Introduced to Canadian service in 1955, the type became the sole fighter operated following the retirement of the piston-engined Hawker Sea Fury. It operated at sea from HMCS Bonaventure or from shore bases as NORAD interceptor aircraft.

Feb 27, 2018 · Procured second-hand from the United States Navy, the McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee was the only carrier-based air defence jet fighter used by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) from 1955 to 1962. Until the CF-18 Hornet, the Banshee, also nicknamed the "Banjo", was the only Canadian military aircraft armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

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. Reserve Hangar, Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Donation from the Royal Canadian Navy. This Banshee was manufactured in 1953 by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri.

The F2H was one of the highest-flying combat aircraft of its time with a ceiling of some 48,500 feet. The Banshee could carry 1,000 pounds of bombs and rockets, and 200-gallon wingtip tanks were provided.

McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee, RCN (Serial No. 126415), struck a portable practice landing mirror and tow truck that had been left on runway 16R after an earlier CS2F Tracker landing exercise was postponed due to rain.

Mar 4, 2025 · Reserve Hangar, Canada Aviation and Space Museum. 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.

Sep 30, 2023 · Canada shifted its focus towards anti-submarine warfare, reducing emphasis on fighters, and due to decreasing reliability, retired its last Banshees in September 1962 without a direct replacement. The Banshee originated from the FH Phantom, the U.S. Navy’s first carrier-based jet fighter.

The first jet fighter to serve with the Royal Canadian Navy, the F2H-3 Banshee began service with the RCN in 1956 as a front line all weather fighter, flying from the HMCS Bonaventure. It was capable of carrying early versions of the Sidewinder missile on underwing pylons to supplement the four 20mm cannons.

Oct 30, 2017 · Notes Built by McDonnell Aircraft Corp. (USA) in 1953. Ex. 126464 (USN). Preserved at Canada Aviation & Space Museum, Ottawa.

It went into combat in 1951 and served as one of the principal fighters with the US Navy's Seventh Fleet for the duration of the Korean War. Total F2H production was 895 and was operational …