<p>Four U.S. Navy McDonnell F2H <i>Banshee</i> fighters (one F3H-3: BuNo 126456; three F2H-4: 127607, 127611, 127612) from Airborne Early Warning Squadron VAW-11 Det.P "Early Eleven" in flight. Two <i>Banshee</i>s carry a training AIM-9B <i>Sidewinder</i> missiles. VAW-11 Det.P was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS <i>Hornet</i> (CVS-12) for a deployment to the Western Pacific from 3 April to 10 October 1959.<br></p>
Note that on this first cruise of <i>Hornet</i> as an anti-submarine carrier, the aircraft carried for self-defense were assigned to an airborne early warning squadron, although no early warning aircraft were carried.
USN
1959
U.S. Navy photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv12-59/042.htm">[1]</a> from the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv12-59/index_017.htm">USS <i>Hornet</i> (CVS-12) 1959 cruise book</a> available at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/index.html">Navysite.de</a>