THE LIMITED PRODUCTION GRUMMAN F3F-2 GAVE THE US MARINE CORPS THE ULTIMATE BIPLANE FIGHTER. HOWEVER, IT WAS A BIPLANE IN THE NEWLY EMERGING AGE OF MONOPLANES PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY A.J. BIBEE, WILLIAM T. LARKINS, AND BRUCE LOCKWOOD In November 1935, the Bureau of Aeronautics issued a proposal for an aircraft that would replace the Grumman F2F and F3F-1 and this was just about the time that the F3F-1 was preparing to enter service with the USN/USMC. On 2 March 1936, Grumman was awarded a contract for the aircraft that would become the XF4F-1 while, just three-months later, Brewster would win a contract for the construction of a single XF2A-1. Grumman engineers conducted their own survey that Detail view of VMF-2’s F3F-2 BuNo 1008. showed the F3F-1 airframe fitted with a Wright R-1820-G5 Cyclone and a three-blade prop would Squadron insignia was a dark red diving create a fighter with nearly the performance of the monoplane. Grumman then requested lion superimposed on a light red disk. that the 54th (and final) F3F-1 be modified with this powerplant and a Hamilton- With WWII, this was changed to include Standard prop, resulting in the XF3F-2 — a powerhouse of a biplane that, “Wake Island” with a V. The squadron when lightly loaded, could climb almost vertically. The Bureau of took their barrels aboard USS Enterprise Aeronautics decided to order 81 production aircraft. This VMF-2 (CV-6). All F3F-2s (BuNo 0968/1048) went formation was photographed off the coast of San Diego and to the USMC except 18 assigned to the includes BuNo 0973, 0979, and 0977. USN’s VF-6. 40 AIR CLASSICS/November 2019 airclassicsnow.com 41.