Public Forum

We are well into restoring an F9F-4 Panther, but have had difficulty locating all the plans we need, especially those involving the nose section and landing gear. We have tried all the obvious places: Grumman, Naval History Center, etc. If anyone has any leads we would most appreciate it.

Please call 401-831-8696, or email savesara@aol.com. Thanks!

Ben

 Tried that but Steve Sheridan, no relation, could only come up with what we had for manuals already.  The National Archives in Maryland has a lot of stuff on microfilm but it is uncatolouged.  I sent my guys down there for 3 days and they got through 30 out of 90 something reels of microfilm,  Not much help. What we realy need are the drawing for the plane.

Ben Kristy wrote:Bill - You might try the library/archive at Pensacola. Also, the NASM archive at Silver Hill may have something (although probably just manuals) - I have a contact there that I can send you when I am able to get back into my office! Lastly, I believe that there is a Grumman historical society (or something similar) - I don't know much about it, but I bet that Josh Stoff could point you in the right direction.

Thanks Ben.  Josh has pointed us in that direction but we needed permission from NG to go there as well.  My guys said all they had we draws full of stuff and no real index on it.  I have gone through all the stuff at Pensacola, even went through the stuff in the restoration hanger but no luck.  I have a number of manuals just not the right material.  Even Steve Sheridan at Cavanaugh only had what I have.  Still looking for construction drawings for the nose area so we can hang the nose that we have back on and then rebuild the landing gear that was wiped out.