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U. S.
Military Aircraft Grumman FF-2 Photo by Coil B. Thouanel |
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Starting an association that lasts to the present, the US Navy contracted in March 1931, for a single XFF-1 prototype of the company's G-2 two single seat biplane fighter with unusual feature of retractable landing gear. The first flew in December 1931 with a 66-hp Wright R-1820-E radial, and proved faster than the existing single seat fighter, The Boeing F4B-4. Some 27 production fighters were delivered in 1933 with the R-1820-78, and 25 were later converted by the Naval Aircraft Factory as dual control FF-2s. The Royal Canadian Air Force wanted a land based FF-1 and GE-23 with the 800-hp R-1820-F52 were produced by Canadian Car and Foundry for service as Goblins. Another 40 aircraft were produced for export ostensibly to Turkey, but were delivered to the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). |
TECHNICAL DATA
| Description | Specifications |
| Manufacturer: Grumman | Length: 24 ft. 6 in. |
| First Flight: December, 1931 | Height: 11 ft. 1 in. |
| Model: FF-2 | Wing Span: 34 ft. 6 in. |
| Crew: Two | Wing Area: 310.0 sq. ft. |
| Nickname: Goblin | Empty Weight: 3,250 lb. |
| Basic Role: Carrier borne fighter and fighter trainer. | Max. Weight: 4,828 lb. |
| Other Versions: FF-1 fighter with more fuel in place of one of the two fixed guns. FF-2 fighter trainer. SF scout version of the FF-1. SF-1 with the r-1820-84. GE-23 land based FF-1 | Armament: One fixed and two trainable 0.3-in 7.62-mm machine guns. |
| Principal User: Canada, Spain, and USA. |
Propulsion |
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Performance |
Power Plant: Wright R-1820-78 Cyclone piston engine. |
| Range: 921 miles. | Horsepower: 700-hp. |
| Max. Speed: 207 mph. | No. Of Engine: One |
| Climb Rate: 5,000 ft. 2 minute 54 seconds. | |
| Ceiling: 21,000 ft. |