Grumman XF5F Skyrocket

From DC Database

Contents 1 History 2 Capabilities 2.1 General characteristics 3 Weapons 4 See Also 5 Links and References

History

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 Skyrocket was built for the United States Navy, but became more popularly known as the conveyance of choice of the infamous Blackhawk Squadron. The Blackhawk Grumman became one of the hottest fighter planes in World War II. At the height of the war, Russian engineer Natalie Reed and her employers at the Valentine-Pendergast Airplane Factory customized the Grumman making it even faster than it was before. The Blackhawks flew Skyrockets throughout the remainder of the war, and even used for several more years. Production quantities for the Skyrocket are unknown, and the United States government did not maintain a contract with Grumman Aircraft. However, many of the planes were constructed and provided to the Blackhawks, including replacement parts, weaponry and equipment.

Capabilities

• Maximum speed: 383 mi/h at sea level (616 km/h)
• Range: 1,200 statute miles (1,930 km)
• Service ceiling: 33,000 ft (10,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 4,000 ft/min (1,220 m)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
• Wingspan: 42 ft (12.80 m)
• Height: 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)
• Wing area: 303.5 ft² (28.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 8,107 lb (3,677 kg)
• Loaded weight: 10,138 lb (4,600 kg)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 10,892 lb ()
• Powerplant: 2× Wright XR-1820-40/42 nine cylinder radial air-cooled engine, 1,200 hp () each
  
  

Weapons

• Four 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns
• Two 165 lb (75 kg) bombs

See Also

• Appearances of Grumman XF5F Skyrocket
• Vehicle Gallery: Grumman XF5F Skyrocket

Links and References

• Blackhawk (Volume 2) #2
• Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe II
  

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at XF5F Skyrocket. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with DC Database, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.