UNITED STATES MILITARY AIRCRAFT by Jos Heyman Navy J Last update: 1 January 2016 J = Berliner Joyce (1929-1935) FJ Berliner Joyce Specifications: span: 28'6", 8.69 m length: 20'7", 6.27 m engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney R-1340-C max. speed: 172 mph, 227 km/h (Source: Dan Shumaker, via 1000aircraftphotos.com photo #9529) A fighter aircraft based on the BuAer design 96, one aircraft was ordered on 16 May 1929 as XFJ-1 with serial A-8288. It flew for the first time in May 1930 and was, after a crash in November 1930 rebuilt as XFJ-2, with a R-1340-92 engine. It flew again on 22 May 1931. The FJ designation was later used again for the North American design. F2J Berliner Joyce Specifications: span: 36', 10.97 m length: 28'10", 8.79 m engines: 1 Wright R-1510-92 max. speed: 196 mph, 315 km/h (Source: Bill Pippin, via 1000aircraftphotos.com photo #10989) Based on the USAAC’s P-16 design, a single aircraft was ordered as XF2J-1 and with serial A-8973, on 30 June 1931 but did not fly until 1933. Originally it was to have a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 engine. The design was evaluated in competition with the Grumman XFF-1. F3J Berliner Joyce Specifications: span: 29', 8.84 m length: 22'11", 6.99 m engines: 1 Wright R-1510-26 max. speed: 209 mph, 336 km/h (Source: David Gauthier, via 1000aircraft photos #10728) Designed by the Bu Aer as Design 120, a single XF3J-1 with serial 9224 was ordered on 30 June 1932 to evaluate against the Grumman XF2F-1. The first flight took place on 23 January 1934. OJ Berliner Joyce Specifications: span: 33'8", 10.26 m length: 25'8", 7.82 m engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney R-985-A max. speed: 151 mph, 243 km/h (Source: William T. Larkins) Based on Bu Aer design 86, this was a tandem two seat floatplane. A single XOJ-1 with serial A-8359 was followed by 39 production OJ-2s with an interchangeable float and wheel gear. The serials were A-9187/9204, A-9403/9411 and A-9572/9583. Aircraft A-9196 was converted as XOJ-3. J = General Aviation (1935) PJ General Aviation Specifications: span: 74'2", 22.61 m length: 55', 16.76 m engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1340 max. speed: 135 mph, 217 km/h (Source: USCG) The American Fokker AF-15 flying boat was built for the Coast Guard as the FLB (Flying Life Boat) and designated as PJ-1. Five were ordered in 1931 with serials 51/55, later 251/255 but 251 was completed as PJ-2 with tractor engines in 1933. The PJ-1s 252/255 were later reserialled as V112/115 and the PJ-2 became V116. Refer also to C-16 J = North American (1937-1962) AJ North American Savage Specifications: span: 75', 22.86 m length: 65', 19.81 m engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-44W + 1 Allison J33-A-10 max. speed: 420 mph, 675 km/h (Source: US Navy) The Savage was an attack aircraft with a mixed propulsion system with a jet engine fitted in the tail. The prototype XAJ-1 was fitted with R-2800-4 and J33-A-19 engines and three were ordered on 24 June 1946 with serials 121460/121462. The first flight was on 3 July 1948. The first production version was the AJ-1 and 40 were ordered on 6 October 1947 with serials 122590/122601 and 124157/124184 whilst two aircraft with serials 124185/124186 were cancelled. The AJ-2 version had R-2800-48 and J33-A-10 engines and a length of 71'5", 21.77 m. 70 were ordered from 14 February 1951 with serials 124850/124864, 130405/130421 and 134035/134072. At the same time 30 examples of a photoreconnaissance version was ordered as AJ-2P and with serials 128043/128054, 129185/129195, 130422/130425 and 134073/134075. In addition AJ-2 124855 was converted to this standard. On 18 September 1962 those AJ-1s and AJ-2s remaining in service were redesignated as respectively A-2A and A-2B. Refer also to A-2 A2J North American Specifications: span: 71'6", 21.79 m length: 70'2", 21.39 m engines: 2 Allison T40-A-6 max. speed: 511 mph, 822 km/h (Source: US Navy) Two aircraft were ordered on 1 October 1948 as XA2J-1 and with serials 124439/124440. The first flight took place on 4 January 1952. The T40 engines consisted of two side-by-side T38 engines. A3J North American Vigilante Specifications: span: 53', 16.15 m length: 