{{Short description|American single-engine amphibious biplane}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2015}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} <!-- This article is a part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout. --> {{Infobox aircraft |name= JF Duck |image= File:Grumman JF2 3.jpg{{!}}border |caption= Grumman JF-2 Duck in United States Coast Guard service |type= Utility amphibian |national_origin= United States |manufacturer= Grumman |designer= |first_flight= 24 April 1933 |introduction= 1935 |retired= |status= |primary_user= United States Navy |more_users= United States Marine Corps <br> Argentine Navy <br> United States Coast Guard |produced= |number_built= 48 |developed_from= |variants= Grumman J2F Duck |developed_into= }}
The '''Grumman JF "Duck"''' was an American single-engine amphibious biplane built by Grumman for the United States Navy during the 1930s. The J2F Duck was an improved version of the JF, with its main difference being a longer float.<ref name="Allen 49">Allen 1983, p. 49.</ref>
==Design and development== The Grumman JF Duck was manufactured from 1934 until 1936, when production switched to the J2F Duck and later variants.<ref name=Jordan2>Jordan, Corey C. [http://www.planesandpilotsofww2.webs.com/Grumman2.html "Grumman's Ascendency: Chapter Two."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325044407/http://www.planesandpilotsofww2.webs.com/Grumman2.html |date=2012-03-25 }} ''Planes and Pilots Of World War Two,'' 2000. Retrieved: 22 July 2011.</ref> The more obvious external appearance clue to distinguish a JF from an early J2F is the deletion of the inter-aileron strut between the wings on the J2F; less noticeable perhaps is the J2F's slightly longer rear fuselage/float joining fillet beneath the tail.<ref name=Jordan2/>
The Duck's main pontoon was part of the fuselage, almost making it a flying boat, although it appears more like a standard aircraft with an added float. The XJF-1 prototype first flew on 24 April 1933 piloted by Grumman test pilot Paul Hovgard.<ref name="Thruelson 77">Thruelson 'The Grumman Story' 1976, p. 77.</ref>
==Operational history== {{Expand section|date=April 2017}}
The JF-1 that was first ordered had the same Pratt & Whitney R-1830-62 engine as the XJF-1 prototype. The US Navy ordered 27 JF-1s with the first Ducks delivered beginning in May 1934 to Norfolk NAS. These early production series had provisions for mounting a machine gun at the rear seat facing aft, as well as a single bomb rack mounted under each wing, capable of carrying a 100 lb (45.4 kg) bomb or depth charge on each. The main float was also a Grumman design (Grumman Model "A") and like the prototype, it included retractable main landing gear, making the Duck a true amphibian. Ducks served as general/utility amphibians for photographic, target-towing, scouting, and rescue work.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}
==Variants== ;XJF-1: Prototype with 700 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1535-62 engine, one built (BuNo 9218). right|thumb|Grumman JF-1 Duck at Langley ;JF-1: Production variant with 700 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-62 Twin Wasp engine, 27 built (BuNos 9434-9455, 9523-9527). ;JF-2: Variant for the United States Coast Guard powered by a 750 hp Wright R-1820-102 Cyclone engine, 14 built with the first entering service in October 1934 (BuNo 0266, 00371-00372, 01647, USCG V141-V155).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grumman JF-2 "Duck" |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/browse-by-topic/Aviation/Article/3017301/grumman-jf-2-duck/#:~:text=Information:,two%20new%20records%20for%20speed. |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=www.history.uscg.mil/}}</ref> ;JF-3: JF-2 for the U.S. Navy, five built (BuNos 9835-9839). ;Grumman G-20:Armed version of the Grumman JF-2 for export to Argentina. Eight built.<ref name="ae23 p78">Allen ''Air Enthusiast'' Twenty-three, p.78.</ref>
==Operators== {{ARG}} * Argentine Navy – Operated eight G-20s.<ref name="ae23 p47-8">Allen ''Air Enthusiast'' Twenty-three, pp. 47–48.</ref> ;{{USA}} * United States Navy * United States Coast Guard * United States Marine Corps – Operated one JF-2
==Specifications (JF-2)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=<ref name="avwk437 p70">''Aviation'' April 1937, pp. 70–71</ref> |prime units?=imp <!-- General characteristics --> |crew=2–4 |capacity= |length ft=33 |length in=0 |length note= |span ft=39 |span in=0 |height ft=12 |height in=8 |wing area sqft=409.0 |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=4100 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=5760 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|150|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}} <!-- Powerplant --> |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp |eng1 type=14-cyl two row air-cooled radial piston engine |eng1 hp=775 |eng1 note= <!-- Performance --> |max speed mph=185 |max speed note=at {{convert|7000|ft|m|abbr=on}} |cruise speed mph=155 |stall speed mph=63 |range miles=620 |ceiling ft=22000 |climb rate ftmin=1600 }}
==See also== {{Aircontent |related= * Grumman J2F Duck |similar aircraft= * Loening OL * Loening C-2 * Bellanca XSOE |lists= |see also= }}
==References== ===Notes=== {{reflist}}
===Bibliography=== * Allen, Francis J. "A Duck Without Feathers". ''Air Enthusiast'', Issue 23, December 1983 – March 1984, pp. 46–55, 77–78. Bromley, Kent UK: Pilot Press, 1983. * [http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19370401/#!&pid=66 "Specifications of American Airplanes"]. ''Aviation'', Volume 36, No. 4, April 1937, pp. 66–71. (Registration required) *{{cite journal |last1=Lezon|first1=Ricardo Martin|last2=Stitt|first2=Robert M.|name-list-style=amp |title=Eyes of the Fleet: Seaplanes in Argentine Navy Service, Part 2|journal=Air Enthusiast |date=January–February 2004 |issue=109 |pages=46–59 |issn=0143-5450}} * Thruelsen, Richard. ''The Grumman Story''. New York: Praeger Publishers, Inc., 1976. {{ISBN|0-275-54260-2}}. * Treadwell, Terry. ''Ironworks: Grumman's Fighting Aeroplanes''. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishers, 1990. {{ISBN|1-85310-070-6}}.
==Further reading== * {{cite book |last=Ginter |first= Steve |year=2009 |title=Grumman JF/J2F Duck |edition= First |publisher= Ginter Books |series=Naval Fighters |volume=Nº84 |url= http://www.ginterbooks.com/NAVAL/NF84.htm |isbn= 978-0-942612-84-4 |location= California, United States |access-date= 31 January 2015 }} * {{cite book |last=Nuñez Padin |first=Jorge Félix |year=2002 |title=Grumman G.15, G.20 & J2F Duck |publisher= Museo de la Aviación Naval, Instituto Naval |series=Serie Aeronaval |volume=Nº15 |language=es |location= Buenos Aires, Argentina }}
==External links== {{commons category|Grumman JF Duck}} * [http://www.aviation-history.com/grumman/j2f.html The Grumman J2F Duck]
{{Grumman aircraft}} {{USN utility aircraft}}
J01F Duck Grumman J01F Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Biplanes Category:Floatplanes Category:Amphibious aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1933 Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft