The North American FJ-1 Fury was the first operational jet aircraft in United States Navy service, and was developed by North American Aviation as the NA-135. The FJ-1 was an early transitional jet of limited success which carried over resemblences of tail surfaces, wing and canopy of the piston-engined P-51 Mustang. But the evolution of the design to incorporate swept wings would become the basis for the land-based XP-86 prototype of the United States Air Force's enormously influential F-86 Sabre. Ordered in late 1944 as the XFJ-1 in competition with proposals from Douglas and Vought, the Fury began as a straight-wing, tricycle gear fighter with a single turbojet passing through the fuselage. The wing, empennage and canopy strongly resembled that of the piston-engined P-51 Mustang, North American Aviation's highly successful World War II fighter.

The first flight of the prototype XFJ-1 took place on 11 September 1946, with the first of thirty deliveries beginning in October 1947. The Fury's first landing on an aircraft carrier was made 10 March 1948 aboard USS Boxer. Flown operationally by Navy squadron VF-5, the FJ-1 pioneered jet-powered carrier operations and underscored the need for catapult-equipped carriers. The Fury was capable of launching without catapult assistance, but on a crowded flight deck the capability was of small practicality. In reality, taking off without a catapult launch, pitched the FJ-1 into a perilous, slow climb that was considered too risky for normal operations.

As straight wings were seen at the time as the only way to ensure the low speed and stability needed for carrier landings, the FJ-1 used a straight wing. No provision for wing-folding had been made as dive brakes mounted in the wings, made that option unfeasible. In order to conserve carrier deck space, a unique "kneeling" nose undercarriage along with a swivelling "jockey wheel" allowed the FJ-1 to be stacked tail-high, close to another FJ-1.

Although ordered into production, the initial order for 100 units was trimmed to only 30 aircraft which were mainly used in testing at NAS North Island, with VF-5A, later redesignated VF-51, operated the type in operational service beginning in August 1948. Although VF-51 went to sea on the USS Boxer by May 1949, the FJ-1s were phased out in favor of the new F9F-3 Panther.

General characteristics: Crew: 1, Length: 34 ft 5 in (10.48 m), Wingspan: 38 ft 2 in (11.63 m) Height: 14 ft 10 in (4.52 m), Wing area: 221 sq ft (20.5 m²), Empty weight: 8,843 lb (4,010 kg), Loaded weight: 15,118 lb (6,854 kg), Powerplant: 1× turbojet, 805 gallons. (3018 litres), Fuel provisions Internal fuel load: 465 gallons (1,743 l), Wing Tip Tanks: 2 x 170 gallons 644.3 l) JP-4 fuel Performance: Maximum speed: 547 mph at 9,000 feet. (880 km/h at 2743 m), Range: 1,496 miles (2407 kmwith external tanks). (2407 km), Service ceiling 32,000 ft. (9,753 m), Rate of climb: 3,300 ft/min at sea level (1005 m/min), Thrust/weight: 0.38, Stalling speed (power off): 121 mph (106 kt, 194 km/h). Armament: Guns: 6× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns (1,500 rounds in total)

USN09 René Hieronymus Scale 1:72 Building time: 15hrs.