13,810 lb (6,277 kg)
* Loaded weight: 21,035 lb (9,561 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 23,459 lb (10,663 kg)
* Powerplant: 1× Wright J65-W-18 turbojet
o Dry thrust: 7,400 lbf (32.9 kN)
o Thrust with afterburner: 10,500 lbf (46.7 kN)

Performance

* Maximum speed: Mach 1.1 (727 mph, 1,170 km/h) at 35,000 ft (11,000 m)
* Cruise speed: 577 mph (929 km/h)
* Range: 1,275 mi (1,110 nmi, 2,050 km)
* Service ceiling: 49,000 ft (14,900 m)
* Rate of climb: 16,300 ft/min (83 m/s)
* Wing loading: 84 lb/ft² (411 kg/m²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.50

Armament

* Guns: 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Colt Mk 12 cannon, 125 rounds per gun
* Hardpoints: 4 and provisions to carry combinations of:
o Missiles: 4 x AIM-9 Sidewinder



The last of the un-broken Grumman line which began with the FF-1. This was originally designated the F9F-9, but it was a new design. Design features include area ruled fuselage to reduce drag, tailplane and elevators were relocated to the aft fuselage and the main gear was fuselage mounted. The wing skins were milled from solid slabs of aluminum. The aircraft entered service in March 57 with VA-156. The operational life was short and soon replaced with the F-8 Crusader (The Last of the Gunfighters). The Tigers were relegated to Air Training Command and the Blue Angels Demonstration Team

A very aesthetically pleasing little jet, I'll bet they handled beautifully. One of the few "stick and rudder" jets!