Why was the McDonnell F2H Banshee referred to/called/nicknamed the "banjo" or "big banjo"?
I have purchased three books, Early Banshee's and Big Banjos both by Steve Ginter, along with the newer F2H Banshee Units by Burgess. While the nickname "banjo" is mentioned and referenced, no explanation is given.
A number of websites make reference to the F2H as a "banjo" still no explanation. Wikipedia (gasp, I know) references Captain O'Rourke and an article he wrote in 1968 as to a possibility of why the F2H was called "banjo." Still no explanation was provided. Here is a link to the article: https://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/Of_Ho ... _Spads.htm
The Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola includes an article about the F2H: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/hi ... nshee.html
The article states: "The airplane's official nickname derived from the fact that its engines "screamed like a banshee." To its pilots, however, it was affectionately called the "Banjo."
I don't agree that the "nickname" was "banshee" it's official name was F2H Banshee, and nickname was "banjo." James S. McDonnell named all his aircraft after occult/spiritual/ethereal entities,
FD/FH Phantom, F2H Banshee, F3H Demon, F4H Phantom II, XP-67 Bat/Moonbat, LBD Gargoyle, F-101 Voodoo, XF-85 Goblin. Exceptions being the Doodle Bug 1929 experimental, Quail drone, Katydid drone, and helicopters.
I tried to rationalize that maybe you can get "banjo" out of F2H, like how the F4D "Skyray" was the "Ford", or AD-1 was the "Able Dog." The F2H doesn't look like a "banjo" and I can't get "banjo" out of F2H, but "banshee" is close to "banjo" so where does that "-jo" come from?
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Re: Why was the McDonnell F2H Banshee referred to as the "Banjo"?
"The Banshee" is an Irish reel ( dance ) played on the banjo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaRJJ2se9Nc
Alternatively it might just be a combination of its name and the general similarity to a banjo in shape ( long tail, big wide centre section ).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaRJJ2se9Nc
Alternatively it might just be a combination of its name and the general similarity to a banjo in shape ( long tail, big wide centre section ).
Re: Why was the McDonnell F2H Banshee referred to as the "Banjo"?
Thank you for the reply ELBOB. This gives me something to think about. I'll be looking into traditional Irish reels and try to figure out anything I can about the Banshee reel. I see a lot of references to James McMahon, but I can't find anything too definitive on when he recorded his version. If it was recorded in the mid-50s and became popular I can completely see pilots referring to the F2H Banshee by James S. McDonnell as the "banjo" since it would along the lines of a song recorded on banjo by James McMahon. I don't agree with the plane being similar in shape to the banjo. It seems the name came long after the Korean War when the F2H-3 and -4 came about, ~8 years after the plane had already been flying.
Re: Why was the McDonnell F2H Banshee referred to as the "Banjo"?
My guess would be related to it being the radar-equipped/stretched last two models.
https://airvectors.net/avbansh.html#m3
Most radars of this time anyway would ‘growl’ or hum when a target was acquired, I believe, so plausibly the banjo nickname is related to a sound it made from it’s newly included ‘night fighter’ capabilities (sounding like a banjo cord maybe). The Dihedral tail on the H-3 and H-4 might also have something to do with it.
Kind of off-topic but here is a cool F2H-2 video;
https://archive.org/details/81494-us-na ... -h-banshee
https://airvectors.net/avbansh.html#m3
Most radars of this time anyway would ‘growl’ or hum when a target was acquired, I believe, so plausibly the banjo nickname is related to a sound it made from it’s newly included ‘night fighter’ capabilities (sounding like a banjo cord maybe). The Dihedral tail on the H-3 and H-4 might also have something to do with it.
Kind of off-topic but here is a cool F2H-2 video;
https://archive.org/details/81494-us-na ... -h-banshee
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