US Navy and USMC Between The Wars in 1/100

[Rata]

Your Martin looks fantastic Mike! Careful fella- I might claim it as my own!

I'll be doing one of these myself a bit further along in the thread. Hard to top yours though!

[Rata]

This is S&P's Grumman FF-1 and what a joy to put together- not a single issue with it.

MichaelS's Plucked Paintbrush rigging that I successfully did on the Thomas Morse S4C has inspired me to try other rigging methods. This one is rigged with the thin soft wire that's in the plastic twist ties that come with freezer bags etc. The wire is easy to cut and responds well to my preferred PVA; the only downside (minor) is having to straighten each wire before installing. Like MS's method, it's still miles easier and quicker than the silk I've been using up to now.

Thanks Bruno for yet another superb design.

Anyhow, hope you like this model and my good friend Don Boose will be along shortly to fill us in on the full size.....

[Don Boose]

Garry’s model is a Grumman FF-1 carrier fighter, Bureau of Aeronautics Number (BuNo) 9351 of U.S. Navy Fighting Squadron 5 (VF-5B, the Red Rippers), in 1935-1936 when the squadron was aboard USS Ranger (CV-4). The “B” in the squadron designation indicates that the squadron was assigned to the Battle Force of the U.S. Fleet. VF-5B aircraft had their tail surfaces painted blue at that time. The Red chevron on the top wing indicates Section 1 of the squadron and the red cowling and fuselage stripe indicates the flight leader. The leader of Section 1 was also the squadron commander. See Post #43 for information on Navy 1930s aircraft markings (http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/637791-post73.html).

The Red Rippers (now VFA-11 and the oldest continuously active fighter squadron in the Navy) were the first U.S. Navy squadron to fly an airplane built by Grumman, which would produce over 25,000 carrier planes over the next 33 years. The company was established in 1929 by Leroy Grumman and two other former senior employees of the Loening Aeronautic Engineering Company. After getting a start repairing aircraft and manufacturing amphibious airplane floats and aluminum truck bodies, in March 1930 the company submitted to the Navy a proposal for a two-seat fighter with a retractable landing gear, an enclosed cockpit, and the new Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine. Accepted by the Navy on 28 March 1931 and first flown on 29 December of that year as the XFF-1, this was the first U.S. Navy airplane to incorporate all three of those features and was 20 knots faster than other Navy fighters at that time. The Navy also ordered a second similar aircraft with longer range as the SF-1 scout fighter. Eventually, 27 FF-1s and 33 SF-1s were delivered to the Navy.

In 1933, VF-5B, which was then flying Boeing F4B-2s aboard USS Lexington, accepted the XFF-1 for operational testing. The next year, the squadron received 19 FF-1s. At that time, the squadron tail color was Willow Green. In the fall of 1935, the squadron was reassigned to USS Ranger (CV-4) and the tails were repainted True Blue. In November 1935, VF-5B turned in nine of their FF-1s, which were replaced with F2F-1s. By April 1936, all of the FF-1s were gone and VF-5B was flying Grumman F2F-1s.

Images

Image 1 is the actual aircraft that Garry modeled, BuNo 9351, on the Grumman factory floor on 27 May 1933, the day it was delivered to the Navy in the markings of the VF-5B squadron commander. This aircraft, Constructor Number (C/N) 105 was the second FF-1 and the fifth airplane built by Grumman. Mayborn, p. 7.

Image 2 is a National Museum of Naval Aviation photograph of VF-5B Section 1 (5-F-1, 2, and 3) in flight in 1934. Dann, p. 7.

Image 3 is a dramatic photograph of VF-5B FF-1 5-F-13 (BuNo 9363) taking the wire as it comes aboard Lexington in 1934. Grumman photograph, Dann, p.3.

Image 4 is a Canadian Car & Foundry license-built ex-Nicaraguan Grumman G-23, the export version of the FF-1, painted to emulate the airplane that Garry modeled. Available at http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/attractions/aircraft-exhibits/item/?item=ff-1

Sources:

Joe Baugher, “US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos, First Series (A6002 to 9999),” available at http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_seria...stseries2.html

Richard S. Dann, Grumman Biplane Fighters in Action, Aircraft Number 160, Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal, 1996.

