The only foreign air arm to receive Panthers was Argentina's Servicio de Aviacion Naval, which received 24 refurbished F9F-2s in 1958. They were assigned military serials 0416/0427 and 0447/0458. The planes were assigned to the 1a Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque as part of the 2a Escuadra Aeronaval based at BAN Commandante Espora in Puerto Belgrano. They were strictly land-based aircraft, since the catapult of the ARA *Independencia* light carrier was not considered to be powerful enough to launch the F9F-2. The 1a Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque was later transferred to BAN Punta del Indio. During a military coup in April of 1963 which pitted naval forces against elements of the Army and the Air Force, four Panthers were destroyed on the ground. Shortly after the coup, the 1a Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque was transferred to 3a Escuadra Aeronaval at BAN Commandante Espora. Argentine Panthers were briefly in action in 1965 when they flew patrols during a border clash between Argentina and Chile. Lack of spares forced the Argentine Navy to ground its F9F-2s in 1969.
Sources:
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United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911, Gordon Swanborough and
Peter M. Bowers, Naval Institute Press, 1990.
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The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.
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Grumman Aircraft Since 1929, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute
Press, 1989.
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American Combat Planes, 3rd Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner,
Doubleday, 1982.
- E-mail from Ben Marselis
