Grumman FF - WikiHQ

The Grumman FF "Fifi" (company designation G-5) is an American biplane fighter aircraft operated by the United States Navy during the 1930s. It was the first carrier aircraft with retractable landing gear. It was produced under license in Canada and known as the Goblin in Canadian service and Delfín (English: "Dolphin") in Spanish service.

Design and development

The FF-1 was Grumman’s first complete aircraft design for the US Navy. The Navy had asked Grumman if their retractable landing gear made for the O2U-1 Scout planes could be retrofitted to the Navy's Boeing F4B-1 fighters; instead Grumman proposed a new fighter design. The prototype XFF-1 (serial number A8878) was built at Curtiss Field (later named Columbia Field), New York to a contract placed on 22 April 1931, first flying on 29 December of that year. The airplane was of two-seat design, with an enclosed cockpit, fuselage of all-metal construction, and wings covered largely with fabric. The XFF-1 was powered initially by a 616 hp (459 kW) Wright R-1820-E Cyclone radial engine, it achieved 195 mph (314 km/h) during service trials. Later the original engine was exchanged for a 750 hp (560 kW) Wright R-1820-F Cyclone and the XFF-1 reached a top speed of 201 mph (323 km/h), faster than any US Navy fighter in service at the time.

Operational history

thumb|Grumman FF-1 of U.S Navy Squadron [[VF-11|VF-5B ]]

FF-1s were delivered to Fighter Squadron VF-5B of the beginning in June 1933.

thumb|[[Royal Canadian Air Force Canadian Car and Foundry Goblin I circa 1941]]

The Canadian Car and Foundry Co acquired a manufacturing license for the G-23, an improved FF-1, of which it completed a total of 52, some of which were assembled from US-built components. Thirty-four were acquired by the Spanish Republican government in 1937 by presenting forged Turkish credentials. This batch was built primarily to bypass the US embargo placed on belligerents during the Spanish Civil War.

The Japanese example was purchased as an example of Grumman's undercarriage. However, by the time it was delivered, better designs were already in use.

The Mexican example was intended to be a pattern aircraft to allow a production line to be set up there, but this never occurred.

;Goblin Mk.1

:15 G-23s built under license by the Canadian Car & Foundry Company, but not delivered to the Spanish Republicans. Later taken on strength with the RCAF .

;

:Imperial Japanese Navy – one CC&F example designated AXG

;

:Military Aviation Corps – 1 example, serial GN-3

References

Citations

Bibliography

(in Spanish)

External links

Grumman FF-1 'Fifi'
Grumman FF – National Naval Aviation Museum