Grumman F3F

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Grumman F3F
F3F-1 4-F-7 Jax.jpg
An F3F-1 of the VF-4 Fighter Squadron in the late 1930s.
Type: Fighter plane
Design country:

United StatesUnited States United States

Manufacturer:

Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation

First flight:

March 20, 1935

Commissioning:

1936

Production time:

January 1936 to May 1939

Number of pieces:

169

F3F-2 from NAS Anacostia
F3F-3 of the VF-5 over the coast of Southern California, ca. 1939–40
Three-sided view of an F3F-1

The Grumman F3F was based on the Grumman FF and F2F and was the last fighter aircraft delivered to the United States Navy that was designed as a biplane . It was introduced to the US Navy and Marine Corps from 1936 .

history

The F3F was created through an invitation to tender from 1934, which resulted in the order for a prototype on October 15, 1934. The first prototype , the XF3F-1, flew on March 20, 1935 , but pilot Jimmy Colins was killed as early as March 22, 1935 while demonstrating the aircraft to the US military. Despite further difficulties in testing the newly built prototype, an order for 54 F3F-1 machines was placed on August 24, 1935, the first of which were delivered in January 1936. The improved version F3F-2 followed in 1937, and the F3F-3 version in 1938. Due to the shape of the hull, the F3F - and the similar F2F - were referred to as “Flying Barrels”.

The machines were used on the aircraft carriers USS Saratoga , USS Ranger , USS Yorktown , USS Enterprise and USS Wasp , among others .

The F3F were no longer used in the Pacific War, as the last fighter squadron (VF-5) was withdrawn from active service on June 20, 1941. They then served as training aircraft and were taken out of service in November 1943.

For the oil company Gulf Oil , several civilian variants (G-22, G-32 and G-32A) were built from 1938. The two G-32 aircraft were used as UC-103 by the USAAF from November 1942 .

variants

Bu.No. 9727 c / n 257 (3 pieces with the same Bu.No. and also the same serial number)
  • F3F-1 (internal designation G-11), 650 hp, Pratt & Whitney R-1535-84 radial engine,
Bu.No. 0211-0264 c / n 271-324 (54 pieces),
  • XF3F-2 (internal company name G-19),
Bu.No. 0452 c / n 354 (1 piece)
Bu.No. 0967-1047 c / n 265-445 (81 pieces),
  • XF3F-3 (internal designation G-19), 950 hp, Wright R-1820-22 radial engine,
Bu.No. 1031 (1 conversion from a series F3F-2)
  • F3F-3 (internal designation G-19), 950 hp, Wright R-1820-22 radial engine,
Bu.No. 1444-1470 c / n 478-504 (27 pieces)
  • XF3F-4, 950 hp, Wright R-1820-22 radial engine,
Bu.No. 1031 c / n 429; Conversion of an F3F-2, with a modified bonnet, wing leading edge and cockpit roof.
  • G-22 Gulfhawk II , civil version (mix of F2F and F3F )
Civil registration NR1050 c / n 355 (1 piece)
  • G-32 Gulfhawk III , civil version, Wright R-1820-G5 radial engine,
Civil registration NR1051 c / n 446 (1 piece)
  • G-32A Gulfhawk , civil version, 950 hp Wright SR-1820-F52 radial engine,
Civil registration NC1326 & NC46110 c / n 447 (1 piece)

The compilation of the list is based in part on: Francillon, Grumman Aircraft since 1929 (pp. 83–91)

Museum aircraft

Today there are still four airworthy machines, these are the G-32A (NC46110) and three F3F-2

  • F3F-2: Bu.No. 0972 c / n 370 Civil Registration: N20RW
  • F3F-2: Bu.No. 1028 c / n 426 Civil Registration: N26KW
  • F3F-2: Bu.No. 1033 c / n 431 Civil Registration: N20FG

Technical specifications

Parameter F3F-3
Length: 7.06 m
Wingspan: 9.76 m
Wing area: 24.4 m²
Height: 2.85 m
Drive: a Wright R-1820 -22 Cyclone radial engine, 950 hp (709 kW)
Top speed: 425 km / h
Range: 1,577 km
Crew: a pilot
Service ceiling: 10,122 m
Empty weight: 1,490 kg
All-up weight: 2,175 kg
Armament: Two 7.62mm forward-firing Browning machine guns

literature

  • Aero Issue 181. Grumman F3F - The Last of the Double Deckers, 1987 (p. 5052–5060)
  • Andreade, John M. US Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909 , ISBN 0-904597-22-9 (p. 187)
  • Francillon, Reno J. Grumman Aircraft since 1929 , Annapolis, 1989. ISBN 0-87021-246-X . (Pp. 83–91)

Web links

Commons : Grumman F3F  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Francillon, Grumman Aircraft since 1929 (pp. 84 & 90)
  2. ^ Francillon, Grumman Aircraft since 1929 (p. 90)
  3. Aero Issue 181. Grumman F3F - The last of the double deckers
  4. ^ Francillon, Grumman Aircraft since 1929 (p. 89)
  5. see: http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Brink/2270.htm
  6. a b c Andreade, US Military Aircraft Designations and Serials (p. 187)
  7. Francillon, Grumman Aircraft since 1929 (p. 86) speaks of 950 hp