HERE COMES THE BANJO!: McDonnell's F2H Banshee In Detail

McDonnell's Phantom was a major success for the company, despite its limited capabilities and small production run. It proved that a jet could be a useful carrier fighter and that McDonnell could make a combat aircraft. Their next attempt was the best of the straight winged carrier fighters: The Banshee.
This video covers the original 'short fuselage' Banshees, with particular focus on Korea.
Sources:
Steve Ginter's "Naval Fighters Number Two: McDonnell Banshee" provided useful background
"FH Phantom/F2H Banshee In Action" by Jim Mesko has excellent photos and diagrams alongside tight text describing the aircraft
"F2H Banshee Units" by Rick Burgess contains some interesting anecdotes from Korea and is in general well written, easy to read and still in print!
I also referred to the the 1954 version of "Pilots Handbook For Navy Model F2H-1 Aircraft" and 1951 version of "Pilots Handbook For Navy Model F2H-2, -2N and -2P Aircraft"

[@TLTeo]

"There's a chance you've never heard of the F2H Banshee" - you really underestimate what a plane nerd I am eh? :D

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

I'm guessing many of us who watch these videos are also aviation nerds who have heard of the Banshee. Aviation Nerds of the World; Solidarity!

[@jwenting]

there's a chance. It may be a slim chance, but there is a chance.

[@paulwoodman5131]

Oh yes I'm a fly Navy dude so I have heard of the Banshee. As you noted, this plane gets bad press, and I'm happy to see this plane being appreciated. I hadn't really thought of it but the Banshee twin engine beats the Fury in straight wing performance.

[@ivankrylov6270]

You underestimate my autism

[@zeroelus]

Generally speaking sure, but to the viewer base of this channel...yeah we know about the Banshee and other McDonnell ghouls and goblins. ...not in this detail though. This video was fantastic.

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

When I was a kid, my father and I built model aircraft together. I remember, that in a house full of airplane models, my young imagination was captured by the Banshee.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

I built models of these planes too, including the super modern F-80 shooting star!

[@craigwall9536]

You weren't the only one.

[@michaeldenesyk3195]

The Royal Canadian Navy used the F2H-3 equipped with the APQ-41 and Sidewinder missiles. They were the first aircraft in Canadian service to have a guided missile capability. These aircraft were deployed aboard the HMCS Bonaventure. The RCN used the Banshee up until 1962

[@terrencejones9817]

I have a large book that details the Banshees service with the RCN, it's very detailed .

[@Songblade001]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYm0q4F4hM2Amassi=1zhJSbT2_DPvR-_j

[@Songblade001]

Another channel has done a great video on that topic kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYm0q4F4hM2Amassi=1zhJSbT2_DPvR-_j

[@polyus_studios]

I made a video about that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYm0q4F4hM2Amassi=0bl8VMI8Ve0ei-9S

[@Farweasel]

@@terrencejones9817 I have a slightly smaller book with undressed ladies in it, its great 😋

[@minhthunguyendang9900]

In James Michener’s « The Bridges at Toko-ri » the attack planes are Banshees. In the movie they are Panthers.

[@johnstirling6597]

Banthers or Panshees 😁😁

[@petesheppard1709]

@@johnstirling6597 😄

[@markendicott6874]

Michener obviously had a soft spot for the Banshee, it was featured in his book Space as the Korean War ride of one of his main protagonists - focusing on it's high altitude performance.

[@mikepette4422]

@@johnstirling6597 yes

[@jacqueschouette7474]

To the untrained eye, they look the same.

[@joshuapeaslee5677]

What I like about this channel is that you show the exact model of plane that you're narrating. Other channels will show a completely different plane that they're talking about and that's absurd. Good show!

[@Breakfast598]

War Thunder boomers remember when this thing was the most broken jet in the game with great energy retention and great turn radius

[@Tom_Cruise_Missile]

Now it's just the f84 bullying everyone who doesn't know what energy fighting is (262s)

[@runningamok2825]

it is still the best 7.3 jet in the game besides su 11.

