FJ-4 Fury

The North American Aviation FJ‑4 Fury was a swept‑wing jet fighter‑bomber developed in the early 1950s as the Navy’s answer to the Air Force’s F‑86 Sabre. Derived from the earlier FJ‑2 and FJ‑3 models, the FJ‑4 featured a longer, more slender fuselage, a larger internal fuel capacity and a strengthened wing capable of carrying up to 2,000 lb of ordnance. Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney J48 turbo‑jet producing 7,500 lbf of thrust, it could reach speeds of Mach 0.9 at sea level and a service ceiling above 45 000 ft. First flown on 30 September 1953, the aircraft entered squadron service in 1954, primarily with Navy carrier air groups and later with Marine Corps units. Its versatile design allowed roles from air‑to‑ground strike to nuclear‑weapon delivery, and the FJ‑4 became the first carrier‑based aircraft to employ in‑flight refueling regularly. Though quickly superseded by more advanced supersonic fighters, the Fury demonstrated the feasibility of high‑performance, carrier‑qualified jet operations and laid groundwork for later Navy jets such as the F‑8 Crusader. Its combination of range, payload and carrier suitability marked a significant step in post‑war naval aviation evolution.

North American Aviation

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Design & Classification