Grumman XF11F-2 Super Tiger

[blackkite]

Grumman F-11 1F Supertiger : Corwin Meyer : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Naval Fighters N° 44

archive.org

 

[blackkite]

Followings are continuation of ＃159.

President Hull of Lockheed's overseas business company remained in Japan after the G-98-J-11 was selected as the next fighter jet, and conducted a fierce sales campaign for the F-104. In addition to Lockheed, Convair was promoting the F-102 and F-106, and Northrop was also selling the N-156F. The uproar spread from within the Liberal Democratic Party to the Diet.

The House of Representatives Accounts Committee took up the issue in August 1958 and began investigating government officials on suspicion of corruption in the selection of G-98-J-11. Prime Minister Kishi, government officials, and Liberal Democratic Party officials were summoned as witnesses, but no evidence of corruption was found.

After that, there was a debate that the G-98-J-11 was a ghost fighter with only blueprints, and that it was not desirable to spend blood tax money on it, and in the tumultuous atmosphere, the government passed the year without being able to select the next fighter.

The National Defense Council held on June 15, 1959, reached the following conclusions:

"We will scrap the unofficial decision to select the F11F-1F for the next fighter jet, and send a new survey team to the United States to decide on the model."

Three days after the decision, Ino resigned, and Akagi, who had been Chief Cabinet Secretary, became the head of the Defense Agency. Air Admiral Sato, Chief of Air Staff, also resigned on July 18, and Commander Genda was appointed Chief of Air Staff.
From August 8 to October 26, 1959, a survey team headed by Air Chief Genda conducted another survey of the next fighter in the United States. In response to the report, the National Defense Council held on November 6 decided to adopt a modified version of the F-104C for Japan as the next fighter.

Akagi, the head of the Defense Agency, explained the reason for the selection at a press conference as follows.
１．The F-104 has an unrivaled climbing perfprmance.
2. The maximum speed is excellent, the surplus energy at high altitude is maximum, and the combat power is the strongest.
3. Excellent maneuverability at supersonic speeds
4. Easy to operate on the ground.
5. Safety concerns have been resolved.
6. Radius of action, runway length required meet the demand.
7. All weather ability could be added.
8. At the final stage of the investigation, the F-104 and F-106 were candidates.

 

[blackkite]

Hi!
USAF display model.

 

[bobtdwarf]

IIRC, one was a stock F11F airframe with the J65 swapped out for the J79 with no other changes. While the other had a few aerodynamic improvements made to the wing

Yup, and the stock airframe with the engine swap could make Mach 1.61-maybe Mach 1.84; it has been to long since I read the book to remember if they pushed her that far or if the modified one started at 1.84 and went up to 2.04

 

[bobtdwarf]

Hi! Dorsal launcher.
Also you can see folded ventral vertical tail fin.

蛇乃目伍長の「エアフォースの英国面に来い！」 Mk.2 : 虎よ、虎…よ？

blog.livedoor.jp

The F11F was developed to be the U.S. Navy's first supersonic carrier-based fighter, but its service period was shortened due to the inadequacy of the engine.
In 1955, Grumman developed the F11F-1F Super Tiger, an improved version of the F11F-1F that replaced the engine with the powerful GE J-79, but the Navy was not interested.
The F11F-1F sought overseas sales channels, and at one point almost became the winner of the Air Self-Defense Force's FX selection, but was ultimately defeated by the Lockheed F-104.

Since it was originally a small aircraft, even if the engine was strengthened, not only did the cruising range decrease, but the lack of versatility was not solved.

Perhaps that's why the development plan for the F11F-1F attempted to add more hardpoints.

But the place is a little too whimsical.
The plan was to mount the AIM-9 in tandem on the Dorsal spine/launcher, and the first unit (Bu No. 138646) was actually equipped with it.
In addition, two parallel shots on the underside of the fuselage and two shots on the outboard pylons of the main wing (AIM-7) for a total of 6 shots! Boom!

However, there is no denying the feeling of suffering. (In addition, the folded bentralphin can be confirmed)
This is because the AIM-9 (dummy) in front interferes with the sliding windshield.

By the way, this design was "98J-5" and the aircraft for Japan was "98J-11", so if you are lucky (of course, you can also see "if you are unlucky"), it is possible that the Super Tiger with this armament configuration would have flown in the skies of Japan.

Two prototypes of the F11F-1F were built, and the project was closed.
The first unit in question, Bu No. 138646, was used for fire training and was scrapped at some point in the 1980s.

the top view in color shows that they could fully open the canopy.. As to range? Just swapping the J-65 with the J-79 improved range by over 20% as well as loiter time, range was over 1500 NM compared to just over 1200 with the J-65. Without the dorsal AAM's she could still carry 9000+ pounds so pretty versatile when you install the radar you can even keep your guns.