Grumman JF Duck
Grumman · United States · first flew 1933 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Grumman JF Duck was an American single-engine amphibious biplane built by Grumman for the United States Navy in the 1930s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Main pontoon forming part of the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-engine amphibious biplane
- Main pontoon forming part of the fuselage
- Retractable main landing gear
The main pontoon is part of the fuselage, which makes it look like a conventional aircraft with an added float. Early aircraft had an inter-aileron strut between the wings.
Specifications
- The Grumman JF Duck has a length of 10.06 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.89 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 298 km/h (185 mph).
- Typical crew: 2-4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The XJF-1 prototype first flew on 24 April 1933, piloted by Paul Hovgard, with a Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial. The JF was built from 1934 until 1936, when production switched to the J2F.
Variants
The J2F Duck was an improved version with a longer float and no inter-aileron strut between the wings. The JF-1 was the 27-aircraft production variant.
Where you'll see it
Deliveries began in May 1934 to NAS Norfolk. Ducks served as general and utility amphibians for photography, target towing, scouting and rescue, and 48 were built.
Related aircraft
- Grumman F2F
- Grumman XSBF-1
- Grumman J2F Duck
- F4F Wildcat
- Aichi AB-6
- Blackburn Perth
- Heinkel He 60
- Loening XS2L
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