[@Geferulf_TAS]

Still use it as my goto CAS for 7.3-9.7 China games. 2000lb ordinance load with its climb after firebombing is terrific.

[@niggalini]

In the "Banshit" or "F2AIDS" as people used to call it at the time. Remember grinding UK superprops back in those days and fighting them on that "Preparation for Landing on Hokkaido" mission

[@davidkelley5382]

But do you remember seeing them in the sky…so many cool airplanes back then, before they started doing the Swiss Army Knife thing. I was fascinated by them back then & I guess I still am or I would not be banging around on this channel now.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

I am loving these videos on the first generation jet powered navy fighters. It's a really overlooked and interesting era and there are very few other quality channels covering it on KZbin. (Ed Nash being the only other that comes to mind) This channel is filling an awesome niche for us aviation geeks.

[@cafhead]

There is a great channel called The Atomic Cafe, i highly suggest watching their video Could the B36 have finished its mission Around the halfway mark they discuss the Revolt of the Admirals! In essence, after ww2 the US was trying to decide what platform they would use for strategic nuclear strikes into the soviet union. The navy favored large numbers of small nuclear capable aircraft and wanted a new supercarrier to accomplish this This supercarrier competed with funds for the b36, so it was scrapped. When the navy got the banshee they noticed its performance was so good they wanted to run joint training with the b36 to see if they could intercept it. The air force refused. There are plenty of reasons to do so, both good and bad and that as well as other aspects are covered its a fantastic watch

[@cafhead]

Wow i commented before i watched

[@onkelmicke9670]

Atomic Cafe? Is he still around?

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

Would you consider a video on the F-11 Tiger? We have one in a "Blue Angels" livery at the Air Museum I used to work at (The Kalamazoo Air Zoo, which is great in case you're wondering) and I always thought she was a handsome and underrated bird. She deserves the "Not a Pound for Air to Ground" treatment.

[@s.marcus3669]

Great minds think alike, Jona. I'm pretty sure I suggested that plane to him along with another "Nifty Fifties" plane, the Skyray, which makes the Banshee look like a piker!

[@RCAvhstape]

I'm sure he'll get there.

[@pauletxfish4976]

as a "Mac" Brat" , Dad worked for McDonnell Aircraft 40 yrs, his first assignment was in design on the F-2 Banshee. He was envolved in design of the retracting front wheel assembly ro drop the nose. When he retired they gave him his original drawings.

[@rooster4293]

"The Banshee is the backbone of carrier jet aircraft." - Rear Admiral Selden Spangler.

[@roum22]

The vid makes a strong case for the Banshee, but in a beauty contest the Panther gets my vote..

[@yes_head]

Nice job. McDonnell's engineers seemed to be especially interested in fuselage designs that acted as lifting bodies. They understood that the early jet engines were so anemic that anything the plane itself could do to help performance was a plus.

[@s.marcus3669]

Love, love, LOVE your videos and I can't wait till you get to my favorite from the "Nifty Fifties", the Douglas Skyray!

[@m1t2a1]

In the novel "The Bridges at Toko-ri" by James Michener their planes were Banshees. The movie used Panthers.

[@sailordude2094]

William Holden (and Mickey Rooney and Earl Holliman in the rescue helo) would have lived if he had been flying a Banshee, I think.

[@jacqueschouette7474]

@@sailordude2094 Not according to the book.

[@curtsmall8596]

I remember my Naval aviator father showing me some slides and a cruise book from Korea where there were Banshees and Panthers and Corsairs on deck. Thanks for this wonderful discussion, I was unaware of the fuselage evolution. I enjoyed the story of the Banshee coming up on the B36...

[@rayschoch5882]

My dad was the 2nd McDonnell test pilot to fly the Banshee (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Foresman_Schoch). I've seen many a video about early jets and the Korean War, and I have to say that this is the first one I've encountered that suggests the Banshee was actually an effective fighter plane. The reconnaissance role is pretty well known, but most other accounts suggest that the Banshee was too slow and not very maneuverable. This one does not. Bravo!!

