Grumman F2F/F3F

Ginter Books
Naval Fighters Number 112

Reviewed by Don Linn

New from Ginter Books is Naval Fighters Number 112, Grumman F2F/F3F by Richard S. Dann. This book represents aircraft of the Between the Wars period of US military aviation which has been an interesting subject for historians and model builders alike. The biplane fighters produced by principle manufacturers such as Grumman, Curtiss, Boeing and Vought, in their many colorful paint schemes, are distinctive and representative of the era. Navy fighters of this period are especially interesting due to their aircraft carrier assignments, and the need to identify squadron and flight sections with markings utilizing specific colors applied to the cowl, fuselage, wing and tail surfaces on the aluminum varnished aircraft.

The barrel shaped Grumman F2F and F3F fighters, being examples of the end of an era, are representative of the height of US Navy fighter design in the mid to late 1930s, and are the last of the company’s biplane naval fighter designs. Author Richard Dann (Capt. US Navy retired),  a former SH-60B pilot with 50 combat mission during Operation Desert Storm, and currently employed as a Test Program Manager in the aerospace industry, has done an outstanding job researching the type’s design, development and operational history of these tenacious Navy fighters. Within the book’s 192 pages, Dann presents a well written narrative from the beginning in 1932, when the US Navy issued specifications for a new single seat shipboard fighter, to its career end in 1942-43 when the F2F and F3F spent their last days in the training command, replaced by another Grumman product, the F4F Wildcat as the Navy’s front line fighter.

This book is profusely illustrated with over 400 original manufacturers black and white detail photos, many previously unpublished, of assemblies, cockpit and power plant. Included are drawings and technical specifications for each type, and a selection of color images of restored F3Fs. Noteworthy is Dann’s inclusion of a list detailing the history and disposition of each airframe.  The squadron histories and antidotes are a welcome addition providing a personal element of the type’s service career.  Beginning on page 181 author Dann also provided something different and unexpected with a discussion of Hollywood  movies featuring the Grumman fighter, among those are Wings of the Navy, Flight Command, and Dive Bomber, all favorites with great air to air photography of Naval aircraft of the time.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 

Thumbnail panels:

Finally there is the modeler’s section listing kits and a description of each with a critique, accompanied are photos of built up models. These include, but not limited to, the old favorites Monogram and Revell injection molded kits as well as vacuformed kits from Rare Planes and Estoteric.

Author Dann has done an outstanding job researching the Grumman’s design, development and operational history. The book is well done and recommended for its excellent detailed photography, concise history, kit reviews and overall appeal of this historical period of US Naval Aviation history.

Review Text Copyright © 2020 by Donald Linn
Page Created 26 October, 2020
Last updated 26 October, 2020

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page