XF5F Skyrocket

infobox Aircraft
name =F5F Skyrocket
type =Fighter
manufacturer =Grumman



caption =
designer =
first flight =1940-04-01
introduced =
retired =
status =Cancelled
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = Grumman XP-50

The Grumman XF5F Skyrocket was a prototype of a twin-engine shipboard fighter interceptor to which Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation applied the model number G-34. It was a radical advance in shipboard fighters at the time when single engine fighters were just changing to monoplane designs from bi-planes. The U.S. Navy ordered one prototype airplane on June 30, 1938 with the designation XF5F-1. The aircraft possessed a unique appearance in that the forward part of the fuselage did not extend forward of the wing. Provisions were included in the prototype for two 23 mm Madsen cannons.

History

The aircraft flew for the first time on April 1, 1940. Engine cooling problems arose in the initial flights, resulting in modification to the oil cooling ducts. Further modifications were made to the prototype including reduction in the height of the cockpit canopy, revising the armament installation to four 0.5 inch machine guns in place of the cannon, redesign of the engine nacelles, adding spinners to the propellers, and extending the fuselage forward of the wing. These changes were completed on July 15, 1941. Additional changes were needed after further flight tests that were not completed until January 15, 1942. In the meantime Grumman began work on a more advanced twin-engine shipboard fighter, the XF7F-1, and further testing with the XF5F-1 supported the development of the newer design. The prototype continued to be used in various tests, although plagued by various landing gear problems, until it was struck from the list of active aircraft after it made a belly landing on December 11, 1944.

pecifications (XF5F Skyrocket)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=1
length main=28 ft 9 in
length alt= 8.76 m
span main=42 ft
span alt= 12.80 m
height main=11 ft 4 in
height alt= 3.45 m
area main=303.5 ft²
area alt= 28.2 m²
empty weight main=8,107 lb
empty weight alt=3,677 kg
loaded weight main=10,138 lb
loaded weight alt= 4,600 kg
max takeoff weight main= 10,892 lb
max takeoff weight alt=

engine (prop)= Wright XR-1820-40/42 Cyclone
type of prop= nine cylinder radial air-cooled engine
number of props=2

power main=1,200 hp
power alt=895 kW

thrust main=
thrust alt=

max speed main=383 mi/h at sea level
max speed alt= 616 km/h

range main=1,200 statute miles
range alt= 1,930 km

ceiling main=33,000 ft
ceiling alt= 10,000 m

climb rate main=4,000 ft/min
climb rate alt= 1,220 m/min

wing loading main= 33.4 lb/ft²
wing loading alt=

power/mass main=
power/mass alt=

armament=
* Four 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns
* Two 165 lb (75 kg) bombs

Skyrocket in fiction

The XF5F Skyrocket is best known for its appearances in the Blackhawk comic books. The Skyrocket was introduced in the first issue of "Military Comics", published in 1941. Skyrockets continued to be flown by the Blackhawk Squadron through the entirety of World War II and afterward. It was finally replaced with a jet fighter in 1949. However, in nearly all Blackhawk stories set during and immediately after WW II, even those published as late as 1990, the Skyrocket is the primary aircraft used by the Blackhawks. Over that nearly fifty year time span, the Blackhawks' Skyrockets sported several different color schemes and many different versions of the Blackhawk insignia. It was even modified with different engines and tail configurations by certain artists.

ee also

aircontent

related=
* Grumman XP-50

similar aircraft=
*Westland Whirlwind

lists=

see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Green, William. "War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters". London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers), 1961. ISBN 0-356-01448-7.
* Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "WW2 Aircraft Fact Files: US Navy and Marine Corps Fighters". London, UK: Macdonald and Jane's, 1976. ISBN 0-356-08222-9.
* Lucabaugh, David and Martin, Bob. Grumman XF5F-1 & XP-50 Skyrocket, Naval fighters number thirty-one". Simi Valley, CA: Ginter Books, 1995. ISBN 0-942612-31-0.
* Morgan, Eric B. "Grumman F7F Tigercat F.7/30". "Twentyfirst Profile, Volume 1, No. 11". New Milton, Hants, UK: 21th Profile Ltd. ISBN 0-961-82100-4.
* Morgan, Eric B. "The Grumman Twins". "Twentyfirst Profile, Volume 2, No. 15". New Milton, Hants, UK: 21th Profile Ltd. ISBN 0-961-82101-1.

External links

* [http://ourworlds.topcities.com/blackhawk/models/mod_f5f.htm Unofficial Blackhawk Comics Site]