[@Obladgolated]

Banshee was the first plastic model I ever built, at the age of eight or nine. I thought it was a beautiful airplane.

[@LaCorvette]

I have to say, I really like the way you make these videos. While factual and sober on one end you always manage to sprinkle in some sarcasm only initiated viewers might catch. Thanks and please do keep going.

[@covertops19Z]

One of the best early Aviation Cold War Briefs I've ever heard.. BRAVO ZULU to the OP..👍

[@sailorssilence1983]

Oh yes. You spoil me with these videos! ❤❤

[@newdefsys]

Very nice timing. I just framed and hung an box art print of an F2H-2 in my mancave.

[@cliffalcorn2423]

Another outstanding mini documentary on navy aviation and its aircraft, keep up the great work.

[@able-fox]

I really love this plane and I was so excited to see that you had made a video for it. I am even more excited to see you are planning on doing two more. Please, please, please follow through with them.

[@pyronuke4768]

I'm really liking this McDonnell development series. My great uncle was a MP at a base that operated recon F-101's, and he would always tell me what beautiful planes they were.

[@toddscallan8781]

This was a beautiful aircraft.

[@martinjones3519]

Can I say that I do enjoy your engaging, laconic way of imparting information. Very well done. Carry on.

[@guthhalf5484]

Thankyou, as always you have delivered the goods 🎉

[@craig4867]

What a beautiful aircraft!

[@DeaconBlu]

Yeah, great vid mate. Thanks!

[@martinjones3519]

A gorgeous 50s sci-fi aeroplane... the silhouette!

[@jonathanhudak2059]

This video has greatly helped to further my appreciation even more for the lovely F2H Banshee, such a classic aircraft and time to build my old 1/72 scale boxing of this iconic aircraft! ❤

[@EricTheBlue2010]

I just wanted to say I really appreciate your content and add that I can tell you're getting "better" at this. Your script and delivery feels much more deliberate, practiced, and planned out. Much smoother and very professional. As always I can tell you've got passion for this and put emphasis on primary sources and it really makes me feel like I'm observing the aircraft detailed in the lense of the age it lived in. So often, we overlook or underappreciate a retired piece of hardware because we see it in an age of BVR, GPS, Stealth as something far gone. Good job at taking us back. I'm a big fan of @GregsAirplanesandAutomobiles for his strong technical look at ww2 aircraft through primary sources, and I definitely put your channel in that same echelon for aircraft of the early cold war.

[@mikepette4422]

Multirole, ease of use and reliability are all good reasons to keep an aircraft around a long time. As we heard in the video this was one of the few early jets that didn't try to kill its pilots all the time

[@user-ho1fg8xm3i]

I knew the plane, but not the history, great work.

[@rooster4293]

The Banshee was the aircraft that made the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation.

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

The Banshee, and its predecessor (the Phantom) and contemporaries (the Panther and Cutlass) are three of my favorite aircraft. Thanks for putting this up.

[@jonjames7328]

Really good quality and approachable programs you make. Thanks.

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

What a beautiful aircraft! You can see the future F-111 in it.

[@SkyhawkSteve]

The significance of the Banshee to McDonnell can be seen by the fact that the road adjacent to the (former) main production building/hangar in St. Louis is named Banshee Road. There is a "James S. McDonnell Boulevard" just north of it. There is no Phantom Road or Demon Road or anything else named after one of their aircraft.

[@razdog76]

Very nice video.

[@robertstamelos1414]

Outstanding work! I look forward to every new video!

[@malcolmtaylor518]

Some fabulous and amazing looking aircraft designed for the United States carrier. 3:45

[@petesheppard1709]

Best yet! I wondered why they weren't more widely used in Korea. and did consider them inferior to the Panther. ALSO, the best way to get a fighter pilot to do something is to tell him not to do it...referring to the B-36 intercept. You had mentioned the order in an earlier video, and I knew Navy jocks would immediately start looking for an opportunity. 😎

[@RobertWilliams-us4kw]

Excellent job of presentation, as per usual. Your program only reinforced my ignorance to the Banshee, for which I have rectified as a consequence of your research and delivery.

