Ginter Books - Naval Fighters: Grumman F9F6P/8P Photo-Cougar

Next to the helicopter the photo aircraft are among the less glamorous aircraft abroad ship but are some of the most important because with out them the ship would be blind. F9F-6P/8P photo Cougar replaced the F9F-5P photo Panther in two Navy and 2 USMC squadrons in the 1954. It was replaced in 1956 by the more capable F9F-8P photo cougar of witch 100 aircraft were built. F9F-8P's were replaced by the supersonic F8U-1P photo Crusader starting in 1958 with the last F9F-8P retiring from the fleet in early 1961. Two Navy squadrons provided 3-aircraft detachments to both the Atlantic and the Pacific Fleet Carriers.