Grumman JF, J2F Duck

1933

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Grumman JF, J2F Duck

Nine versions of this aeroplane were built for the US Navy and Coast Guard, the first appearing for the Navy in 1933 as the JF-1, powered by a 521.6kW Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine. This was followed by the JF-2 Coast Guard version, powered by a 559kW Wright Cyclone radial, and the JF-3. A number of JF-2s were also delivered to Argentina. By the beginning of 1941 about 115 JF and J2F-1 to J2F-4 Ducks were in service as general/utility amphibians for photographic, target-towing, scouting and rescue work. These were followed by J2F-5s and J2F-6s, the latter produced in 1944 by the Columbia Aircraft Corporation of Valley Stream, Long Island, under licence from Grumman, bringing the total number of JF/J2Fs built to over 600.

J2F-3

Specification 
 CREW2
 ENGINE1 x Wright R-1820-54, 660kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight2400-3500 kg5291 - 7716 lb
  Empty weight1860 kg4101 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan11.9 m39 ft 1 in
  Length10.4 m34 ft 1 in
  Height4.3 m14 ft 1 in
  Wing area37.5 m2403.65 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed250 km/h155 mph
  Cruise speed200 km/h124 mph
  Ceiling7100 m23300 ft
  Range w/max.fuel600 km373 miles
  Range w/max payload400 km249 miles
 ARMAMENT3 machine-guns, 100-150kg of bombs

Grumman JF, J2F Duck

Comments
Klaatu83, e-mail, 16.12.2012 18:09

Note: the photo at the top of the page is of the original prototype, which is why the shape of the tail fin and engine cowling are slightly different from those seen on later versions of this airplane.

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Klaatu, e-mail, 09.05.2011 16:17

Not the most glamorous airplane, but certainly a highly successful one, in production for at least a dozen years. When Grover Loening's company was bought out in the late 1920s, one of his former employees, Leroy Grumman, remained in Long Island and started his own aircraft manufacturing firm. Loening generously allowed Grumman to use his patented design for a float incorporating a retractable landing gear, which Grumman developed to create this highly-successful series of utility amphibians. Compare this plane with the 1920s Loening "Air Yacht", shown elsewhere in this web site.

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Steve Pettit, e-mail, 09.12.2010 23:10

Do you know of anyone who makes a Model Radio Control Kit of the Grumman Duck ?

SP

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William G. Hoenig, e-mail, 06.03.2010 20:57

This is to correct a previous statement. I was not assigned nor attached to the 10th Rescue Squadron at Elemendorf Field in Alaska. I was assigned to the 8th Signal Radio Maintainance Team and the 331st Air Repair Squadron, which was part of the Alaskan Air Depot, from October 1947 till March 1949.

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Vince Williams, e-mail, 17.01.2010 03:57

June of 1943 I became Plane Captain of a J2F2, It had about 1800 hours on it B4 it was majored at Ford Island,I had just transfered from Ford Island to Hilo on the big Island,It was our Ready Duty Plane,I flew the rear seat on several rescue missions,old but dependable.

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William E. Sabin, e-mail, 08.12.2009 15:58

When I was stationed on the USS Atlanta, CL-104 in 1946, we had one of these planes aboard. A Commodore, aboard, and several others, flew it quite often. I frequently operated the HF radio in the rear of the cockpit. I remember flying over Hiroshima in the Spring of 1946.

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William G. Hoenig, e-mail, 03.05.2008 06:56

In the spring of 1948 one of these a /c was assigned to the 10th Air Rescue Sqd at Elemdorf Field in Alaska.

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