The Grumman F3F was a carrier-borne fighter in service with the US Navy from 1936 to 1943. The emergence of the F4F Wildcat monoplane in 1940 put this biplane fighter out of combat missions when World War II broke out in the Pacific. Thus, it would be relegated to perform secondary duties until it was phased out.
The development of the Grumman F3F was an attempt on the part of the US Navy contractor to rectify all the shortcomings of the F2F predecessor, mainly in the area of directional stability and stall characteristics. In addition, the new fighter biplane gained superior performance. Thus, the fuselage of the XF3F-1 prototype was lengthened by twenty one inches over the earlier aircraft. The purpose of this alteration in length was to improve longitudinal stability. The F3F also had larger wings than its predecessor.
The prototype XF3F-1 performed its maiden flight on March 20, 1935, with Grumman test pilot Jimmy Collins at the controls. However, this trial aircraft would suffer two crashes before mass production was ordered. In order to improve its spin recovery characteristics, Grumman would fit it with a much larger rudder and sturdier controls. Additionally, two hinged panels were installed under the fuselage to the rear of the tailhook opening. The upper wing beam and aileron bell cranks would also be strengthened. Thus, the first production variant of the aircraft, the F3F-1 entered service in January 1936.
Specifications
Type: carrier-based, single-seat biplane.
Variants: F3F-1, F3F-2, F3F-3
Length: 7.1 m (23 feet, 2 inches)
Wingspan: 9.75 m (32 feet)
Height: 3.17 m (10 feet, 9 inches)
Weight: 1,477.8 kg (3,258 pounds)
Powerplant: one Wright 1820-22 Cyclone, air-cooled, radial engine, delivering 950 HP.
Maximum Speed: 389.4 km/h (242 mph)
Range: 1,327.6 km (825 miles)
Armament: two .30-caliber machine guns; two 110-pound bombs, one under each wing.
Below, a Grumman F3F-2, BuNo 0994, on an airfield in 1938.
The F3F in flight. It was assigned to the commanding office VF-6 and had insignia red section markings and a true blue tail.
A flight formation of F3F-2s near San Diego, California, in 1940.
