The Killer Flying Hunter of the Vietnam War

In the sweltering heat of a Vietnamese afternoon, the roar of jet engines pierces the humid air as a squadron of US bombers streaks across the cloudless sky. Accompanying them on their daring mission, a lone Grumman TF-9J, the trainer version of the veteran Cougar fighter, assumes the forward air control role, its pilot scanning the verdant landscape below. Down on the jungle floor, Viet Cong guerrillas are hiding amidst the dense foliage, yet camouflaged friendly forces are also patrolling the area. If the Cougar incorrectly identifies the target, the consequences will be tragic.
Suddenly, sensing movement down below, the eagle-eyed pilot spots an armed unit silently making its way through the tropical undergrowth. Dipping low over the treeline to get a better look, his suspicions are confirmed: it’s the Viet Cong.
Eagerly awaiting intelligence, the ground commanders below hear the pilot’s voice come crackling over the radio to reveal the enemy's position. They give the order to strike. Moments later, the Cougar approaches, and the jungle shakes with the thunderous roar of a bomb attack…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

[@johnlucey6551]

I worked on TF9Js at VT 22, NAAS Kingsville, Texas in the sixties. I was an avionics tech working on the ARC27, Tacan, APX6 and others.

[@lancerevell5979]

Cool! I was an Airforce avionics tech on the T-33A, F-101B/F Voodoo and Convair F-106A/B in the late 1970s.

[@kertchel]

I was stationed at NAS Beeville in the late 1960s and worked on TF9s as the AE in the calendar inspection shop.

[@chasmclaughlin6781]

I worked on the ARC27 and other WWII/Korean War vintage avionics on C-46, C-47, etc., out of Howard AFB, Panama ‘67-68, and on the AC-47 out of Pleiku AirBase ‘68-69. Fun times and equipment.

[@butterfinger1171]

Cool. I've never been to any of those places or even worked on a plane

[@tamahagane1700]

Early US Navy jets were pretty wild designs

[@chrissschwehr5911]

The Navy discovered during the war that the straight wing F9F was more than a match for the Mig-15. During a dogfight between multiple attacking Migs, two Panthers were launched to stop them. One Panther was hit and had to leave the fight while the other fighter proceeded to down FOUR Mig-15s...The fight was classified until only a few years ago.

[@mikemilner8080]

The B-52s shown in the first minute (0:07) are armed with the AGM-28 Hound Dog, a supersonic nuclear-armed cruise missile, one under each wing. As the AGM-28 was a nuclear weapon, none were ever deployed, much less used, in the Vietnam War. Showing them in the context of an iron bomb attack on Viet Cong is misleading in the extreme. There is plenty of stock footage of B-52s carrying and dropping iron bombs that really belongs with your story.

[@vrendus522]

Thanks, beautifully done.

[@MartyWeller]

I thought the F86 was the first swept wing American fighter....

[@bassetdad437]

Dark Skies won't let facts spoil the story.

[@lancerevell5979]

Yep, according to Wiki, Sabre first flew in 1947 and introduced in 1949. F9F-6 Cougar first flew in 1951, introduced in 1952.

[@lancerevell5979]

​@@bassetdad437 Yep, talking about Sidewinder but shows a Sparrow launch. 😅

[@doncalypso]

The Cougar was the first American *_Navy_* jet to have swept wings...

[@doncalypso]

​@@lancerevell5979 downside of stock footage and do-it-yourself editing.

[@ditzydoo4378]

1:10 mark you said the Cougar (which first flew in Sept 1951 and introduced Dec 1952) was the first American fighter with a swept wing... ah no. the North American F-86 Sabre which first flew in Oct 1947 and was introduced 1949 holds that distinction as well as being the primary rival of the MIG-15 (first flew Dec 1947 and introduced 1949) in Korea. The Cougar, a redesign of the earlier Panther, to become the first US naval craft to have swept wings. Just beating out their own F-2 Fury which also first flew in Dec 1951, but was not introduced until 1954.

[@daveogarf]

(*Sabre) (*Panther)

[@ditzydoo4378]

@@daveogarf ah yes (sigh) my attempts at spelling can be utter rubbish. 0~o

[@rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364]

Perhaps he meant the first designed by an American. Few people know the F-86, while being manf by an American company; was designed by a citizen of Japan. The "Father" of their space program. Because of the optics being right after WWII this information was kept close to the belt and not shared at the time or for many decades later.

[@ohwell2790]

This is plainly about the first Naval aircraft in service with a swept wing , don't get that.

[@keithad6485]

To give the vid presenter the benefit of the doubt, I suspect he meant to say Navy fighter rather that American fighter. I do agree with your point.

[@peter-radiantpipes2800]

Beautiful plane. Can’t believe I haven’t seen these before.

[@FrankDux-rq7go]

We're too low, Cougar!!! Power! Power!

[@johnc6919]

Interesting as always.

[@BUY_YT_Views_611]

Your videos have helped me gain a deeper understanding of complex subjects. Thank you for breaking it down in a digestible way.

[@josephnason8770]

Ask Royce Williams if the F9F Panther was no match for the Mig 15

[@tamahagane1700]

Well, US sent best pilots they had. Result was obvious.

[@l.d.jackson6755]

I'm surprised he could fit his massive balls into the cockpit. What an Aviator!

[@doc2help]

Royce Williams. Thank you for mentioning him. What a great story, four Mig 17s destroyed and shot at by his own sailors!

[@jeremycox571]

Love the Dark Series you put out ,it’s my favorite series on KZbin

[@HighSideHustler81]

Facts 🙏

[@jacobmccandles1767]

"Facts"? That's ironic, since Dark can't seem to research any.

[@lancerevell5979]

Never put 's' on the end of 'aircraft', it is at once both singular and plural, same as spacecraft, watercraft, etc. The only exception being "arts&crafts".

[@paulkelly7388]

Thanks for bringing this up. I cringe whenever I hear or read it with an S.

[@cbroz7492]

..thank you for this observation, my friend...I see this all too often these dsys....

[@keithad6485]

And warcraft and Kraft cheese and crafty! ;-)

[@jeffapplewhite5981]

Knew about the panther but not the cougar! Good info.

[@davidbrinkmeyer5850]

“DARK SKIES” doesn’t employ fact check. They’re often, OFTEN wrong about details.

[@keithad6485]

I suspect a lot of vid makers on youtube don't fact check. I view any vid on youtube as entertainment not accurate history.

[@casamequite]

I find the same to be true on many classic car channels. Just goes to show there's no substitute for being there!

[@ManulTransmission]

A lot of very reputable sources of information, even with aviation and aerospace, make mistakes.

[@Thurston86]

New Ep! Woo-hoo!!! 🤘👽👽🫨👽

[@danhogan4093]

While I was at MCAS Chu Lai there was one of these with the aft half. I wondered why it was there and not in a scrapyard. It had been assigned to headquarters and maintainance squadron 13. I guess the engine was pulled, the poor bird just sat yhere falling apart, it's shark mouth painted nose fading away. Today I found out why it was in country. Thanks

[@donnyboon2896]

Yes

[@Paladin1873]

First American fighter with a cutting edge swept-wing design? No, that would be the F-86 Sabre.

[@Korporaal1]

Yep, the F-86 first flew in '47 and the Cougar in '51

[@EzraMerr]

"Cutting edge" being the keyword , the sabre wasn't cutting edge. Just slightly "swept-wing"

[@Paladin1873]

@@EzraMerr 35 degrees is not slightly swept.

[@rstats2127]

Correct

[@brianesselbach9158]

My brother ejected from aTF9J at China Lake in early 1960ss

[@LonMoer]

Those Blue Angel's and their "death defying stunts at air shows..." 🤣

[@fortboy66]

Del boy doing aircraft maintenance at 4 minutes? Luvley jubley!

[@matthayward7889]

😂😂😂

[@richardmeo2503]

Good show and info. Some obvious errors

[@vitogulotta7193]

The plural of AIRCRAFT IS AIRCRAFT!

[@ohwell2790]

That is like saying rpm's it is not revolution per minutes it is revolutions per minute. it is just rpm. Why do even some engine builders use that term wrong?

[@donfrandsen7778]

Cool video thank you !!

[@chucksdesk]

We used to watch these come in to the base I was stationed at in 1972, Webb, AFB. They would notoriously break and be on the ground for a few days. Watching them takeoff, was something to behold. Their acceleration was painfully slow and they would roll, it seemed, the entire length of the runway and then lumber off at an unimpressive angle. They appeared SO under powered. It, I always thought a classic and beautiful shape. Wish there was a better engine available for it.

[@ReaA-nn2jx]

Yep, airframe and progressive aerodynamic design were far ahead of jet turbine efficiency for a good decade before the advent of ge, pw, Wright and Westinghouse axiel flow tubojet engines, about the same time area- rule was discovered to handle the speed these engines could provide

[@xfirehurican]

The A-4 Skyhawk. Nary a mention of this iconic, swept wing beauty. SEMPER FI!!!

[@ladonnaghareeb4609]

My husband loves rthe A-4. He remembers reading about them during his very earlt teen years. That'd be the mid 60's. He's 71 next month, and still loves the A-4 Skyhawk.

[@jacobmccandles1767]

The A-4 wasn't swept, it was Delta.

[@sandemike]

Sky Hawk had a delta wing.

[@Hornet135]

@@jacobmccandles1767 The delta wing is a special case of the swept wing with its own considerations.

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

A-4 is a tailed delta as is MiG21 and F-4Phantom II

[@nap250]

that was a pretty airplane

[@user-cw5cz5vr5i]

Was a pretty good looking plane.

[@JSFGuy]

I've never heard this before let's check it out.

[@swopejp]

Furthermore...

[@280StJohnsPl]

Never knew before that the Cougar had served in Vietnam !

[@mjf1036]

neat jet but as others pointed out the F86 Sabre was the first US swept wing jet in 1947.

[@hammer6285]

Why the raised fin on the sweep wings? The Mig had the same raised fin on its wings.

[@brianwhedon8442]

Good video on the history of the airframe (minus a few facts about the concept being wrong). There's almost no footage of its time in Vietnam, however if you google TF-9J you can see pics taken during the war. Dark Skies prefers video to slideshows

[@michaelfarmer537]

7:20 Best name ever! 😂

[@iyaayas200]

reminds me of the Blackburn Buccaneer

[@fw1421]

I always wanted to build a 1/32 scale model of one of these but nobody released one in that scale,only the F-86..

[@user-ex4si2md6r]

Interesting look 🤔 at the first 🥇 successful production example of Dr. Lippishes swept wing design in, American aviation history 💯🆒

[@lordphullautosear]

Swept wings only became a necessity after speeds crept up to, and exceeded, the "sound barrier."

[@catandtheostrich]

Reminds me of the Hawker Hunter.

[@craig4867]

COMBAT APPROVED Everything military On KZbin

[@jdewit8148]

I always thought it was a beautiful plane.

[@imkeerock]

At 3:02 there's a Panther with machine guns that move up and down on the nose! I never saw that before!

[@markbroad119]

I would have proposed the Meerkat. Small, fast and fierce

[@NerdPirateRadio]

@8:28, Im sure that pilot was was to busy cussin' to be terrified.

[@Siddich]

or embarrassed. looks like he put it down too hard.

[@Rotorhead1651]

I understand that this article is about the Cougar, but (having mentioned the circumstances in Korea requiring it's eventual development) why didn't at least give a nod to the F-86 Sabre, which was more than a match for its Soviet counterpart?

[@hayloft3834]

First to use a swept wing, the Sabre 4 years earlier? Its first flight preceding the MIG F-15 by a couple of months!

[@raymondclark1785]

The CO of Willow Grove NAS was up on a training flight in a Cougar near Trenton NJ when he flamed out. He was told to eject but glided home. On the runway the ground crew went to make the ejection seat safe by installing the red tape and found it hadn't been removed :( He couldn't have ejected ! The new red tapes were longer so as to not be missed !

[@baard53]

Being a life long aviation buff I thoroughly enjoy your well researched and succinct themes, often exploring airframes a little bit outside the cadre of the "Usual suspects". But, as a non-Brit, having served penance as a university-trained (= MSc level) person in aeronautical sciences, working in Britain for Inmarsat in the 80s, indulge in a plea: stop referring to people who design aeroplanes as "scientists"! This is a singularly British affliction. Scientists discover stuff and laws of nature that we didn't know existed; engineers translate those discoveries into everyday useful, practical applications! Engineers (anywhere but in Britain) do not repair broken washing machines, technicians are more than able to do that! Otherwise, great channel!

[@ohwell2790]

Heck, in Britain they refer to dismantlers and mechanics as engineers. People who take bolts out until the things fall apart.

[@ttcm46]

2:50 Louis Litt is that you??

[@user-tg9qz2ul2k]

I have detail an scale book on couger photo recone model it a very insise book😮

[@rickvelasquez6616]

Maybe he meant to say us Navy’s first sweep wing fighter?

[@usamwhambam]

Maybe he does not know what he is reading most of the time.

[@michealnyers184]

Yea he meant that obviously just worded it wrong

[@StormDragon771]

Can anyone identify the background music heard from 8:50 onward?

[@BobbyHammer-lg9ux]

Ear Worm by Obnoxious Crap Signed to shut it the fuck off records.

[@BobbyHammer-lg9ux]

Obnoxious crap. They're on shut it the fuck off records 😮

[@auggies]

Yes he has inconsistenties but where is your videos? I just chose to enjoy the video for what it gives.

[@HighSideHustler81]

For those about to rock, a remix in the background or am I trippin?

[@lyndonhenderson816]

Damn if I know I was only 3 yr old 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@goonigoogoo5868]

the narrative voice of a serial killer. what a creepy voice

[@ristube3319]

5:47 what the hell is a “powered flying tail”? Just gonna gloss over it?

[@mcamp9445]

What he means by flying tail is an all flying tail that is the entire rear horizontal stabilizer moves as one piece previously on piston and early jet fighters just a flexible part on the end would move

[@vitogulotta7193]

Some times refered to as a stabilator. The entire stabilizer moves for pitch inputs. Was a solution for pitch control at trans sonic, & super sonic flight. Also better response in ACM. Powered means they used hydraulics to move the flight controls in place of all cable, pushrod, pullies, & bell cranks. Like power steering in cars.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

🇺🇸

[@auro1986]

did it need to dive to bomb?

[@matthewmcneill301]

The Navy has an air force... and an few proud crayon eaters...

[@johnhermann7498]

Videos like this make me sad that this aircraft sucks so bad in War Thunder.

[@dancahill8555]

The F-86 predated the Cougar by what? 5 years?

[@painmt651]

Imagine a world where we put as much money into making the world a better place, as we do into making better and more lethal weapons and methods of warfare.

[@tiago58]

The US lost the Vietnam war, the images of helicopters being pushed to the sea from the deck of aircraft carriers in Saigon bay are unforgettable. More than 2 million civilians were killed as direct result of US military actions. In 1975 North Vietnamese troops entered Saigon putting an end to this war where the US showed its weaknesses. The US were defeated as the French were in Dien Bien Phu in 1954, by the same General, Vo Nguyen Giap.

[@rudyyarbrough5122]

I flew in the Vietnam war and I can say that there were NO F-9-6s there.

[@randygravel2057]

Charlie don’t surf

[@maureencora1]

My Favorite Line in A. N. LOL. (smile)

[@colonelkurtz2269]

​@@maureencora1the horror....the horror Me

[@aussieblue7132]

Another killing machine

[@horse5407]

The VERY dramatic language is hilarious.

[@Tam58851520]

Panther, cougar, mountain lion, puma,-this cat is known by more names than just about any other mammal! But no matter what you call it it's still the same cat,

[@bsdooby]

Isn’t panther just the name of all big hunting cats ?

[@frankmcgowan9457]

The strangest name I have heard for it is "Catamount."

[@bsdooby]

Apparently panther is indeed also used for puma; at least in some regions in the US. But this has nothing to do with the genus name.

[@JimGeigerMusic]

Whats with the faux AC/DC music?

[@michaelpipkin9942]

It's like the F4's cousin. Kinda kinda.

[@xfirehurican]

More like the A-4.

[@Old_B52H_Gunner]

Your AI needs to do more research.

[@kidkratoski3778]

Managed democracy.

[@pibbles-a-plenty1105]

Since when were airplanes designed on canvas? I thought they were designed on the back of used envelopes! 😃😄😁😆😅🤣😂🙃

[@IbnBahtuta]

And yet you were still humiliated and defeated on the world stage in your war against the Vietnamese, oh boy, were you ever butt hurt for years over that. Please explain what your wonderful death from above machines did to stop that ignominious defeat.

[@deeacosta2734]

I prefer Cougays.

[@jamesragus1577]

Complimentary algorithm enhancement comment!😊

[@MultiSkyman1]

2:38 Hitler in attendance!

[@Steve-nt9tx]

Fake info. the F9 Cougar was a Korea conflict aircraft. Not a good one at that.

[@gmatgmat]

Straight wing Panther served in the Korean War. The swept wing Cougar was too late for Korea. Maybe only 4 or 6 TF-9Js served in Vietnan at one time. Blink and you would miss them.

[@jacobmccandles1767]

*DARK SKIES* Don't you feel *ANY* responsibility to accuratly educate people? .... or are you shitposting for rage traffic?

[@TheTwon]

hard to believe the US made the Atom bomb before they knew proper aerodynamics

[@michealnyers184]

There's always a reason for everything

[@russellmoore1533]

Yet despite all this technology the US lost this war, did they learn from their mistakes? Of cause not, they continued on to lose more wars such as Afghanistan etc.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

The MIC wins every time.

[@georgeburns7251]

This is the crappiest channel about military equipment. It is always flawed.

[@JackGordone]

Always amusing to hear about American Wunderwaffen used in wars that Washington.....lost.😂😂😂😂😂

[@werewolfh7252]

why don't you write the right title for example (The Killer Flying Hunter of the Vietnam War Unleashed by a killer country that decided to attack a poor unorganized country and bombed villages of farmers living in bamboo huts)

[@scallopohare9431]

Why don't you get facts before posting nonsense? The US was not the only nation involved,and all was done under United Nations' auspices.

[@vhjmvn]

Please: TALK PLANES OR POLITICS, NOT BOTH

[@dryflyshaman]

The second word of Da Nang is pronounced with a long A. I find a puzzling how you pronounce words sometimes. It's like you have gaps in your knowledge of standard English words. Your breathless, urgent delivery coupled with your constant mispronunciation of standard English words removes credibility and so nothing you say can be taken as true fact until checked. Checking often does reveal falsehoods in your narration. I am hoping you learn to do better because we need all the good history channels on KZbin that we can get.

[@davidhess6593]

The Vietnam War was a national disgrace. I don't understand why we continue to celebrate our brutal barbarity.

[@scallopohare9431]

Nobody is celebrating. No doubt you will be happy to learn that those veterans were very badly treated on return. To the point that some lived out the rest of their lives as hermits. Now, tell me what you have done in your pathetic life that improved anyone else's lot. USAF, 1976-80.

[@davidhess6593]

@@scallopohare9431 My handiwork is on the moon, and my name is on Mars. You?

[@scallopohare9431]

@@davidhess6593 Miniscule part of helping to keep South Korea on track to become the "little dragon" it is today. Took care of an aging p at considerable cost to myself. Wrestled with two dissociative disorders. Your lunar and Martian bits seem more like personal vanity. I did ask what you did to "improve anyone else's lot."

[@davidhess6593]

@@scallopohare9431 Who knows? I do what I can. I was too old for Korea and joined the Air Force Reserve to avoid Vietnam. A close friend did go to Nam. After he came back he described machine gunning down women and children from helicopters. At least I didn't do that. Did you suffer from DID?

[@scallopohare9431]

@@davidhess6593 DID from childhood trauma, not aware until late my 30's, actually worked out well to be in a demanding academic environment when I started therapy. Noncombat PTSD from adult trauma, very specific to my military service. Made worse by the VA, homeless for over 4 years. VA prioritizes housing for ex-con veterans over law abiding women like me who served.