73'3", 22.33 m engines: 2 General Electric J79-GE-2 max. speed: 1385 mph, 2228 km/h (Source: US Navy) Two prototypes of this heavy jet attack aircraft were ordered as XA3J-1 in August 1956 with serials 145157/145158. The first of these prototypes, which were fitted with YJ79-GE-2 engines, flew on 31 August 1958. They were later redesignated as YA3J- 1. Following this 57 A3J-1s were ordered with serials 146694/146702, 147850/147863, 148924/148933 and 149276/149299 whilst a batch with serials 146703/146708 was cancelled. Some of the later aircraft were fitted with J79-GE-4 and -8 engines. Of the aircraft 43 were eventually converted to A3J-3P or RA-5C. The A3J-2 was a version with J79-GE-8 engines of which six were ordered with serials 149300/149317. The first flight was on 29 April 1962. The A3J-3P version had a length of 75'10", 23.11 m and J79-GE-10 engines. It was a dedicated long range reconnaissance version and several A3J-2s were completed as A3J-3P. These carried serials 149306/149317 and 150823/150842. The first flight took place on 30 June 1962 and on 18 September 1962 the designation was changed into RA-5C under which designation production continued. In addition 43 A3J-1s were converted to this standard before and after 18 September 1962. The A3J-3 was a version similar to the A3J-3P but which was not built. The Vigilante was also used as the basis for various proposals for a USAF fighter aircraft but no development took place. On 18 September 1962 those aircraft remaining in service were redesignated as follows: Navy Tri-service YA3J-1 YA-5A A3J-1 A-5A A3J-2 A-5B A3J-3P RA-5C Refer also to A-5 FJ North American Specifications: span: 37', 11.28 m length: 37'7", 11.46 m engines: 1 General Electric J47-GE-2 max. speed: 676 mph, 1088 km/h (Source: US Navy) After having been used for the Berliner Joyce FJ in the early thirties, the FJ designation was initially applied to an unswept fighter design and then to a navalised version of the F-86 Sabre. The XFJ-1 was an unswept wing design with a span of 38'5, 11.71 m, length of 34'5", 10.49 m, 1 General Electric J35-GE-3 and a max. speed of 547 mph, 880 km/h. Three aircraft were ordered on 1 January 1945 with serials 39053/39055 and the first flight took place on 27 November 1946. The serials 120339/120341 had also been allocated but not used. The production version was the FJ-1 which had a span of 38'2", 10.63 m and was fitted with an Allison J35-A-2 engine. 30 aircraft were ordered on 28 May 1945 with serials 120342/120371 whilst 120372/120441 were cancelled. (Source: US Navy) The XFJ-2 was essentially a F-86E Sabre with an arrester hook. Similar to the FJ-2, to which the specifications apply, but with a J47-GE-13 engine, two were ordered on 15 January 1951 with serials 133754/133755. The first flight was on 19 February 1952. The FJ-2 was based on the F-86F and 200 were ordered on 30 January 1951 with serials 131927/132126. The first flight was on 22 November 1952. Production of aircraft with serials 129418/129544 and 132127/132226 was cancelled. A single prototype for a close support version, designated XFJ-2B was ordered with serial 133756 on 19 March 1951 and flew for the first time on 27 December 1951. The XFJ-3 was a FJ-2 modified with a Wright J65-W-2 engine and flew for the first time on 3 July 1953. The serial was 131931. This was followed by 458 production FJ-3s with J65-W-4 engines. The first order was placed on 3 March 1952 and serials were 135774/136162 and 139210/139278 whilst 139324/139423 were cancelled. The FJ-3D designation was assigned to a number of FJ-3s converted as drone directors for the Vought Regulus, whilst the FJ-3D2 was a drone director for the KDA drone and F9F-6K drones and included aircraft with serials 135809, 135874, and 135996. The FJ-3M was a version of the FJ-3 fitted with two Sidewinder missiles and 80 were built with serials 141364/141443. In addition several FJ-3s were converted to this configuration, including 136118. The XFJ-4 was an extensively redesigned aircraft with a span of 39'1", 11.91 m, length of 36'4", 11.07 m, a Wright J65-W-4 engine and a max. speed of 680 mph, 1094 km/h. Two aircraft were ordered with serials 139279/139280 and the first flight was on 28 October 1954.