[@johnchisholm3004]

Good topic , great presentation.

[@Edvin_Nyman]

Do you think that you could do a deep dive into the J35 and the A32/J32 from Sweden? Would love a documentary on them in the format and quality that your videos hold.

[@pastorrich7436]

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the video! Thank you for a most excellent presentation!! Looking forward to your presentations on the long-nosed variants.

[@--Dani]

Great content, very unique, keep it up 👍🏻

[@marktuffield6519]

Thank you so much for a lovely video of one of my favourite straight wing jet aircraft. Now I really must finish the Airfix kit I have sitting on my work table that I bought over 40 years ago 🙂.

[@sergioleone3583]

Another great video and I agree the plane is under appreciated. Good looking bird, too!

[@pauldame2784]

Thanks for the video. My Great Uncle died in a landing accident while flying a Banshee with VF-171 off USS FDR during Operation Mainbrace in September 1952. He was a WWII vet who flew P-47s and was a USAF Major on an exchange tour with the Navy. Like the Lake Champlain pilot off Korea that you mentioned, his aircraft ended up upside down in the water and he never got out.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Hey! That thumbnail photo looks familiar. Could that be a shot of the box art of the Airfix, 1/72 scale, F2H Banshee kit? Great video on a U.S. Navy jet aircraft that doesn't seem to get the credit it deserves from its participation in the Korean War. Thanks for sharing!

[@marktuffield6519]

In the UK the original boxing featured a painting of a VMJ-1 F2H-2P with the MW tail codes. According to the Detail & Scale book when MPC re-released the kit in the USA they included incorrect blue markings for VF-11, modex number 116, but no markings for the photo recon variant. My guess is that the thumbnail is from the box art for that boxing ? I am currently working on the Airfix kit that I purchased just over 40 years ago, but in the markings of VF-62, using a Microscale sheet that is almost as old as the kit 😁.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@marktuffield6519 A check of an on-line auction site indeed shows the thumbnail here to be from the MPC Banshee, plastic kit, box art. There is a fair amount of them listed for auction and sale. Thanks for helping to set the record straight!

[@dougcastleman9518]

This video was very informative. I didn’t know much of this. Thank you.

[@rafaelaldana1503]

Awesome video!

[@dennisboulais7905]

Wonderful coverage.

[@godfree2canada]

impressive small engines

[@onkelmicke9670]

One fine day there will be the video of the Vigilante...

[@vigilantobserver8389]

Excellent explanation! I thoroughly enjoyed this video - subscribed!

[@gatsbysgarage8389]

There’s a jet powered dragster that shows up once or twice a year to the drag strip I work at, with an engine from the banshee. Loud enough to shake the tower, and insanely fast

[@RCAvhstape]

This channel scratches an itch no other does.

[@mattmilsop4003]

Great video! I've been interested in the Banshee for a few months and was hoping someone would do something on it. Thanks!!!

[@impossiblescissors]

Enjoyed the video. My nitpick is that the 1" stretch was added to the cockpit for the third XF2H, then carried through to the -1 and -2. Tommy Thomason's blogs have done much to investigate this and put to rest the bad information that the cockpit stretch was only introduced for the -2.

[@JGCR59]

I had heard of it but I had no idea it was that good

[@bvkronenberg6786]

My Dad’s plane, thanks for the video.

[@GunniesLetsFlyVFR]

Awesome video. I didn't know anything about this quite capable early jet. Keep em coming 😂

[@ashestodust2313]

Nearly 30k! Hope to see you hit 100k and more

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@notapound >>> Great video...👍

[@daszieher]

as someone, who has underappreciated the Banshee and terribly preferred the Panther over it, I enjoyed your video, your homage to this - it seems - quite fine aircraft. Thankful for your expansion of my knowledge, alas, I have already subscribed, else I'd have done it on the spot.

