What kind of plane is this?

[Keith Jackson]

I am posting this here because it isn't really a find and it is not a research picture. This is my father standing next to a jet he worked on in the Air Force in Iceland in either the late '50s or the early '60s. Just hoping to find out what kind of plane this was. Thanks.

 

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[SusanMN]

Don't have an answer but I bet if you tried Wikipedia you could find US aircraft by period of time in use. I am sure there are pics but might be tough to identify with only a front view. Good luck.

 

[huntsman53]

I believe the aircraft is a Northrop F-89 Scorpion! They went into service in September of 1950 and were retired in 1969.

Northrop F-89 Scorpion All-Weather Interceptor Aircraft


Frank

 

[Keith Jackson]

I do believe that is it. Because of how those "pods" on the wing tips looked, I thought those were the engines. Had a hard time finding any planes with the engines that far out on the wings. Thanks much for all the help. My dad's memory is not exactly what it was 50 years ago so he couldn't come up with it. I knew that someone here would know it.

 

[huntsman53]

I do believe that is it. Because of how those "pods" on the wing tips looked, I thought those were the engines. Had a hard time finding any planes with the engines that far out on the wings. Thanks much for all the help. My dad's memory is not exactly what it was 50 years ago so he couldn't come up with it. I knew that someone here would know it.

While the link I provided, states that those pods on the wing tips were nacelles which (is hard to believe) held 104 MK 4 "Mighty Mouse" Unguided Rockets, not all versions of the F-89 were outfitted with the MK 4 Rockets. On some versions, the aircraft were fitted with removable fuel tanks on the wing tips. Considering that your' Dad was stationed with the Air Force in Iceland, it is highly likely that the pods on the F-89 in the pic, housed MK 4 Rockets.


Frank

 

[khestee]

I think that is an F-89 Scorpion Interceptor just as Huntsman53 said.

 

[hvacker]

It's interesting that the elevators were placed that high on the tail section. Kind of unusual in that day.

 

[patiodadio]

My dad was a Jet engine mechanic on the F-89 Scorpion while he was in the Air Force.

 

[Keith Jackson]

What surprised me was that some of them were fitted with AIR-2 Genie nuclear rockets with 1.5 kiloton warheads. I am sure that one of those in the wrong place could ruin your whole day. I think that I am going to try a build my dad a model of an F-89 for his birthday in May.

 

[huntsman53]

It's interesting that the elevators were placed that high on the tail section. Kind of unusual in that day.

The Horizontal Stabilizer was moved half-way up the Vertical Stabilizer from it's original position on the Proto-Type. It was found that in the normal position, the Horizontal Stabilizer was affected by the exhaust from the engines and would be "blanked out" by airflow from the wings at high angles of attack but it was also found that since it was mounted flush with the leading edge of the Vertical Stabilizer, this caused problems with drag during turbulence and also reduced the effectiveness of the elevators and rudders. (this re-typed from Wikipedia)


Frank