Copyright 2009 by Brandon Cope
Grumman F3F "Flying Barrel" naval fighter
The
F3F was the last biplane fighter to enter service with the US Navy,
starting in 1936. A development of the F2F, the F3F corrected
stability and spin problems of the F2F by lengthening the fuselage by
nearly two feet and adding 30 sf to the wing area. It also featured
retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit. The radial engine
helped give the plane a distinctive barrel-like appearance. None
remained in combat roles by the end of 1941, but continued to be used
as trainers and utility aircraft until 1943.
The F3F-2 uses 32 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage.
Subassemblies: Medium Fighter Chassis +3, Recon
Plane Wings with Biplane option +2, three retractable wheels +0.
Powertrain: 708-kW aerial HP gasoline engine with
708-kW old prop and 130-gallon standard fuel tank [Body].
Occupancy:
1 CS Cargo: 5 Body
Armor
All: 2/2 C
Pilot: B 0/+20
Armament
Very Long Aircraft HMGs/M-2 [Body:F]
(200)*
Aircraft LMG/M-2 [Body:F] (500)*
2x116-lb bombs
[Wings:U]
* Link fires both guns
Equipment
Body: Medium radio receiver and
transmitter, navigation instruments, autopilot, arrestor gear. Wings:
116-lb hardpoint each
Statistics
|
Size: 23'x32'x9' |
Payload: 0.77 tons |
Lwt: 2.4 tons |
|
Volume: 200 |
Maint.: 51 hours |
Price: $15,200 |
HT: 10.
HP: 120
[body], 100 [each wing], 12 [each wheel]
|
aSpeed: 255 |
aAccel: 9 |
aDecel: 34 |
aMR: 8.5 |
aSR: 2 |
Stall: 62 |
Design Notes
Design speed was 275 mph. The historical
speed has been used, as well as the actual wing area (260 square
feet). Weight, cost and HPs of the wings were doubled. Loaded weight
was increased by 6%.
One third of an armored crew station was purchased.
Variants
The F3F-1 (1936) had aSpeed 231; 54 were
built.
The F3F-3 (1938) had a 710-kW engine and slightly improved aerodynamics, giving aSpeed 264. Twenty-seven were built..
A small number were used as utility planes by the Army Air Force as the UC-103.
The 55 F2F's (1935) used a 485-kW engine giving aSpeed 238. It was armed with two Aircraft LMGs. Reduce aSR to 1
The FF-1 "Fifi" of 1933 was roughly similar, although it carried a second crewman. Its 520-kW engine propelled it to 207 mph. It mounted two forward-firing and two rear pintle M-1919 Brownings (Aircraft LMGs) and carried a single 100-lb bomb. 120 were built, including 57 in Canada under the designation G23 Goblin. The 25 FF-2 were conversions to two-seat trainers (dropping one forward LMG and adding dual controls).