North American
F-1 / FJ
Fury
Previous U.S. MILITARY Next

FJ-2
Photo: Robert Deering 4/18/2015

National Museum of Naval Aviation
Pensacola, Florida

Ordered in late 1944 as the XFJ-1 in competition with proposals from Douglas and Vought, the Fury began as a straight-wing, tricycle gear fighter with a single turbojet passing through the fuselage.  The first flight of the prototype XFJ-1 took place on 11 September 1946, with the first of 30 deliveries beginning in October 1947.  Flown by Navy squadron VF-5A, the FJ-1 made the USN's first operational aircraft landing with a jet fighter at sea on 10 March 1948 aboard the USS Boxer, pioneering US jet-powered carrier operations and underscoring the need for catapult-equipped carriers. 

Ironically, the evolution of the design to incorporate swept wings would become the basis for the land-based XP-86 prototype of the US Air Force's highly successful F-86 Sabre, which then became the platform for the Navy's FJ-2.  Although the FJ-2 was capable of 676 mph, almost 100 mph faster than the jet fighters then being flown by Naval Aviators in Korea, it was still plagued with problems when operating aboard ship.  As a result, the FJ-2 was flown exclusively by Marine Corps squadrons while in front line service. Despite limits in carrier operations, the FJ-2 was among the aircraft used to evaluate the first steam catapult installed on a U.S. Navy carrier. Their service proved short-lived, as more advanced FJ-3/4 versions of the swept-wing Fury began replacing them beginning in 1957.

The FJ-4 was the final version of the swept wing Fury fighters delivered to the Navy. While the FJ-2 and -3 had been developed directly from the Air Force's famous F-86 Sabre, the FJ-4 was a complete redesign that solved many problems that plagued those earlier models in their transition to Navy ops. Further, of the 374 FJ-4s built, 222 were FJ-4B fighter-attack versions. FJ-4Bs were the first to deploy overseas with the Bullpup missile, the first mass produced guided air-to-ground weapon.  All told, North American produced 374 FJ-4/4B aircraft. 

FJ Furys still remaining in service in 1962 were redesignated F-1 as part of the Tri Service Designation Program. 

 
F-1E / FJ-4
Photo: Robert Deering 4/18/2015
National Museum of Naval Aviation
Pensacola, Florida

F-1C / FJ-3
Photo: Robert Deering 6/13/2017
USS Intrepid Museum
New York City, New York
 
VARIANTS
XFJ-1
Prototype aircraft, powered by a 3,820 lbf (17 kN) General Electric J35-GE-2 turbojet engine, three built.
FJ-1 Fury
Single-seat fighter aircraft, powered by a 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN) Allison J35-A-2 turbojet engine, armed with six 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, 30 built a further 70 were cancelled.
XFJ-2
Test and evaluation aircraft; three built.
FJ-2 Fury
Single-seat fighter-bomber aircraft, equipped with folding wings; powered by one General Electric J47-GE-2 turbojet; 200 built.
FJ-3 Fury (F-1C after 1962)
Single-seat fighter-bomber version, powered by the more powerful 7,800 lbf (34,696.13 N) Wright J65-W-2 or 7,650 lbf (34,028.90 N) J65-W-4 turbojet engine; 538 built.
FJ-3M Fury (MF-1C after 1962)
Improved version of the FJ-3, with the ability to carry AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles; 194 FJ-3 converted to this standard.
FJ-3D (DF-1C after 1962)
conversions to control aircraft for SSM-N-8 Regulus missiles and KDU target drones.
FJ-3D2 (DF-1D after 1962)
conversions to control aircraft for Grumman F9F-6K Cougar target drones.
XFJ-4
Two prototypes with a J65-W-4 engine and re-designed fuselage.
YFJ-4
One FJ-4 used for development testing.
FJ-4 Fury (F-1E after 1962)
Single-seat fighter-bomber version, powered by a 7,700 lbf (34 kN) Wright J65-W-16A turbojet engine, 150 built.
FJ-4B Fury (AF-1E after 1962)
Single-seat ground-attack close support version with six underwing pylons, 222 built.
FJ-4F Fury
Test and evaluation aircraft, fitted with an auxiliary rocket motor and supplementary fuel tank, two conversions from FJ-4.
AF-1F (NA-295)
Proposed light-attack version with TF30 engine, competitor to the A-7; not built.
SPECIFICATIONS: PERFORMANCE:
Span: 39 ft., 1 in.
Length:  36 ft., 4 in.
Height:  13 ft., 11 in.
Empty Weight:  13,210 lb.

Gross Weight:  23,700 lb.
Crew:
Pilot
Maximum speed: 680 mph
Cruising speed:
Range: 2,020 miles
Service ceiling:
46,800 ft.
Engines: One 7,700 lb. static thrust Wright J65-W-16A turbojet
Armament: Four 20mm fixed forward-firing cannon and provisions for 3,000 lb. of ordnance or four AIM-9A Sidewinder missiles
   
SOURCE: National Museum of Naval Aviation and Wikepedia  
OTHER VARIANTS:

F-86
Sabre

RF-86
"Haymaker" Sabre
 
FJ Fury
1959 DOD Aircraft
Recognition Manual Pages