Banshee (Total: 653, Canadian: 39, Group 0)
McDonnell Banshee

McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee, RCN (Serial No. 126295), coded 112, shown here armed with two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
Procured second-hand from the United States Navy, the McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee was the only carrier-based air defence jet fighter used by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) from 1955 to 1962. Until the CF-18 Hornet, the Banshee, also nicknamed the "Banjo", was the only Canadian military aircraft armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. The Banshee was a rugged and reliable, all-weather, fleet defence and ground attack fighter. In RCN operational service, all 39 Banshee aircraft were based in Shearwater, Nova Scotia, and flew with VF-870 and VF-871 Squadrons, until the latter was amalgamated into the former in 1959. VX10 Experimental Squadron also flew the Banshee in order to do acceptance evaluations. Squadrons were deployed aboard Canada's sole aircraft carrier of the period, Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Bonaventure. The Banshee was well liked by pilots because of its good performance on the deck and in the air, as well as its all-weather capability, 800-mile (1,287-kilometre) tactical radius, and Mach 0.8 speed capability. The aircraft also formed the basis of the RCN's premiere aerobatic team known as the "Grey Ghosts". This four-ship formation team participated in many air shows. rcaf-arc.forces
RCN aircraft were identified in squadron service by a side number, painted on the nose of the aircraft. That number indicated the squadron, and the aircraft number in that squadron. These numbers are shown as "coded" (if known); later the last three digits of the aircraft serial number were used, shown as NAVY+L3.
Banshee serials from US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos--Third Series (126257 to 130264)joebaugher.com, and updated from - Martin "“ RCN Aircraft Finish & Markings 1944-1968.
Note - Unit assignments not in date order due numerous reassignments.
Note - RCN Banshees delivered between Nov 25, 1955 and June 16, 1958.
Banshee 126294, F2H-3
s/n 126294
as/n 148
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126294
Served with VX 10; VF 871 coded "148", and VF 870 as NAVY+294.
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-March-21 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126295, F2H-3
s/n 126295
as/n 112 148
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126295
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-July-18 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126306, F2H-3
s/n 126306
as/n 103
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126306
last update: 2024-December-25
1957-June-30 Accept from other Air Force Received second hand from USN. 2019-08-20
1957-August-27 Destroyed on Ground (Accident) Ground collision with Avenger 53358, killing pilot Lt. E. K. Trzcinski, USN. 2022-03-29
1957-September-15 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126310, F2H-3
s/n 126310
as/n 701
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126310
last update: 2024-December-25
1956-January-23 Accept from other Air Force Received second hand from USN. 2022-03-17
1957-May-14 Accident Crash Crashed, killing pilot S/Lt C. R. Bissett. 2022-03-24
1957-June-27 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126313, F2H-3
s/n 126313
as/n 104
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126313
last update: 2024-December-25
1957-May-31 Accident Crash Crashed, killing pilot Lt. D. A. Prout. 2022-03-24
1957-May-31 Struck off Strength 2022-03-11
Banshee 126327, F2H-3
s/n 126327
as/n 327
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126327
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-May-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126330, F2H-3
s/n 126330
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126330
last update: 2024-December-25
1956-April-22 Accident Crash Crashed on delivery flight, killing pilot Lt. D. A. Wardrop. First RCN Banshee fatal crash. 2022-03-11
1956-April-22 Struck off Strength 2022-03-24
Banshee 126331, F2H-3
s/n 126331
as/n 106
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126331
last update: 2024-December-25
1961-May-23 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126333, F2H-3
s/n 126333
as/n 142
m/d F2H
c/n 43
McDonnell
126333
last update: 2024-December-25
1958-March-04 Accident Crash Crashed, killing pilot Lt./C B. Bell-Irving. 2019-08-20
1958-March-19 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126334, F2H-3
s/n 126334
m/d F2H
c/n 44
McDonnell
126334
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-06 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126335, F2H-3
s/n 126335
as/n 112 335
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126335
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126337, F2H-3
s/n 126337
as/n 144
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126337
last update: 2024-December-25
1958-September-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126339, F2H-3
s/n 126339
as/n 339
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126339
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126343, F2H-3
s/n 126343
as/n 118 142
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126343
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-July-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126346, F2H-3
s/n 126346
as/n 141 346
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126346
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126347, F2H-3
s/n 126347
as/n 105
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126347
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-May-03 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126361, F2H-3
