- Yes
- No
Background
Spoiler
Following World War 2, the USNAF wanted to replace its aging and inefficient AF-2S and AF-2W aircraft with a carrier capable aircraft whom could take over for both of the roles of the AF-2. With that being said the USNAF would release a bid with new specifications in January of 1950; some of the key points were as follows, capability to mount search and destroy equipment simultaneously, and that it would have to be capable of fight from CVE-105 class escort carriers.
Grumman, Douglas, and Vought would all put forward proposals. Douglas submitted 2 models for the bid, the D-603 and D-604, which were rejected. Vought submitted the XS2U-1, which was initially pursued but eventually canceled due to developmental strains. Grumman, who submitted the Model 89, won the bid largely in part due to its usage of the AN/APS-33G Radar.
After the Korean War began, development priorities shifted as the production of F9F Panthers and the development of the F9F Cougar was seen as a more urgent task. As a consequence of this, production contracts for the prototype YS2F-1’s were delayed until the spring of 1952. During this time, engineers enlarged the aircraft’s vertical tail, the horizontal tail surfaces were given a greater dihedral. Over the course of the Korean War, the two prototypes were built.
The first XSF-1, BuNo 129137, flew on December 4th f 1952, and development and trials progressed smoothly after this. The first production S2F-1’s were assigned to VS-26 in February of 1954.
S2F-1’s were assigned to VS-26, VS-23, VS-23, VS-32, VS-32, VS-38, VS-20, VS-21, VS-22, VS-24, VS-25, VS-27, VS-30, VS-31, VS-36, VS-37, and VS-39.
The S-2A’s career would not be anything remarkable, in 1962 the S2F-1 would be redesignated the S-2A but almost if not all S-2A’s had or were being converted to S-2E’s by this point in time.
Technical Data
Specifications
Crew - 4
Length - 12.8 m
Height - 4.95 m
Wingspan - 21.23 m
Empty Weight - 8,308 kg
Gross Weight - 10,630 kg
Max Takeoff Weight - 11,860 kg
Powerplant - 2 x Wright R-1820-82 Radial Engines (1,137 kW each)
Max Speed - 461 km/h
Service Ceiling - 7,010 m
Range - 2,172 km
Armament
1 x Mk. 34 Mod 1 Torpedo’s
1 x Mk. 41 Torpedo
5 x Mk. 43 Mod 1 Torpedo’s
5 x Mk. 24 Mine’s
6 x AN Mk. 54 Depth Charge’s
8 × AN-M57 250 Lb Bombs.
6 x HVAR Rocket’s.
4 × ZUNI Rocket Pod’s.
Avionics
AN/API-6 IFF
AN/APS-33G Radar
Or
AN/APS-38 Radar
Images
Spoiler
Sources
