WOW692 Banshee ‘214’ USS Coral Sea

Description

WOW692.  Banshee ‘214’ USN. USS Coral Sea 1954.
2 Models Available

WOW693.  Banshee ‘3’ US Marines  1952

1 Model Available.

WOW694.  Banshee ’28’ USN  ‘Look’  1953

1 Model Available.

WOW695.  Banshee  ‘116’ USN Red Rippers 1954.

1 Model Available.

The McDonnell F2H Banshee
The McDonnell F2H Banshee was an American, twin-engine, onboard fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The flight of the prototype took place on January 11, 1947, and the machine entered service from 1948. Together with the F9F Panther, was the US Navy’s primary deck fighter during the Korean War. A total of nine versions of this aircraft were created, of which only two (F2H-2P and F2H-3P – both versions are photographic reconnaissance aircraft) performed different tasks than fighter or bombing.
The F2H Banshee (often called the “Big Banjo”) was a major all-weather radar interceptor single-seat carrier-based jet fighter. It was widely operated by the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and served as the only jet fighter ever deployed by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) between 1955 and 1962. The F2H Banshee flew critical close-air support, tactical strike, reconnaissance, and long-range bomber escort missions over North Korea before being struck from service records later in the 1950s. In total, 895 F2Hs were built.

WOW692.  Banshee 214 USN. USS Coral Sea 1954.
Banshee 214 WAS assigned to United States Navy Fighter Squadron 62 ( VF-62 Gladiators), while deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) in 1954.

The famous pilot incident involving a McDonnell F2H Banshee 214 occurred when U.S. Navy Lieutenant JG J. S. Bailey, mistakenly landed his jet on the wrong aircraft carrier!
On March 12th 1952, while operating during the Korean War, Lt. JG Bailey of squadron VF-871 lost his bearings and landed his F2H-2 Banshee on the flight deck of the USS Essex (CV-9) instead of his own assigned carrier.
Following Navy tradition for pilots who committed the blunder of landing on the wrong ship, the crew of the USS Essex painted mocking graffiti all over the aircraft before returning it. The graffiti prominently included the phrase “Must Be Air Force” across the fuselage, a playful insult suggesting the pilot lacked the navigation skills expected of a naval aviator!

WOW693. F2H Banshee ‘3’ US Marines, VJM-1 Pohang,
South Korea 1952
During the Korean War, Banshee 3  was a specialised McDonnell F2H-2P Photo Banshee operated by the Marine Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron One (VMJ-1).  Stationed at K-3 airbase in Pohang, South Korea, during 1952, this specific jet and its unit played a vital role in the United Nations conflict.

WOW694. F2H Banshee ’28’ USN “Look III” USS Yorktown 1953-54.
The F2H Banshee 28 was a historic carrier-based jet fighter operating during the transition era of the Korean War and its immediate aftermath. During the 1953–1954 deployment window, the USS Yorktown( CVA-10)  operated in the Western Pacific with Air Task Group 1 (ATG-1), carrying upgraded “Big Banjo” variants like the F2H-3 and F2H-4.

WOW695. Banshee ‘116’ USN Red Rippers.  USS Kearsarge (CV-33).

The pilot was Ensign Gerald “Zeke” Huelsbeck served with the Red Rippers during this combat cruise. He later went on to graduate from the United States Naval Test Pilot School. After leaving the Navy in 1955, he became renowned as the primary test pilot for the F4H-1 Phantom II program
The Red Rippers were commissioned in 1927 and are the oldest continually active US Naval active fighter Sqn.  Serving in both theatres of WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Iraq War.  From the decks of the first US Navy Aircraft carrier, USS Langley [CV-1] to the USS Harry S Truman [CVN-75]..

All these 1/30 scale aircraft are priced at $799 plus postage. Club members can buy this model for a limited period for $699 plus postage. This discount available until midnight GMT 31st May.  
If you insert your club discount code you can get an additional 10% off at checkout.

The TG accessories & KC figures are shown for scale reference purposes only and are not included.