McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee (RCN) - "The Grey Ghost"

[Headnaught 502]

 

 

 

History

 

The McDonnell F2H Banshee was a twin-engine carrier-borne fighter aircraft originally developed in 1945 at the behest of the U.S. Navy (USN), who wanted a fighter that could match land-based contemporaries such as the Lockheed P-80. It was essentially a bigger FH Phantom, McDonnell's first naval fighter, with stronger engines and heavier hitting 20mm cannons. The penultimate variant of the Banshee was the F2H-3. Designed as an all-weather fighter, it was equipped with a radar system in the nose, necessitating movement of the cannons, and incorporated improvements to the flight surfaces as well as stronger engines than its predecessors. It didn't see too much action with the USN as the superior F9F Cougar, F3H Demon and F4D Skyray were all emerging around this time as more capable all weather fighters, and the F2H-3 was not introduced until the Korean War had already ended.

 

The USN, therefore, had some all-weather fighters that they weren't particularly interested in keeping around, while the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was looking for aircraft to replace their Hawker Sea Furies. While one of the best piston-engined aircraft of the time, the Sea Fury was simply outclassed by the new jet aircraft of the 50's. Canada decided to procure 39 F2H-3s for service on board the new aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure, the first of which was delivered in 1955 and the last of which was delivered in 1958.

 

Besides the new paint job, the main draw of this aircraft being added to the game is the Sidewinder modification. The RCN mounted special pylons to the outermost position that carried AIM-9B Sidewinders in order to improve the aircraft's interception capabilities. This was mainly because of the RCN's involvement in North American Air Defense (NORAD). The Banshee would serve with the RCN until September 1962. It was the only jet-powered carrier-based fighter ever fielded by the RCN.

 

 

Specifications

 

Quote

 

 

McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee (RCN)

 

Dimensions:

• Span: 41 ft 9 in (12.7 m)
• Length: 48 ft 2 in (14.7 m)
• Height: 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m)
• Wing area: 294 ft² (27.3 m²)

Empty Weight: 13,183 lb (5,980 kg)

Gross Weight: 21,013 lb (9,531 kg)

Takeoff Weight: 25,213 lb (11,437 kg)

 

Propulsion:

• 2 x Westinghouse/McDonnell J34-WE-34 turbojet engines
  • 3,250 lbf (1,451 kgf) thrust dry each (6,500 lbf [2,948 kgf] thrust total)

Max Speed:

• 580 mph (930 km/h) at sea level

Service Ceiling:

• 47,000 ft (14,000 m)

Climb Rate:

• 100 ft/s (30 m/s)

 

Crew: 1
Armament:

• 4 x Colt Mk.16 20mm cannon (220 rpg upper, 250 rpg lower; 940 rounds total)
• 6 x 250 lb G.P. bomb
• 6 x 500 lb G.P. bomb
• 8 x HVAR 5 in. rocket
• 8 x RP-3 3 in. rocket
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missile
• Any combination of the above not exceeding 3,200 lbs total.

Additional equipment:

• Westinghouse APQ-41 search and track radar

 

 

 

Pictures

 

Quote

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

• F2H-3 Standard Aircraft Characteristics
• Naval Fighters No. 2: McDonnell Banshee by Steve Ginter (1980)
• https://web.archive.org/web/20080309172453/http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/pdf/McDonnell_F2H-3_Banshee_126464.PDF
• http://www.arcair.com/awa02/1001-1100/awa1058-Banshee-MacLeod/02.shtm
• https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/canadian-warplanes-6-jets-mcdonnell-f2h-3-banshee
• https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/navy/nrtc/14313_ch9.pdf

Edited August 10, 2022 by Headnaught

[Miki_Hoshii 2,449]

Hello @Headnaught

 

Open for discussion.

 

However I'd like to put in some additional information and amendments as I do know quite a bit about Canadian military aviation beginning in the 1950's.

 

As early as 1952 the Royal Canadian Navy recognized the need for a jet powered replacement to their Sea Furies. Due to delays on the acquisition, the F2H Banshee production lines had shut down before the RCN could order aircraft.  On the 9th of November 1953 a requirement was put out for 54 F2H Banshee's to arm two squadrons. 16 aircraft for the frontline squadrons, 10 aircraft in reserve, and 28 for attrition. In the end this was further reduced down to 39 former USN aircraft. 

 

This is mentioned in your source: https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/canadian-warplanes-6-jets-mcdonnell-f2h-3-banshee

 

But as well as:

http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_fighters/f2_5.html

DHH 73/1223, Series 3, File 1308, Chiefs of Staff Committee, Minutes of the 548th Meeting, 9 November 1953

A HISTORY OF CANADIAN NAVAL AVIATION 1918-1962 by J. D. F. KEALY and E. C. RUSSELL The Naval Historical Section Canadian Forces Headquarters Department of National Defence Ottawa 1965

 

Additionally your armament section needs amendment;

The RCN wouldn't have had the mid-air refueling requirement going by photographic evidence as well as the fact the Canadian military wouldn't acquire its first tanker until two decades after the Banshee's retirement. Additionally your bomb & rocket payloads for the most part mirror the USN loadouts; the RCN used the RP-3 (3 inch) as well as the HVAR (5 inch), it also used British bombs; while only 500 lb is mentioned in the sources, its likely the 250 lb bombs were also used as a holdover from earlier RCN aircraft. These weaponry loads would further help differentiate it from a USN F2H-3 that may come to War Thunder in the future.