[@originalSPECTER]

Sounding like this thing was an absolute banger. It nearly has forward swept wings when you look at it. I wonder if something like that could have been done with the technology at the time?

[@welshpete12]

Strange to relate , Yesterday I came a cross a model of this aircraft I had made years ago . I always liked the Banshee . There's an old saying among pilots if a plane looks right it is right !

[@weedwacker1716]

nice video

[@andrewashway335]

I love the early jet age

[@strayling1]

I can imagine the silent service watching the nuclear squabbling with amusement.

[@Khanclansith]

The Submarines didn't have nukes at this point and almost got axed too... once they got nuclear reactors and the missile tubes, they got into the Nuclear weapons game

[@raz562]

Love the Banjo, was just thinking about buying a model kit of it the other day. Your video has convinced me to buy it. I’m pretty sure the aircraft with the most airframe changes and clean sheet designs is the Bf-109. The A model has almost nothing in common with the E, same with the E models with the F and later G model.

[@captainvladmir7535]

Hell yes, been waiting for this.

[@gerryjames9720]

Spoken like someone who has to tolerate the woefully ignorant 90% of our species. My heart goes out to you.

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

When Tom Hanks was on Apollo 13 he talked about a mission flying the Banshee or something. He was in uniform as early as Saratoga. I'll bet he has tales to tell!

[@johncook3265]

Love your videos. Keep em coming

[@bowencreer3922]

A video with more about the navy being part of the nuclear equation would be great.

[@cecilboatwright3555]

GREAT video!! ...one correction though: in your comparison between the types at about 3:00 minutes, you call different variations the "H-1" and "H-2"...(this is coming from an Old USN guy), the CORRECT way to refer to these subtypes is as "Dash 1" and "Dash 2." The "H," in THIS case, indicates that the aircraft was manufactured by McDonnell Aircraft. CONFUSINGLY, the Phantom II was originally before 1962, so it started life as the "F4H," again with the "H" indicating that the aircraft was manufactured by McDonnell Aircraft. With the F4H transitioning to the "common" nomenclature of "F-4," the subtypes then looked VERY much like the pre 1962 designations (The Banjo had become the "F-2" in the 1962 redesignation melee). (Although I do hear you use the proper way, such as "Dash 2" throughout most of the rest of the video....just a Brown Shoe on the Loose, shipmate!!)

[@bradfordeaton6558]

Very good!

[@joebeauchamp9986]

And we are also giving everyone out there our capabilities.

[@sailordude2094]

Great history video, thanks! I just remembered that, on St. Patrick's Day, I watched Darby O'Gill and the Little People and there is a Banshee in it (not the plane type, lol).

[@craigwall9536]

I saw that movie as a kid and when I heard there was a jet with the same name I fell in love with it before I even saw it. I was not disappointed!

[@PretzelDarter]

Another superbly done video on a greatly underappreciated US Navy aircraft, this was pleasant to listen to while making breakfast- I will say though, I feel like the Panther should be given a fair look of it's own (and it very well might get one here eventually!), as it does feel like the Banshee is being played up a bit compared to the F9F, though admittedly I'm quite fond of Grumman designs so there's absolutely some bias there (and the Banshee is quite good by it's own rights) :P

[@i-love-space390]

Ah.... the days when aircraft companies were run by engineers. Old Man McDonnell had dictatorial powers and he used them well to create some of the most iconic, well-designed aircraft and spacecraft in American history. The astronauts loved the Gemini. It was like flying a fighter jet in space. And look how many Phantom II's were built. The Banshee was the beginning of a great run for the company.

[@alecalbert7098]

the bf109 i would argue is one of the few that beats the change from original design while maintaining same airframe name!

[@brianrmc1963]

I was familiar with the Banshee, but I didn’t know it was that good. I would have loved to have flown it.

[@DanielV42]

My boy, between WT, our nerdiness and Rex's Hangar videos, how could we not know about these obscure fighters 😂.

