DOUGLAS F3D-2 “SKY KNIGHT” F-FIGHTER 3-3RD MODEL D-DOUGLAS -2 NUMBER OF MODIFICATIONS The Sky Knight was an all weather fighter for the Marine Corps and made its first flight on March 23,1948 as the XF3D-1. A total of 268 were delivered to the Navy and the Marine Corps.  Throughout its long service life the Sky Knight had been modified for many different missions such as Electronic Counter- Measures, missile platforms, systems trainers and flying test platform for advanced avionics.  The Sky Knight made the first night jet to jet kill on the early morning of November 3rd 1952, when Maj. William T. Stratton Jr., and MSgt Hans Hoglind of Marine Night Fighter Squadron, VMF (N)-513, shot down a North Korean YAK-15. The Sky Knight destroyed more enemy aircraft in Korea than any other Navy or Marine fighter aircraft.  Many F3D-2s were modified as electronic jammers to be used by Marine Composite Squadrons (VMCJ) during Vietnam, these aircraft were redesignated as F3D-2Q and later as EF-10B.   This Sky Knight served at China Lake in  Missile Research & Development before being used by Raytheon as a test platform.   It was retired from active flying and flown to MCAS El Toro in 1987 for display at the command museum. SPECIFICATIONS WING SPAN   50’ WING AREA   400  SQ FT LENGTH   45’ 6” HEIGHT   16’ EMPTY WEIGHT  18,160  LBS GROSS WEIGHT  26,850  LBS ENGINE    2 x WESTINGHOUSE J-34-WE-36/36A THRUST   3,400  LBS  EACH MAX SPEED   600 MPH CRUISE SPEED   350 MPH CLIMB    4,500 FEET PER MINUTE ARMAMENT   4 x 20MM CANNONS