Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (2024)

Aircraft: Grumman F11F-1 Tiger

Classification: Single-engine, carrier-based jet day-fighter

Visuals:

Spoiler

Description: Born out of Gumman’s desire to adapt the F9F Cougar for supersonic performance, the F11F Tiger was the company’s attempt at designing an aircraft that adhered to the Area Rule. Initially referred to as the ‘F9F-9 Tiger’, the F11F was intended to present a large performance jump from the F9F-8 Cougar via its area-ruled fuselage to create a 25% reduction in transonic drag, Wright J65 engine which had most of its teething issues sorted out during FJ Fury and F-84F Thunderstreak production, as well as exceptionally thin wings milled from aluminum planks rather than traditional metal construction.

Ultimately, the J65 engine which had seen widespread usage in both the USAF and USN arsenals would be modified to accommodate afterburning capability, eventually achieving 3000 lbf more thrust with it enabled compared to previous non-afterburning applications. This coupled with the all-new fuselage and wing design allowed the Tiger to go supersonic in level flight - the second USN aircraft to do so after the Douglas F4D-1 Skyray.

After completing its ground tests on July 24th, 1954, the F11F-1 Tiger was given the go ahead to fly on July 30th where it was found that the aircraft easily went supersonic in slight dives, thus beginning the process of addressing several prototypical issues such as excess buffet at high speeds which was solved by increasing the size of the airbrake’s hinge gaps. Another major issue was engine “backfiring” which accompanied loud duct rumble. This issue was ironed out by creating contoured knife-edge splitter plates in the engine air intake duct.

There were two main production subtypes of F11F-1 Tigers, fittingly known as short-nose and long-nose variants. The 3 prototypes and subsequent initial production batch of 39 aircraft were all short-nose types with an in-flight refueling receptacle fixed at the tip of the nose. Deliveries of these early production F11Fs began in March 1957 to VA-156, but they also saw service with NATC, VC-3, and the Blue Angels. However, short-nose F11Fs were soon replaced by late-production long-nose Tigers which had a radome fitted in place of the refueling receptacle in order to accommodate a radar. Despite this intent, however, these F11Fs (and no F11F for that matter) would ever be fitted with one. Long-nose F11F-1s also differed from the early production batch by a wing fillet located at the leading edge of the wing root.

Unfortunately, seeing as that the much more advanced Vought F-8 Crusader entered Navy service at around the same time as the F11F-1, the Tiger was destined to have a short service life by account of its significantly lesser performance and range.

Fuel and Oil Data:

Internal Fuel Capacity: 1023 gallons (781 gals in fuselage tanks, 192 gals in wing tanks, 50 gals in tail tank)