Grumman FF / SF Plus G-23 Delfin / Goblins and Prototypes : Naval Fighters NF#121 softcover +New Arrival+
Grumman FF / SF Plus G-23 Delfin / Goblins and Prototypes : Naval Fighters NF#121 softcover
The Grumman FF-1 and its derivatives, namely the SF-1 and G-23, represent a paradox in naval aircraft design. On one hand, it represented the end of the line for two-seat US Navy fighters in the biplane era. On the other hand, it incorporated relatively new technologies that when brought together, gave the FF-1 a significant performance margin over existing U.S. Navy fighters. Indeed, design choices such as retractable landing gear, enclosed cockpits and all-aluminum construction existed previously, but the FF-1 incorporated all these technologies into a single airframe. In the Navy's own words, "The design of the XFF-1 marked a considerable advance in the reduction of weight and drag for this class of airplane and resulted in correspondingly high performance."
The origins of the FF-1 can be traced back to early 1930, just months after the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation filed articles of incorporation. During discussions with the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics regarding their "A" Float, the Navy became intrigued by Grumman's approach to retractable landing gear, the Navy asked Grumman about the feasibility of adapting their patented landing gear system to existing Navy fighters, such as the Boeing F4B and the Curtiss F8C. Grumman advised against this approach stating that adding retractable landing gear to these existing aircraft would force a complete redesign. Furthermore, being an aircraft manufacturing company, Grumman desired to design and build its own aircraft. Grumman's Design G-5, was submitted to the Navy, and in March 1931, a contract was awarded to Grumman for the XFF-1.
Naval Fighter Series NF121 is an in-depth study of the design and development of the FF-1 and its derivatives. The first half of the book describes the XFF-1, FF-1, XSF-1, SF-1, XSF-2, GG-1 and XSBF-1 in detail with photographs and drawings, while the second half of this book covers operational use. While U.S. Navy service was limited to two fleet squadrons, the FF-1 and SF-1 enjoyed long careers in Navy and Marine Corps Reserve squadrons until mid-1942.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this series was the G-23, a license-built derivative manufactured by Canadian Car & Foundry in Fort William, Ontario, Canada. A total of 52 G-23s were built, with 34 finding their way into combat use by Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish "Delfin", as it was known saw extended service after the war, with the last one being retired in early 1954, nearly 22 years after the first flight of the XFF-1. 15 G-23s were accepted by the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 as the "Goblin", and their service is also included in this book.
This book is a fascinating in-depth study of a little-known Navy fighter that set the stage for Grumman's dominance of carrier-based naval aircraft that lasted over 50 years.
Lots of MPM/Special Hobbies kits of this have been released.
Published 2025, 132 pages, Canadian service chapter, 363 black & white and 15 color photos, black & white drawjngs, unit insignia, model kit reviews, softcover, 8 1/2 x11" inches
Ginter Books
Naval Fighters Series
The Naval Fighters series are dedicated to preserving America's aviation history. Each monograph's size is dictated by the individual aircraft's own history, and in some cases can encompass several volumes. In addition to the aircraft's development and testing, each book covers squadron histories, insignias, flight and maintenance manual excerpts, sea stories, if applicable, and model reviews. Take a look inside the aircraft to see how they were put together. See the prototypes of the aircraft, some of which never made it off the drawing boards.
Ginter Books are for both the aviation enthusiast and the aviation modeler. Each publication seeks to present full information about the history of the aircraft, drawings and photographs of the interiors as well as exteriors, and many of the many color schemes used by the squadrons. This offers both the modeler and the historical customer a general reference guide to each aircraft. The collection of books includes many prototype models that never reached actual production, but were valuable stepping stones in advancing the technology necessary to achieve the modern naval fighters we have today.
These books are a "must" for any serious model builder as they give panel lines, wing-folds, bomb loads, cockpit detail and much more information via line drawings and photographs. They are also a "must" for the aviation history buff, as they detail the conception of these aircraft.
Photos used have come from a great variety of sources that are credited in their captions. Many photos have not been used in any other publications before.
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