René J. Francillon, Grumman Aircraft Since 1929, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1988.

William T. Larkins, U.S. Navy Aircraft 1921-1941, Concord, CA: Aviation History Publications, 1961.

Phil H. Listemann, Grumman FF, Allied Wings, Philadelphia, PA: Casemate Publishers, 2009.

Mitch Mayborn, Grumman Guidebook, American Aircraft Series Book 4, Dallas, TX: Flying Enterprise Publications, 1976.

J.V. Mizrahi, “Grumman FF-1, SF-1, F2F,” Carrier Fighters Volume 1, Northridge, CA: Sentry Books, 1969, pp. 43-48

National Naval Aviation Museum, “FF-1,” available at FF-1 | National Naval Aviation Museum

Richard Thruelson, The Grumman Story, New York: Praeger, 1976.

U.S. Navy, “STRIKFITRON ELEVEN History,” available at Squadron's History

[Rata]

Another fine effort DB! Love that old photo of -13 catching the wire.

I'm glad Leroy Grumman didn't go with those aileron trim tabs on the F2F and F3F series. Bruno did a great job designing them on this model, but in 1/100 they are FIDD-ER-LEE! Trouble is they are a bit like the rigging; i.e. VERY noticeable if left off...

[PacificWind]

Another magnificent plane and model, Garry.

I really appreciate that you try to take good photos too. They're pretty decent.

[Rata]

Thanks K-man! I usually take photos outdoors but the wind (no not pacificwind!) was up so I took these indoors. I think I prefer these so in future I'll be doing the same.

[ricleite]

It is great to see that the FF-1 lines are so well captured in this model! You know that I like those colorful liveries. Nice one

[MichaelS]

Another fabulous creation my friend! I did try the twisty tie thing back in my days as a pla@$#Teeq heathen before I found the one true religion here. I used to roll them between 2 pieces of glass. As for me so far the paint brush thing works the best. It is very easy to color and cut. I used Sharpies and it doesn't clump up or flake off like paint.

As for the FF1 in a lot of ways this is the aircraft that won the war in the Pacific. If it hadn't been for this aerioplane there would have been no F4F or F6F. The SBD's and TBF's would have been absolutely slaughtered if their only escort had been Brewster Buffalos. The Coral Sea battle would have been a fiasco. Midway would not even have happened. Guadalcanal would still be just an unknown island somewhere in the Pacific. I know this is a simplistic rewrite of history but I do know that things would have been quite different without Grumman.

The huge fleet of aircraft carriers filled with Hellcats and Avengers that was set to sweep in on the Japanese coast for the invasion of Japan that was imminent before Hiroshima and Nagasaki began in that little shop in Bethpage would not have existed.

After WWII Grumman went on from strength to strength. Panthers and Cougars. The amazing F11F Tiger that was designed to do the specific job of fleet defense which it would have done perfectly had the need arisen.

The amazing technological achievement that was the Tomcat. This aircraft could still hold its own today.

The most amazing technology of all rolled out of the Grumman plant. It is a little known fact that the LEM that landed on the moon many times was Grumman design and produced.

OK. Off my soapbox now. You have done a great job and can be very proud my lil' upside down friend. Thanks for concluding with that final picture which lets us see what you see! You even got the stars pointing the right way which is something I know you always had trouble with when you were a pla@#teeq head.

So what's up next?

[Falco]

You did it again RATA... you once again succeeded in making me feel bad about my own skills! I long for the day I can build 1/100 to that level. My journey to this level of skill is long and rife with challenges. That Grumman FF-1 is PERFECTION... PERFECTION!!!

[murphyaa]

I saw this picture and immediately thought of you.


I already have the recolor done, just need to figure out how to move the tail turret from the extreme tail to the middle of the tail and fair over the old spot.