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{{Short description|US Navy biplane}}
The Grumman F2F was a single engine bi-plane Navy fighter that was the standard fighter for the Navy between 1936 and 1940. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1535 600 horsepower engine. It was replaced by the F3F-3 in 1939, being relegated to training and utility duties.
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = F2F
|image = File:F2F-1 2-F-6 NAN1-76.jpg
|caption = An F2F-1 of fighter squadron [[VF-6|VF-2B]], aboard {{USS|Lexington|CV-2|2}}
|type =[[naval aviation|Naval fighter]]
|national_origin = United States
|manufacturer =[[Grumman]]
|designer = [[Leroy Grumman]]
|first_flight = 18 October 1933 <ref>Graff 2009, p. 18.</ref>
|introduction =[[1935 in aviation|1935]]
|retired =[[1940 in aviation|1940]]
|primary_user =[[United States Navy]]
|produced = 1934–1935
|number_built = 55
|developed_from =
|variants = [[Grumman F3F]]
}}

The '''Grumman F2F''' was a single-engine, [[biplane]] [[fighter aircraft]] with retractable [[Landing gear|undercarriage]], serving as the standard fighter for the [[United States Navy]] between 1936 and 1940. It was designed for both carrier- and land-based operations.

==Design and development==
Grumman's success with the two-seat [[Grumman FF|FF-1]], which was significantly faster than even the single-seat fighters of its time, resulted in a contract for the single-seat XF2F-1.<ref name=Jordan2>{{cite web|last=Jordan|first=Corey C.|url=http://www.planesandpilotsofww2.webs.com/Grumman2.html|title=Grumman's Ascendency: Chapter Two|website=Planes and Pilots Of World War Two|access-date=2011-07-22|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325044407/http://www.planesandpilotsofww2.webs.com/Grumman2.html|archive-date=2012-03-25}}</ref> Armed with two {{cvt|0.30|in|2}} machine guns above the cowl, the new design also incorporated watertight compartments to reduce weight and improve survivability in the event of a water landing.<ref name="greatac">Cacutt 1989, pp. 155–162.</ref> The prototype first flew on 18 October 1933, equipped with the experimental {{cvt|625|hp}} [[Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior|XR-1534-44 Twin Wasp Junior]] [[radial engine]], and reached a top speed of {{cvt|229|mph}} at {{cvt|8400|ft}} – {{cvt|22|mph}} faster than the FF-1 at the same altitude.<ref name="greatac"/> Maneuverability also proved superior to the earlier two-seat aircraft.<ref name=Jordan2/>
[[File:F2F-1s VF-2 NAN11-80.jpg|thumb|Three F2F-1s in service with fighter squadron VF-2B]]

==Operational history==
The Navy ordered 54 F2F-1 fighters on 17 May 1934, with the first aircraft delivered 19 January 1935.{{cn|date=March 2024}} One additional aircraft (BuNo 9997) was ordered to replace one which crashed on 16 March 1935, bringing the total to 55, with the final F2F-1 delivered on 2 August 1935.{{cn|date=March 2024}} The F2F-1 had a relatively long service life for the time, serving in front-line squadrons from 1935 to late [[1939 in aviation|1939]], when squadrons began to receive the [[Grumman F3F|F3F-3]] as a replacement. By September 1940, the F2F had been completely replaced in fighter squadrons and was relegated to training and utility duties. The last F2F-1s were stricken from the list of naval aircraft in early 1943.<ref name="greatac"/>

==Variants==
;XF2F-1
:United States Navy designation for the Grumman Model G-8 prototype with a {{cvt|625|hp}} [[Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp Junior|XR-1534-44 Twin Wasp Junior]] [[radial engine]], one built
;F2F-1
:Production variant with a {{cvt|700|hp|0}} R-1535-72 Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, 55 built

==Operators==
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2017}}
;{{USA}}
* [[United States Navy]]
**[[VF-2B]]
**[[VF-3B]]
**[[VF-5B]]
**[[VB-5B]]
**[[VFA-2|VF-2]]
**[[VF-5]]
**[[VF-7]]
**[[NAS Seattle]]
**[[NAS Coco Solo]]
**[[NAS Alameda]]
**[[NAS Pearl Harbor]]
* [[United States Marine Corps]]
**[[VF-4M]]
**[[VMF-2]]

==Specifications (Grumman F2F-1)==
[[File:Grumman F2F-1 NAN1-76 drawing.jpg|thumb|Three-view drawing of Grumman F2F-1]]
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp


|ref=United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 <ref name="Swan Navy p201">Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 201.</ref>

