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| The XFJ-1 marked the entry of North American into the field of jet-propelled military aircraft. The first prototype flew on 27 November 1946. Thirty production FJ-1 single-seat fighters were delivered to the US Navy, featuring straight wings and a 17.8kN Allison J35-A-5 turbojet engine. After being used for jet familiarisation, these were transferred to Naval Air Reserve units.
Although carrying FJ Fury designations, the next series of single-seat fighters for the US Navy were swept-wing aircraft based on the F-86 Sabre. The first was the FJ-2, first flown in prototype form on 14 February 1952. Production FJ-2 were powered by the General Electric J47-GE-2 turbo-jet engine and were basically navalised F-86E. FJ-3 and FJ-4 variants followed, powered by Wright J65-W-2/W-4/W-16A engines, bringing the total number of swept-wing Furies built by 1958 to 1,115.
| MODEL | FJ-4 |
| CREW | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 x Wright J-65-W-16A, 3470kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 9131 kg | 20131 lb |
| Empty weight | 5992 kg | 13210 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 11.91 m | 39 ft 1 in |
| Length | 11.07 m | 36 ft 4 in |
| Height | 4.24 m | 14 ft 11 in |
| Wing area | 31.46 m2 | 338.63 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 1094 km/h | 680 mph |
| Range | 2390 km | 1485 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 4 x 20mm cannon |
 | A three-view drawing of FJ-3 (1280 x 754) |
| Bob Mierau, e-mail, 14.05.2011 20:49 Flew the FJ-4B that Rich Sugden owns off CVA-19. Last cruise for the Fury. Great Airplane. reply | | ART EDWARDS, e-mail, 06.05.2011 10:50 I FLEW THE FJ-4 WITH VMF-451 AND FJ-4B WITH VMA- 223 IN 1957 THRU 1960 AT EL TORO. I KNEW JIM KIZER BECAUSE WE FLEW TOGETHER. WHAT A SWEET BIRD THE FJ WAS. THE PERFECT OFFICE FOR A FIGHTER PILOT. reply | | Charles Davenport, e-mail, 26.04.2011 10:30 I have a question. I have seen pictures in flight of the FJ-3 with a rather small red circle in the upper right star field on the starboard side of the aircraft in Navy paint scheme. Does anyone know what it is?
I flew the aircraft, but can't remember such a marking.
Chuck reply | | Charles Davenport, e-mail, 26.04.2011 10:30 I have a question. I have seen pictures in flight of the FJ-3 with a rather small red circle in the upper right star field on the starboard side of the aircraft in Navy paint scheme. Does anyone know what it is?
I flew the aircraft, but can't remember such a marking.
Chuck reply | |
| | Mike McGovern, e-mail, 18.04.2011 04:02 Anyone with info on FJ-4F; it had a liquid rocket engine that allowed it to increase ceiling to over 60,00 ft. and Mach 1.22. Two units made and were in Pax River area in 1957-1958. Worked on the development of this AR-1 engine at Rocketdyne. Anyone interested? reply | | Norman Padgett, e-mail, 04.04.2011 20:53 In 1956 while assigned to VMF 323, I participated FIP program for the FJ4 at Pax River. It was truly a 'rocking chair' with super performance vs. anything in the Corps at that time. When 323 deployed to the east, I went as an exchange pilot to an airforce squadron and flew the F86D (F86Dog)which was a tremendous let down from the FJ4. reply | | Dean Woolery, e-mail, 14.03.2011 20:50 One further comment: I later became a Curtiss-Wright rep for the J-65 at Alameda, where I cadged a flight in the -4B as a reserve pilot. It was a fine machine also. reply | | Ddean Woolery, e-mail, 14.03.2011 20:47 VMF-323 at El Toro received FJ-4 A /C in the summer of 1957. I think we were the first Marine squadron to receive them. I was the squadron LSO, so I had the early opportunity to make arrested landings in Morest Gear at El Toro. Jerry Overmeyer was the other station LSO, but not a member