Hickory in Burke County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Grumann F-9 "Cougar"

Photographed by Mark Parker, November 14, 2025

1. Grumann F-9 "Cougar" Marker

Inscription.
The Hickory Aviation Museum's TF-9J Bureau #142985 is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation. It came from the Tuskeegee Institute in Tuskeegee, Alabama. It was one of the few combat fighters of its time to be redesignated as a training aircraft.

Role Fighter aircraft
National origin United States of America
Manufacturer Grumman
First flight 20 September 1951
Introduction December 1952
Retired 1974 United Stated Navy
Status Retired
Primary usersUnited States Navy • United States Marine Corps • Argentine Navy
Number built 1988
Propulsion 1x Pratt & Whitney J48-P-8A turbojet
Unit cost <$2M (1955)
Developed into Grumman F-9F Panther

The Grumman F9F/F-9 Cougar was an aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. Based on Grumman's earlier F9F Panther, the Cougar replaced the Panther's straight wing with a more modern swept wing. Thrust was also increased significantly. The Navy considered the Cougar an updated version of the Panther, despite having a different official name, and thus Cougars started off from F9F-6 upward. Prototypes were quickly produced by modifying Panthers, and

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the first (XF9F-6) flew on 20 September 1951. The aircraft was still subsonic, but the critical Mach number was increased from 0.79 to 0.86 at sea level and to 0.895 at 35,000 ft (10,000 m), improving performance markedly over the Panther. Instead of using conventional ailerons for roll control; the F9F-6 uses spoilers on the upper surfaces of the wing. Wing fences were soon added and the spoilers extended from the fences to the tips of the wing. The rudder pedals controlled the part of the rudder below the horizontal tail surface, while the upper portion of the rudder was controlled by a yaw damper. This allowed the Cougar to fly safely and easily without the upper portion of the tail.

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 40 ft 11 in (12.47 m)
Wingspan: 34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 300 ft² (27.87 m²)
Empty weight: 11,483 lb (5,209 kg)
Loaded weight: 16,244 lb (7,368 kg)
Fuel capacity: 919 US gallons (3,480 L)

Performance
Maximum speed: 654 mph
Cruise speed: 541 mph
Range: 932 mi (810 nmi) without added tanks

Armament
Guns: 4 x 20 mm (0.79 in) M3 cannon, 190 rounds per gun
Rockets:
Photographed by Mark Parker, November 14, 2025

2. Grumann F-9 "Cougar" nose and marker
6 x 5 in rockets; Missiles: 4 x AIM-9) Sidewinder; Bombs: 2 x 1,000 lb bombs

Erected by Hickory Aviation Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military. A significant historical date for this entry is September 20, 1951.

Location. 35° 44.489′ N, 81° 23.368′ W. Marker is in Hickory, North Carolina, in Burke County. It is on 9th Avenue Drive Northwest 0.6 miles west of 24th Street Northwest, on the left when traveling west. The marker and aircraft display are part of the Hickory Aviation Museum located at Hickory Regional Airport. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3101 9th Ave Dr NW, Hickory NC 28601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of

Grumann F-9 "Cougar" side view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, November 14, 2025

3. Grumann F-9 "Cougar" side view

the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: North American FJ-3 "Fury" (here, next to this marker); Curtiss XF15C-1 "Stingeree" (a few steps from this marker); Republic F-105 "Thunderchief" (a few steps from this marker); Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 "Corsair" II (a few steps from this marker); Grumman F-14D "Tomcat" (a few steps from this marker); Lockheed T-33 "Shooting Star" (a few steps from this marker); Northrop F-5 "Tiger II" (a few steps from this marker); Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hickory.

Grumann F-9 "Cougar" tail section with serial number 142985 as referenced on the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, November 14, 2025

4. Grumann F-9 "Cougar" tail section with serial number 142985 as referenced on the marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 97 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 24, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.