The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was the first jet-powered aircraft designed from the start to be an all-weather interceptor. Despite its ungainly look, it was a very capable and reliable combat aircraft. It was in service with the US Air Force from 1950 to 1969, a long career that outlasted other contemporary military jet planes. During its 19-year service, its armament changed from cannons to rockets and nuclear missiles.
The maiden flight of the Scorpion prototype, the XF-89, No 46-678, took place on August 16, 1948. Flown by test pilot Fred Bretcher, the lift-off from the runway occurred at 125 mph. It was powered by two Allison J35-A-9 turbojet engines mounted slung and side by side on the belly of fuselage. After two years of flight tests, during which many technical flaws were corrected, it was finally introduced on September 20, 1950, under the designation F-89A. A total of 1,052 all-weather interceptors would be built, with the F-89C and F-89D being the most massively produced.
With 682 aircraft built, the F-89D Scorpion was a very successful aircraft, very stable and maneuverable, and it was a considerable improvement over the first three variants. This version dispensed with the nose-mounted 20-mm cannons, which was replaced by rockets launched from pods set up on the wing tips. Later, it would also be equipped with AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles. Since its main job was to guard the continental territory of the United States from intruding Soviet bombers, it would not see combat action in Korea.
Below, the last production variant of the Scorpion, the F-89J, is about to touch down on the runway of a USAF base in the 1960s.
Technical Description
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane, which was built with all metal fuselage. The design was quite large, exceeding over 50 feet both in length and wingspan. It had straight, mid-wing, which was mounted on the circular fuselage. The low aspect ratio of the wing allowed a fairly high top speed. It also eliminated the poor slow speed handling of early swept wing designs. It had a conventional tail assembly, with the horizontal stabilizer located high on the fin (vertical stabilizer).
The structure of the Scorpion was made of high strength aluminum alloy, featuring flush riveted semi-monocoque construction. The F-89D version was powered by two Allison J35-A-35, which delivered 7,200 pounds of thrust each. It was equipped with one AN/APG-33 radar and one E-9 fire control system. The landing gear was of the tricycle type and sturdy, with the forward wheel folding up into the fuselage and the main wheels retracting into the roots of wing.
Specifications
Type: all-weather interceptor aircraft
Length: 16.41 m (53 feet, 10 inches)
Wing Span: 18.19 m (59 feet, 8 inches)
Wing Area: 60.39 m2 (650 square feet)
Height: 5.36 m (17 feet, 7 inches)
Power Plant: two Allison J35-A-35 turbojet engines
Maximum Speed: 1,023 km/h (634 mph)
Rate of Climb: 2,546 m/min. (8,350 feet per minute)
Range: 2,200 km (1,334 miles)
Service Ceiling: 14,995 m (49,200 feet)
Crew: two (pilot/radar operator)
Armament: six 20-mm cannons in the nose; 70-mm and 127-mm rockets (on F-89D version).
Below, the XF-89 prototype in flight from Muroc Air Force Base in 1948.
Front view of the F-89D variant on a military base in 1954. It has the flaps down and the speed brakes open.
Below, four F-89D aircraft from the North East Air Command fly near Yuma in 1955.
Below, the F-89A, the first version, in flight in 1950.
The prototype of the interceptor at the end of its flight test phase, before being introduced. You can see the belly of aircraft, with its two Allison J35 engines.
Below, the rocket pod on one of the wing tips of the F-89H version. The armament also included AIM-4 Falcon missiles.
This cutaway view of the Scorpion shows the configuration in details.