s/n 126361
as/n 120 148
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126361
last update: 2024-December-25
1961-May-23 Struck off Strength 2022-03-11
Banshee 126381, F2H-3
s/n 126381
as/n 700 149 381
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126381
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126382, F2H-3
s/n 126382
as/n 147 382
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126382
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-03-12
Banshee 126390, F2H-3
s/n 126390
as/n 390
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126390
last update: 2024-December-25
1961-October-18 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126392, F2H-3
s/n 126392
as/n 702 100 146 392
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126392
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-February-14 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126400, F2H-3
s/n 126400
as/n 110
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126400
last update: 2024-December-25
1959-November-13 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126402, F2H-3
s/n 126402
m/d F2H
c/n 112
McDonnell
126402
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
Banshee 126403, F2H-3
s/n 126403
as/n 141
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126403
last update: 2024-December-25
1957-October-02 Accident Crash Crashed, killing pilot H. G. Cooper. 2019-08-20
1957-November-15 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126414, F2H-3
s/n 126414
as/n 102 106 414
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126414
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-April-06 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126415, F2H-3
s/n 126415
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126415
last update: 2024-December-25
1960-October-28 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126422, F2H-3
s/n 126422
as/n 101
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126422
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-January-08 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126428, F2H-3
s/n 126428
as/n 108
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126428
last update: 2024-December-25
1958-February-25 Accident Crash Crashed, killing pilot Lt. W. T. B. Troy. 2019-08-20
Operational 1958-02-25 to 1958-02-25
871 (F) Sqn (RCN) Mayport US Naval Air Station, Florida
871 Squadron, Royal Canadian Navy, Shearwater, Nova Scotia. While on joint exercises with the US Navy, Lieutenant W T B Troy (RCN) was flying F2H-3 Banshee aircraft s/n 126428 from Mayport Naval Air Station Florida, USA back to Royal Canadian Navy aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure, one of a group of four Banshees returning to their ship to continue carrier qualifications. The four aircraft entered a fog bank but only three emerged, Lieutenant Troy's aircraft having crashed without any further sign or communication. During the subsequent search some debris was located approximately two miles off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, including the pilot's helmet but nothing further until September 2017, following Hurricane Irma, some of Lieutenant Troy's parachute gear was found to have washed ashore on a Florida beach
Lieutenant Troy's remains were not recovered and he was declared missing, presumed killed in this flying accident
Banshees of the Royal Canadian Navy by Carl Mills and the RCN Bansheeites, pages 107,109,115
The Bonnie, HMCS Bonaventure by J Allan Snowie, page 319
Lost Canadian Banshee pilot remembered at US naval base - Skie...
Lost Banshee pilot honoured by USN I Trident Newspaper
Fear of Landing - Hurrricane Recovers Debris from Aircraft Lost in 1958
1958-March-15 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126429, F2H-3
s/n 126429
as/n 145 429
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126429
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126434, F2H-3
s/n 126434
as/n 100 104 434
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126434
last update: 2024-December-25
1961-June-16 Accident Crash Crashed, killing pilot S/L K. Rassow. Last RCN fatal Banshee crash. 2019-08-20
1961-September-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126443, F2H-3
s/n 126443
as/n 102 107
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126443
last update: 2024-December-25
1961-October-18 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126444, F2H-3
s/n 126444
as/n 444
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126444
last update: 2024-December-25
1961-October-18 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126446, F2H-3
s/n 126446
as/n 108
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126446
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126449, F2H-3
s/n 126449
as/n 449
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126449
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126454, F2H-3
s/n 126454
as/n 100
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126454
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-April-10 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126464, F2H-3
s/n 126464
as/n 112
m/d F2H
c/n 174
McDonnell
126464
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
Banshee 126469, F2H-3
s/n 126469
as/n 702 469
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126469
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-September-12 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 126488, F2H-3
s/n 126488
as/n 700 105
m/d F2H
McDonnell
126488
last update: 2024-December-25
1959-March-03 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Banshee 127510, F2H-3
s/n 127510
as/n 510
m/d F2H
McDonnell
127510
last update: 2024-December-25
1962-May-15 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07