GRUMMAN FF

The 'Grumman FF' was a biplane fighter aircraft operated by the United States Navy during the 1930s, and the first with retractable landing gear.

Contents

Development

Operators

Specifications (FF-1)

References

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Development

The 'FF-1' was Grumman’s first aircraft design for the US Navy. The prototype 'XFF-1' (A8878) was built to a contract placed on April 22, 1931, first flying on December 21 of that year.^[1] A two-seat design, it was powered initially by a 575 hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone radial engine, and when this was exchanged for a 750 hp Cyclone the XFF-1 reached a top speed of 201mph (323 km/h) during testing, faster than any US Navy fighter in service at the time.
A production order was placed for 27 two-seat FF-1s on 19 December 1932, deliveries to Fighter Squadron VF-SB of the USS Lexington beginning in June of 1933. In service the FF-1 became familiarly known as the "Fifi." Meanwhile Grumman had completed a second prototype (A8940) to 2-seat scout configuration as the 'XSF-1', from which 33 production 'SF-2s' were subsequently ordered. They differed from the FF-1 principally in having revised internal equipment and in being powered by R-1820-84 Cyclones instead of the R-1820-78 model installed in the fighter version. Delivery of 'SF-1s' started in March, 1934, and they served, also aboard the ''Lexington'', with Scout Squadron VS-3B. One 'XSF-2' was also completed, this having a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Wasp engine in place of the Cyclone. Both the FF-1 and SF-1 were withdrawn from first-line US Navy squadrons by the end of 1936 and reallocated to reserve units, most of the FF-1s still being in service late in 1940. Later, fitted with dual controls, the surviving FF-1s were redesignated 'FF-2' and used for instructional duties.
The Canadian Car & Foundry Co acquired a manufacturing licence for the FF-1, of which it completed a total of 57, some of them assembled from US-built components. Fifteen entered service with No 118 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 with the name 'Goblin I'. Prior to this a single example was delivered to Nicaragua, and, allegedly, one to Japan; the remaining 40 were ostensibly purchased by the Turkish government but were in fact received by the Spanish Republican Air Force in 1937.

Operators

★ : Royal Canadian Air Force

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★ : United States Navy

Specifications (FF-1)

References

1.


★ Munson, Kenneth. ''US War Birds|From World War 1 to Vietnam''. (New Orchards Edition Ltd).

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