of -323. The two of us had previously qualified the three F9-5 squadrons at El Toro. The FJ-4 and -4B, were wonderful aircraft and exciting to fly at that time. I found the carrier approach to be very stable and smooth. reply | | Uncle-mac, e-mail, 10.03.2011 20:03 Forgot, Qualled aboard the Hancock in July of 60 in the FJ-3D2. No boat for the T-28 or the F-9. reply | | uncle-mac, e-mail, 10.03.2011 19:58 What happened to class 7-57? Flew the fj-3D2 and 4 at GMGRU-1 out of Barbers Pt.We controled the Regulus-1 for whatever mission they needed. Sub launched and Aircraft controled, most of the time. Sub could also do the mission. Went down in the Barberro, last of the reg subs! No thanks! POlaris put us out of business. Thense to Pt Mugu and the Reg-II Mach 2++ reply | | Bill Allen, e-mail, 26.02.2011 19:18 Flew the FJ-4B in VA-192 from 1957 to 1959 at Moffett Field and on the USS Bonhomme Richard, CVA-31 during WESTPAC deployment. Intestingly, the photo at the top of this page is of number 208 of our VA-192 aircraft. My a /c was 207. As a LT I was flight line officer working for the squadron maintenance officer, LCDR Wesley MacDonald who eventually became a four star Admiral. Our squadron CO made Rear Admiral. The CVA-31 CO was David McCampbell, Navy's top ace of WWII. reply | | Zeke, e-mail, 15.01.2011 10:30 Flew 2's and 4's with 451. Read Dusty's comment. We also had a Sandy Beach. Bull Clason, Trigger Long, Newp, Grundoon, Peter Francis, Al Ribbeck, and a really great Marine to buy it way too early--Sam Kenny. reply | | John Bell, e-mail, 13.01.2011 14:11 I am writing an alternative history TL, could anyone provide some information on the maintenance requirements of this a /c? I am curious about whether a 3rd world country could have used this a /c in the 1960's. reply | | Perry Kopf, e-mail, 21.12.2010 00:06 Anybody from FJ-2 days remember getting a "Mach Buster"
pin for that vertical dive at full power over the Japanese
countryside in '54 ? reply | |
| | Jim Kizer, e-mail, 16.11.2010 21:51 I flew the FJ-4 in VMF-451 in '57&'58 and then the Baker model in MARS-37 later, all at MCAS El Toro. Great airplane and very honest. reply | | Ed Fleming, e-mail, 07.11.2010 19:35 Was in VMA 212 Mag 13, in 1957 we were flying AD 5's and traded them in for FJ 4B's. Pilots were thrilled with increased speed. reply | | Sid Graham, e-mail, 28.10.2010 04:00 I flew the Fury 4 from July 1957 until August 1858 while in VA-214 at Moffett Field. The Squadron made a WestPac deployment aobut the USS Hornet (CV-12). The Fury 4 was a great aircraft to fly. We did a lot of Over-the-shoulder and medium angle Lob /Loft Bombing and High angle Dive Bombing. Also Gunnery. The Fury 4 handled like a Cadillac Car. A Very straight forwad with few surprises. Far superior to the F9F-8 Cougar which the squadron had prior to the Fury 4. reply | | Jon, e-mail, 26.10.2010 22:41 My wife's second husband ( deceased ) flew the FJ2 /3 with
VMF-235 we have a few photos. His name was Peter Fresno,
he was a naturalised cubano the son of one of Batista's
colonels. reply | | Ed Johnson, e-mail, 25.09.2010 23:28 One other comment, the FJ in the picture just before the specifications is not an FJ-4, It is an FJ-3m and was one of the FURIES I flew. reply | | Ed Johnson, e-mail, 25.09.2010 23:25 I served with VF-73 from july,1956 until it was decommisioned in April, 1958. During that time we flew FJ3m aircraft and spent the last 9 months of our existence on the USS RANDOLPH CVA-15 in the mediteranean. I personnaly made 132 traps on the Randolph and the squadron had no major accidents while on the Randolph. I flew 15 different aircraft while in the Navy, most of them while in VRF-31 and I still consider the FURY to be the best of the best. reply |
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