|crew=One
|length ft=21
|length in=5
|length m=
|span ft=28
|span in=6
|span m=
|height ft=9
|height in=1
|height m=
|wing area sqft=230
|wing area sqm=
|empty weight lb=2,691
|empty weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=3,847
|max takeoff weight kg=
|eng1 name=[[Pratt & Whitney R-1535-72 Twin Wasp Junior]]
|eng1 type=[[radial engine]]
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 hp=700
|eng1 kw=522
|max speed mph=231
|max speed kts=
|max speed kmh=
|range miles=985
|range nmi=
|range km=
|ceiling ft=27,100
|ceiling m=8,260
|climb rate ftmin=2,050
|climb rate ms=
|power/mass=
|guns=2 × {{cvt|0.30|in|2}} machine guns
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
|related=
* [[Grumman F3F]]
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
* [[List of fighter aircraft]]
* [[List of United States naval aircraft]]
|see also=
}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* Cacutt, Len, ed. “Grumman Single-Seat Biplane Fighters.” ''Great Aircraft of the World''. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1989. {{ISBN|1-85435-250-4}}.
* {{cite book|last=Dann|first=Richard LCDR|title=Grumman Biplane Fighters in Action|location=Carrollton, TX|publisher=Squadron Signal|year=1993|isbn=0-89747-353-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Graff|first=Cory|title=F6F Hellcat at War|location=New York|publisher=Zenith Imprint|year=2009|isbn=978-0-76033-306-8}}
* {{cite book|last1=Swanborough|first1=Gordon|first2=Peter M.|last2=Bowers|title=United States Navy Aircraft since 1911|location=London|publisher=Putnam|edition=Second|year=1976|isbn=0-370-10054-9}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Grumman F2F}}

{{USN fighters}}
{{Grumman aircraft}}

[[Category:Grumman aircraft|F02F]]
[[Category:1930s United States fighter aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Biplanes]]
[[Category:Carrier-based aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1933]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear]]
[[Category:Single-engined piston aircraft]]

Latest revision as of 17:45, 10 December 2024

F2F
An F2F-1 of fighter squadron VF-2B, aboard Lexington
General information
TypeNaval fighter
National originUnited States
ManufacturerGrumman
Designer
Primary userUnited States Navy
Number built55
History
Manufactured1934–1935
Introduction date1935
First flight18 October 1933 [1]
Retired1940
VariantsGrumman F3F

The Grumman F2F was a single-engine, biplane fighter aircraft with retractable undercarriage, serving as the standard fighter for the United States Navy between 1936 and 1940. It was designed for both carrier- and land-based operations.

Design and development

[edit]

Grumman's success with the two-seat FF-1, which was significantly faster than even the single-seat fighters of its time, resulted in a contract for the single-seat XF2F-1.[2] Armed with two 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns above the cowl, the new design also incorporated watertight compartments to reduce weight and improve survivability in the event of a water landing.[3] The prototype first flew on 18 October 1933, equipped with the experimental 625 hp (466 kW) XR-1534-44 Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, and reached a top speed of 229 mph (369 km/h) at 8,400 ft (2,600 m) – 22 mph (35 km/h) faster than the FF-1 at the same altitude.[3] Maneuverability also proved superior to the earlier two-seat aircraft.[2]

Three F2F-1s in service with fighter squadron VF-2B

Operational history

[edit]

The Navy ordered 54 F2F-1 fighters on 17 May 1934, with the first aircraft delivered 19 January 1935.[citation needed] One additional aircraft (BuNo 9997) was ordered to replace one which crashed on 16 March 1935, bringing the total to 55, with the final F2F-1 delivered on 2 August 1935.[citation needed] The F2F-1 had a relatively long service life for the time, serving in front-line squadrons from 1935 to late 1939, when squadrons began to receive the F3F-3 as a replacement. By September 1940, the F2F had been completely replaced in fighter squadrons and was relegated to training and utility duties. The last F2F-1s were stricken from the list of naval aircraft in early 1943.[3]

Variants

[edit]
XF2F-1
United States Navy designation for the Grumman Model G-8 prototype with a 625 hp (466 kW) XR-1534-44 Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, one built
F2F-1
Production variant with a 700 hp (522 kW) R-1535-72 Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, 55 built

Operators

[edit]
 United States

Specifications (Grumman F2F-1)

[edit]
Three-view drawing of Grumman F2F-1

Data from United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 [4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 21 ft 5 in (6.53 m)
  • Wingspan: 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m)
  • Wing area: 230 sq ft (21 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,691 lb (1,221 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 3,847 lb (1,745 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535-72 Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, 700 hp (522 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 231 mph (372 km/h, 201 kn)
  • Range: 985 mi (1,585 km, 856 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 27,100 ft (8,260 m)
  • Rate of climb: 2,050 ft/min (10.4 m/s)

Armament

  • Guns: 2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns

See also

[edit]

Related development

Related lists

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Graff 2009, p. 18.
  2. ^ a b Jordan, Corey C. "Grumman's Ascendency: Chapter Two". Planes and Pilots Of World War Two. Archived from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
  3. ^ a b c Cacutt 1989, pp. 155–162.
  4. ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 201.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Cacutt, Len, ed. “Grumman Single-Seat Biplane Fighters.” Great Aircraft of the World. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1989. ISBN 1-85435-250-4.
  • Dann, Richard LCDR (1993). Grumman Biplane Fighters in Action. Carrollton, TX: Squadron Signal. ISBN 0-89747-353-1.
  • Graff, Cory (2009). F6F Hellcat at War. New York: Zenith Imprint. ISBN 978-0-76033-306-8.
  • Swanborough, Gordon; Bowers, Peter M. (1976). United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 (Second ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10054-9.
[edit]

Media related to Grumman F2F at Wikimedia Commons

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