Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series HA7303 Grumman F3F-2, formerly 2-M-16, now with Training Command 1942 special wire rigging LIMITED EDITION

1/48 scale pre-finished Die-cast metal with a minimum of plastic. Professionally painted. All markings pad applied for superb results. Cockpit slides open. Moveable rudder Comes with a pilot that can be removed. Comes with display stand. Can be displayed with landing gear up or down.

THESE ARE PRE-PRODUCTION PICTURES NOT THE FINISHED MODEL

By the mid 1930s the USN realized that the modern fighter would have to be a mono- wing but development hadn’t even begun. As a stop-gap measure they ordered the Grumman F3F-2 that was a much improved version of the F2F and could be in production in a relatively short time. The new aircraft had a larger engine that increased speed by 33 mph and the rate of climb from 205 to 2750 ft/min. Along with a larger engine came a larger three-bladed constant-pitch propeller and a larger rudder to compensate the first two improvements. The improvements also meant the service ceiling was increased from 27,200 ft to 33,200 ft.

A long relationship between the USN and Grumman Aircraft began in 1931 with the production of the Grumman FF-1 and 1933 continued with the F3F. The USN received the first F3F-2 on December 1, 1937 and the last of the sixty-four F3F-2 aircraft on May 11, 1938. The last F3F flew in front-line service at the end of 1941 when it was replaced by the Brewster Buffalo and the F4F Hellcat. The USN took 117 F3F-2s and F3F-3s and sent them to various bases around the USA for training and transport duties. The last F3F-2 was retired from military service in November 1943.

Specifications Grumman F3F-2 AKA “Flying Barrel”

Crew: 1 pilot Dimensions Length: 23 ft 2 in (7.06 m) Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m) Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) Wing area: 260 ft² (24.15 m²)

Weights Empty: 3,285 lb (1,490 kg) Max takeoff: 4,795 lb (2,175 kg)

Performance Powerplant: 1× Wright R-1820-22 “Cyclone” 9-cylinder radial engine, 950 hp (710 kW), 8 ft 6 in. 3 blade Hamilton-Standard propeller Maximum speed: 229 knots, 264 mph (425 km/h) at 15,250 ft (4,658 m) Cruise speed: 150 mph (130 knots, 240 km/h) Range: 980 mi (850 nm, 1,600 km) Service ceiling: 33,200 ft (10,120 m) Rate of climb: 2,800 ft/min (14 m/s) at sea level Armament Guns: 1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M2 machine gun, 500 rounds 1 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun, 200 rounds Bombs: 2 × 116 lb (52.6 kg) Mk IV bombs, one under each wing