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F 89 Scorpion units of the United States Air Force

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F-89 Scorpion units of the United States Air Force

The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was a subsonic second-generation jet interceptor of the United States Air Force. After a long development during the postwar era of the late 1940s, it began reaching operational units in the early 1950s. A stablemate of the North American F-86D Sabre Interceptor, the F-89 replaced the first-generation Lockheed F-94 Starfire interceptor, primarily in the Air Defense Command (ADC). It was phased out of active service in the late 1950s, being replaced by supersonic McDonnell F-101B Voodoos and Convair F-102A Delta Daggers. interceptors.

Models and service life

  • F-89B Scorpion, First production model, 40 produced; first assigned to the 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Hamilton AFB, California in June 1951. All transferred to Air National Guard by the end of 1954.
  • F-89C Scorpion, Second production model, 164 produced. First assigned to the 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Presque Isle AFB, Maine in January 1952. All transferred to Air National Guard by the end of 1954.
  • F-89D Scorpion, Third (and major) production model, 682 produced. First assigned to the 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Ladd AFB, Alaska in January 1954. All transferred to Air National Guard by the end of 1961.
  • F-89H Scorpion, Fourth (and last) production model; adaptation of the missile-armed F-89D to carry the new AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile, 156 produced. First assigned to the 445th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan in March 1956. All transferred to Air National Guard by September 1959.
  • F-89J Scorpion, F-89Ds modified to carry Douglas MB-1 (later AIR-2) Genie nuclear-tipped unguided air-to-air rocket, 350 modified. First assigned to the 54th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Ellsowrth AFB, South Dakota in July 1957

    • The last active-duty USAF F-89J was transferred to Air National Guard service by the 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Keflavik Airport, Iceland in July, 1962.

    The Wisconsin Air National Guard 176th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was federalized during the Korean War, receiving F-89Cs in February 1952-while on active duty. It was returned to state control in November 1952. Two squadrons of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, the 126th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at General Mitchell Field, Milwaukee and the 176th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Truax Field, Madison were the first ANG units to be equipped with a mixture of F-89B/Cs in September 1954.

    The Northrop F-89 Scorpion reached the end of the line of US military service in July 1969 when the Iowa Air National Guard 124th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron retied its last F-89Js.

    References

    F-89 Scorpion units of the United States Air Force Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA