Quonset Point, Naval Air Station – November 1, 1948, and January 1, 1949
On November 1, 1948, an F7F-2D Tigercat aircraft, (Bu. No. 80341), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station bound for Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod. About five miles east of Quonset Point the latch to the front portion of the cockpit canopy let loose and the canopy slid back and broke away with such force that it caused damage to the rear portion of the canopy, as well as to one of the rear tail fins and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot declared an emergency and landed safely back at Quonset.
This same aircraft was later involved in another incident in which equipment malfunctioned. On January 29, 1949, the aircraft took off from Quonset NAS for a cross-country training flight. Shortly after takeoff the fuel tank hook assembly came unlocked and lodged in the port wing. The pilot declared an emergency and returned to Quonset. The aircraft landed tail-down causing damage to the tail section.
Sources:
U. S. Navy accident report dated November 1, 1948.
U. S. Navy accident report dated January 29, 1949