[@craigwall9536]

Who you calling "obscure"?

[@zeroelus]

I see happily your subscriber count keeps going up and up and you really deserve it. I'd heard about the Banshee, but as you correctly state, not in this detail. And even 70+ years later, your recounting of the story of the Banjo intercepting B36s has me, not a US national, feel the USAF seething as well as the US Navy gloating over this incident...some things really can transcend this universe's space-time limitations.

[@dsnsawcp4234]

Great vid

[@jonjames7328]

With their end of wing tanks they look a lot like some of the jets seen in Thunderbirds ( I think).

[@ReviveHF]

The wings looks abit similar to the forward swept wing of SU-47 Berkut.

[@Easy-Eight]

This jet is one of my favorite from the early '50s. BTW, I took an elderly 1/48 Testor's F2H and scavenged a lot of parts from the Monogram 1/48 Panther. With a correct paint job, redone cockpit, and other help from the Panther the old Testor's F2H is a nice old model.

[@GBooth]

Originally a Hawk Models mold

[@SeannoG1]

Florida all the way to Lake Erie? That's insane

[@Hypernefelos]

I've seen that drawing of the USS United States so many times but could never put my finger on what was bothering me about it. After a more careful look, it appears that the rear starboard catapult is positioned so airplanes launching from it will almost certainly clip their wings on what counts as an island (even if there are no planes on the elevator in front of it).

[@MrEMeat-kk9tc]

No landing gear? How were they supposed to train? What if they were scrambled for a false alarm? It’s like the legend of the samurai sword which, once drawn, must taste blood

[@Farweasel]

You've changed my mind As a kit, all the Korean Airwar Comics had F-87 sweeping MiG15s from the skies, saving the rest of allied aircraft. *Looks like Banshees didn't actualy NEED saving from those nasty MiGs* The MiGs maybe needed saving when there were Banshees about?

[@JohnCunningham-sy5ug]

One of these old birds is sitting in front of Jackson Michigan's Airport.

[@razorburn645]

My country's last carrier fighter? Oh I've heard of it.

[@darkknight1340]

It wasn't the MiG 15's manoeuvrability that posed a potential problem to the straight wing US fighters of that time,it quite simply outgunned the panthers,banshees etc,its twin 23 mm and single 37 mm cannon could achieve hits beyond the range of the typical 0.5 in machine guns and 20 mm cannon fitted to US jets.

[@jwenting]

that and the superior high altitude performance, allowing the MiG to loiter high and simply pick off targets of opportunity. This was especially a problem for the P-80 and F-84 which simply lacked the high altitude performance to compete with the MiG. And don't even try to slug it out with one when flying a Corsair or Sea Fury unless you find one at low altitude and out of energy.

[@chriskortan1530]

​@@jwenting Cpt. Jesse Folmar might disagree

[@gort8203]

It wasn't the guns of the MiG-15, it was the speed.

[@stinkyfungus]

Oh, is that why the F86 with x6 .50s was constantly being dominated by the Mig15? (Sarc) Armament is useless if you can't get into firing position to use it. The straight wing, slower aircraft of the era were simply unable to compete effectively with a faster, just as agile, and better climbing adversary. Armament didn't factor into it. MIG15 was a superior performing aircraft - it is as simple as that. When the F86 came on line with 6x .50s - it was able to maintain a high kill/loss ratio vs the Mig. And performance wise they were close enough that it came down to who was driving and how. Also, Armament is useless if you can't hit shit. Ballisticaly speaking the 23mm is inferior to the 20mm - it hits marginally harder yes, but trajectory is poor. The 37mm is even worse in this regard. Real life isn't warthunder, son. A .22 between the eyes is more effective than a .44 mag in the leg. Just sayin'

[@darkknight1340]

@stinkyfungus That's when the MiG 15 dominated the F-86 etc,When it fired its cannon at the F-86s that were in range of the MiG,which was outwith the effective range of the F-86s 0.5s,not necessarily in a turning dogfight yes,on those occasions armament WAS a factor.