Grumman F-11 Tiger

The Grumman F-11 Tiger is a single-seat Fighter plan, embarked on board the Porte-avions of the American marine at the end of the years 1950. Its real operational career was very short (4 years only) and it has in fact especially used for the drive, like by the lifting Patrouille of the Blue Angels of the US Navy.

Design

F-11 Tiger

The Grumman F-11 Tiger is resulting from a project launched on capital stock own by the company Grumman in 1952. The initial idea was to modify F-9F Cougar to enable him to exceed Mach 1, but the studies led quickly to a completely different plane. In 1953, the project was presented to the US Navy which placed order of 2 prototypes, indicated XF9F-9 as if it were about a version of Cougar.

The first prototype took off on July 30th, 1954 and, although it is then equipped only with one engine without Post-combustion, it reached practically the Mur of the sound. It been necessary to wait a few months to have the final engine and so that the second prototype can fly at a speed Supersonique level.

In 1955, the US Navy redésigna the plane F-11 Tiger . The tests since a Porte-avions began the following year and involved a complement of modifications on the cell: lengthening of the nose, increase in the capacity of the tanks, etc the first production aircraft nevertheless were delivered without these modifications, as from 1957. More than 450 specimens had been initially ordered.

Unfortunately, the F-8 Crusader tie-beam in service at the same time: slower of approximately 500 km/h in altitude, with a ascentionnelle speed and an operating range inferiors, without speaking about his less reliable engine, the Tiger did not make the weight. The project was thus stopped in 1959 with only 199 delivered apparatuses, withdrawn of the operational service in 1961. The Tiger nevertheless was used as plane of drive until 1967 and, especially, by the lifting patrol of the Blue Angels during 12 years (1957-1969).

The F-11F Super Tiger

In 1955, Grumman proposed a version F-11F Super Tiger equipped with an engine General Electric J79 definitely more powerful involving aerodynamic modifications. A first prototype made its inaugural flight on May 26th, 1956 and, after other modifications, exceeded Mach 2 with nearly 25.000 meters one year later. The plane nevertheless was considered to be too heavy for its aircraft carriers by the US Navy. Grumman proposed the F-11F with export then, but did not take down any market because the F-104 Starfighter was each time preferred to him.

Anecdote

F-11 Tiger is probably the first and the only plane to be itself cut down him even during a shooting to the gun: September 21st, 1956, during a test with real shooting, the pilot Tom Attridge drew a gust from 20mm in light piqué. As the speed of the shells decreased naturally, and that the plane continued its piqué while accelerating, the apparatus crossed the trajectory of the shells previously fired, which damaged the engine and obliged Attridge with an emergency landing. The survived pilot.

See too

History of F-11 Tiger on the site of Joseph F. Baugher

Notes and references

Random links: