F3D Skyknight Stars & Stripes Rocks Glass

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The F3D Skyknight was a large, twin-engine, carrier-capable night fighter developed for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps during the early Cold War. First flown in 1948 and entering service in 1951, the Skyknight was a rarity for its time: a jet fighter prioritising radar, crew survivability, and mission reliability over speed and agility. While not sleek or fast, the F3D proved itself as one of the most effective all-weather interceptors of the Korean War era.

Powered by two Westinghouse J34 turbojets, the Skyknight was subsonic and straight-winged, but carried a powerful AN/APQ-35 radar suite and accommodated a crew of two: a pilot and a radar operator. Its primary mission was night interception, and it was one of the first U.S. aircraft specifically designed for that role. Armed with four 20mm cannons, the F3D was capable of engaging enemy aircraft in darkness or poor weather, giving it a critical advantage over older, daylight-only designs.

The Skyknight saw combat during the Korean War, where it was operated almost exclusively by the U.S. Marine Corps, notably VMF(N)-513. It was the only jet aircraft to score air-to-air kills at night during the conflict, downing at least six enemy aircraft, including MiG-15s, with no air-to-air combat losses of its own—an impressive record for a jet not designed for dogfighting.

A total of 237 Skyknights were built, primarily in the F3D-2 configuration, which featured improved radar and engines. Later in its service life, the aircraft was redesignated F-10 under the 1962 tri-service system. The Skyknight continued in U.S. service well beyond Korea in non-combat roles, including as a night trainer, electronic warfare platform, and missile testbed. The EF-10B variant played a key role in the early days of electronic countermeasures (ECM) during the Vietnam War, jamming enemy radar systems and helping pave the way for modern electronic warfare aircraft.

Though its performance was modest by jet fighter standards, the F3D Skyknight excelled in its specialised role. It offered a stable radar platform, excellent reliability, and effective night-fighting capabilities in an era when most jets could barely fly after dark. Overshadowed by faster and flashier aircraft, the Skyknight nonetheless carved out an impressive operational legacy—quietly becoming one of the most successful night fighters of the early jet age.