Military Wiki
TB2F
Mockup of the XTB2F
Role Torpedo bomber
Manufacturer Grumman
Status Cancelled at mockup stage

The Grumman TB2F was a cancelled twin-engined torpedo bomber project, intended as Grumman's successor to the successful TBF Avenger. However, only a mockup was ever constructed.

In 1944, during World War II, the Midway class aircraft carriers were being built, and Grumman attempted to design a new torpedo bomber to accompany those carriers. However, it was soon decided that, among other difficulties, it would be impracticable to efficiently deploy twin-engined aircraft of this size from an aircraft carrier, and the plans were scrapped.

Specifications[]

Data from A Tracker Before Its Time?[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 3
  • Length: 52 ft 0 in (15.85 m)
  • Wingspan: 74 ft 0 in (22.56 m) (Folded span: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m))
  • Height: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
  • Max takeoff weight: 43,937 lb (19,929 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 1,960 US Gallon internal fuel
  • Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-22 Double Wasp radial engine, 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 271 kn; 502 km/h (312 mph)
  • Stall speed: 62 kn; 114 km/h (71.1 mph)
  • Service ceiling: 31,600 ft (9,600 m)

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 1× 75 mm cannon and 6× .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns forward firing
    • 2× .50 in machine guns each in dorsal and ball turrets
  • Bombs: 1× Mark 13 torpedo or 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) bombs or mines in bomb bay

See also[]

References[]

Notes
  1. Pelletier 2002, pp. 99–101
Bibliography
  • Johnson, E.R. (2008). American Attack Aircraft Since 1926. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-3464-0.
  • Pelletier, Alain J. "A Tracker Before Its Time?: Grumman's Heavyweight XTB2F-1". Air Enthusiast, No. 98, March/April 2002. ISSN 0143-5450. pp. 48–53.
All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Grumman XTB2F and the edit history here.