 

Mentioned in your source as "60 lb" rockets: https://web.archive.org/web/20080309172453/http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/pdf/McDonnell_F2H-3_Banshee_126464.PDF

 

Sources mentioning 3 and 5 inch rockets & "500 lb bombs":

A HISTORY OF CANADIAN NAVAL AVIATION 1918-1962 by J. D. F. KEALY and E. C. RUSSELL The Naval Historical Section Canadian Forces Headquarters Department of National Defence Ottawa 1965

https://www.samfoundation.ca/Archived Newsletters/Spring2013.pdf

 

Photo (Possibly G.P. 250 lb Mk IV):

 

External weapon types would be as follows then in Royal Canadian Service:

AIM-9B Sidewinder

250 lb G.P. Mk IV bomb

500 lb G.P. Mk IV bomb

RP-3 

HVAR

 

A final (unrelated) note:

 

A successor to the F2H-3 was sought for in the RCN, this aircraft was the A-4E Skyhawk which would've been operationally used in the same way the Australians would end up using their A-4G's. In May of 1964 A-4E Skyhawk's were used in compatibility trials with Bonaventure. In the end, the Skyhawk option was not pursued. Interestingly, in 1965 the A-4 Skyhawk was again in the running to become a "Low level conventional strike aircraft" for the RCAF, but lost out to the CF-116 Freedom Fighter... Thats a whole different rabbit hole though.

[Headnaught 502]

1 hour ago, Miki_Hoshii said:

Additionally your armament section needs amendment; ...

 

Thanks, I was going off of the American SAC and manual and kind of assumed they would use the same bombs in Canada, so that's what mixed me up. Based on the fact that 1,000 lbs weren't mentioned, the RCN Banshees probably weren't given the optional Mark 51 bomb racks that the USN could use.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Headnaught

[Z3r0_ 4,127]

Even if it doesn't make it into the game, I'd love to have it as a skin for the F2H we already have.

[Milocat 4,849]

+1, would like to see it added to the game or at least added as a skin.

[janderson01 163]

I'd love to see the -3 Banshee get added to WT, but my question is in which nation would it go? Canadian vehicles have been pretty widely spread across the game, being in US, German and British trees as premiums, rares and TT vehicles. I'd personally argue that it should go to the Brits while the US have their own variant but I could see it being added outright as a US aircraft.

 

Additionally would it best fit as a TT or premium/event vehicle?

[MiG17_Is_My_Life 1,404]

31 minutes ago, janderson01 said:

I'd love to see the -3 Banshee get added to WT, but my question is in which nation would it go? Canadian vehicles have been pretty widely spread across the game, being in US, German and British trees as premiums, rares and TT vehicles. I'd personally argue that it should go to the Brits while the US have their own variant but I could see it being added outright as a US aircraft.

 

Additionally would it best fit as a TT or premium/event vehicle?

Probably, commonwealth TT for future would be best but, I don't know if that's implementable.

[Headnaught 502]

26 minutes ago, janderson01 said:

I'd love to see the -3 Banshee get added to WT, but my question is in which nation would it go? Canadian vehicles have been pretty widely spread across the game, being in US, German and British trees as premiums, rares and TT vehicles. I'd personally argue that it should go to the Brits while the US have their own variant but I could see it being added outright as a US aircraft.

 

Additionally would it best fit as a TT or premium/event vehicle?

 

As much of a Teaboo as I am, I'm personally more inclined to give the RCN Banshee to the US simply because it's a US aircraft. Regardless of whether it ended up in US or somehow ended up in UK, this would most likely be a premium/event vehicle. After all, America does have the normal F2H-3 or F2H-4 that could be added to their tech tree instead, and it wouldn't make sense for the UK to have it in their tech line as they had no hand in developing it.

 

Like @Ayy_LMFAO said I feel like this vehicle could really help fill out a Commonwealth/Canadian tech tree and I would hope it would end up there. It offers something semi-unique that we don't have in the game yet and I know, at least for myself, that I would probably grind out a Commonwealth tree to play with this aircraft.

[janderson01 163]

3 minutes ago, Headnaught said:

 

As much of a Teaboo as I am, I'm personally more inclined to give the RCN Banshee to the US simply because it's a US aircraft. Regardless of whether it ended up in US or somehow ended up in UK, this would most likely be a premium/event vehicle. After all, America does have the normal F2H-3 or F2H-4 that could be added to their tech tree instead, and it wouldn't make sense for the UK to have it in their tech line as they had no hand in developing it.

 

Like @Ayy_LMFAO said I feel like this vehicle could really help fill out a Commonwealth/Canadian tech tree and I would hope it would end up there. It offers something semi-unique that we don't have in the game yet and I know, at least for myself, that I would probably grind out a Commonwealth tree to play with this aircraft.

 

If a Commonwealth tree was to come along this would definitely make an excellent addition to it (and a goal to grind for in said tree), however the introduction of South Africa as a British sub-tree has me concerned that it may be a forlorn hope. If a commonwealth tree doesn't come about then I do agree that it would be a better fit in the US technologically/historically speaking. It would be interesting seeing an American aircraft with only British bombs too (although I may find evidence of RCN Banshees using American ordnance once I start reading through some of the books I have on the aircraft)

[AVROVULCANXH558 349]

+1 but in a Commonwealth TT. There is no way this could be fitted into the British tech tree, as there are many potential vehicle at this same rank as well.  I hope that one day the SA line in the British TT can be split and joined up with Australia, Canada and New Zealand for a Commonwealth Tech Tree, so that both may thrive. Adding them to each other only limits any future potential.

[RWGWAG@live 7]

+1, though add the F2H-3 or -4 to the US tree and have the Canadian skin as an option.  A sidewinder-toting “Big Banjo” would fit nice between the F3Ds and F4D/F3H capabilities.

 

What would work best would be an F2H-3 with natural metal finish as the default skin (most were delivered this way after the first few were delivered in overall glossy sea blue).  Then have the gull grey over white scheme and the Canadian scheme as alternates.