Grumman FF1 “Fifi”

1933

The FF-1 was Grumman’s first aircraft design for the US Navy. The prototype XFF-1 was built to a contract placed on April 22, 1931, first flying on December 21 of that year. A two-seat design, it was powered initially by a 575 hp Wright R-1920 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 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, 1943, and they served, also aboard the Lexington, with Scout Squadron VS-3B. One XSF-2 was also completed, this having a Pratt & Whitney R-1930 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 Both the FF-1 and SF-1 were withdrawn from first-line US Navy squadrons by the end of 1936 and reallocated to reserve units, most of the FF-1s still being in service late in 1940.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.

Crew: 1 Length: 24 ft 6 in (7.47 m) Wingspan: 34 ft 6 in (10.52 m) Height: 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) Wing area: 310 ft2 (28.8 m2) Empty weight: 3,098 lb (1,405 kg) Max takeoff weight: 4,677 lb (2,121 kg) Powerplant: 1× Wright R-1820-78 Cyclone radial engine, 700 hp (520 kW) Maximum speed: 207 mph at 4,000 ft (333 km/h) Range: 685 mi (1,100 km) Service ceiling: 22,100 ft (6,735 m) Rate of climb: 1,667 ft/min (508 m/min) Armament2× 0.30 in (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns 1× 100 lb (45 kg) bomb.