XF2D-1/F2H-1/F2H-2 Fuel System

Today I read an article in an English modeling magazine by a well-known aviation history author who repeated the error that the F2H-2 fuselage was longer than the F2H-1's, whereas the length increase actually occurred between the XF2D-1 and the F2D-1 (F2H-1). I decided to fix that on Wikipedia as a public service. In the process of doing so, I also fact-checked statements about the fuel capacities of the three airplanes. That's when I discovered that I had only resolved part of the length error that continues to be promulgated.

At the time of the XF2D-1 mockup review, its Standard Aircraft Characteristics (SAC) chart dated 1 May 1945  lists the fuel capacity as 510 gallons internal plus a 345 gallon external tank. Unfortunately, there were no drawings on this SAC chart. However, the length was given as 38' 9.5". The external tank was probably similar to the one provided for the FD-1 (FH-1) as shown here in November 1948.

A month later, an addendum page was added providing the "effect of mock-up changes on XF2D-1 preliminary data sheets dated 1 May 1945": "Subsequent to the distribution of the XF2D-1 data sheets, mock-up board recommendations revised the fuel system to eliminate the external droppable tank and provide instead an increase in internal protected fuel capacity from 510 to 847 gallons."

The XF2D-1 SAC chart dated 1 June 1946 shows an overall length of 38' 11.5", an increase of only two inches. The total internal-fuel capacity shown is the required 848 gallons, including the two tanks in the stub wings that presumably was 90 gallons of the more than 300-gallon increase required. I would guess that the fuselage was deepened from the mock-up configuration to provide most of the rest.

Note that there are three large fuselage tanks, again similar to the FD/FH fuel system configuration.

According to the SAC charts, the F2H-1 internal fuel capacity was increased by only 29 gallons over that of the XF2D-1. What's a little confusing is that the 1 April 1948 F2H-1 SAC chart page for Armament & Tanks is identical to the one above for the XF2D, almost certainly an error in compiling the SAC chart since the correct fuel quantity of 877 gallons is listed on its Page 1. (Each tank has a small but different capacity, with the largest difference being the aft tank at 223 gallons instead of 198.) Another oddity is that this SAC chart lists 200-gallon tip tanks for the F2H-1, whereas it's clear from the Pilot's Handbook for the F2H-1 dated 1 October 1949 and the F2H-2 SAC dated 1 November 1949 that the F2H-1 did not have provisions for tip tanks. Note that the F2H-2 SAC page for Armament & Tanks once again uses the XF2D artwork although it has been updated to show the -2 tip tanks and label each fuselage fuel tank with its correct volume without changing the size or shape of the tanks from the original XF2D illustration.

Not withstanding all that, the revelation to me is that the increase in fuel system capacity does not account for all or even most of the fuselage length increase ahead of the engine inlets between the prototype XF2D and the production F2D (F2H). A net increase of 31 gallons in the three fuselage tanks (the wing stub tanks were reduced in capacity by one gallon each) requires a net increase in length of the tanks of only about five inches, not 12. The remainder may have resulted from the need for additional interior volume for equipment and/or the desire to increase the fineness ratio of the fuselage and canopy to reduce drag. A center-of-gravity correction can't be ruled out, either.

A-12, The Gift That Keeps On Giving, IV

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear part of the A-12 appeal by Boeing and General Dynamics. (See here, here, and here for the background; the case status is provided here.) Note that they are limiting their review to the Fifth Amendment issues and not reviewing the termination for default issue.

Sep 28 2010 Petition GRANTED limited to Question 2 presented by the petition. The petition for a writ of certiorari in No. 09-1298 is granted limited to Question 1 presented by the petition. The cases are consolidated and a total of one hour is allotted for oral argument.

09-1302 BOEING COMPANY V. UNITED STATES
DECISION BELOW: 567 F.3d 1340
LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 2007-5111, 2007-5131
QUESTION PRESENTED:
1. Whether the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment permits an appellate court to adopt a new legal rule, inconsistent with its own prior ruling in the same case, and then apply it retroactively to the record established in the trial court pursuant to the prior ruling, without remanding to afford the parties the opportunity to prove their case under the new rule. 2. Whether the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment permits the Government to maintain a claim while simultaneously asserting the state secrets privilege to bar presentation of a prima facie valid defense to that claim. 3. Whether the Government may terminate a government contract for default on the ground that a contractor has failed to make adequate progress toward timely completion of that contract where the Government has not set a valid deadline for completing the contract.
CONSOLIDATED WITH 09-1298 FOR ONE HOUR ORAL ARGUMENT
09-1298 LIMITED TO QUESTION 1
09-1302 LIMITED TO QUESTION 2
CERT. GRANTED 9/28/2010

The 27 Charlie

Some ship guys who know a lot about aircraft carriers don’t know all that much about carrier-based airplanes. Similarly, some carrier-based airplane enthusiasts are likely to be equally ignorant about aircraft carriers in spite of their best efforts, as in my case.

For example, I have sometimes referred to any angled-deck Essex/Ticonderoga-class* carrier as a 27 Charlie. The nickname comes from the SCB (Ship Characteristic Board) design number for a set of Essex-class carrier modifications that began to be defined in the late 1940s, when the Navy realized that a major upgrade program was needed to allow them to operate jets, which had to be launched and recovered at higher speeds, and larger attack aircraft.

While doing some fact checking for my Skyhawk book for Specialty Press, including trying to figure out why a hangar-deck illustration appeared to show two starboard deck edge elevators on an Essex-class carrier (see here), I discovered that I was in error. As it turns out, the SCB 27 modifications added more powerful catapults and arresting gear, a reinforced flight deck, larger centerline elevators with additional lift capability, a new island, and an increase in the aviation gasoline storage capacity, among other things,  but not the angled deck or starboard deck edge elevator. The first nine modified were 27As with the new H-8 hydraulic catapult and the final six were 27Cs (hence the Charley nickname) with the even newer and more powerful C-11 steam catapult, the most significant difference between the two upgrades. The nine 27As and three of the six 27Cs were completed and placed into service as axial deck carriers; the addition of the angled deck was accomplished in a subsequent overhaul period. (Only one SCB 27 carrier, Lake Champlain, did not eventually receive the angled deck.)

Not, strictly speaking, a 27 Charlie (Kearsarge)

A 27 Charlie (Ticonderoga)

(Note that the shape of the forward elevator and the aft location of the starboard elevator mark it as a 27 Charlie but an Essex-class carrier with a rectangular forward elevator and the starboard elevator located more forward might also be one of the 27 Charlies.)

In short, of the 15 (including Antietam) Essex/Ticonderoga-class carriers with angled decks, there were only six 27 Charlies: Intrepid (CVA-11), Ticonderoga (CVA-14), Lexington (CVA-16), Hancock (CVA-19), Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31), and Shangri La (CVA-38).

The last three (Intrepid, Ticonderoga, and Hancock) of the six 27Cs modification were completed with the angled flight deck, so-called hurricane bow, and a starboard deck edge elevator replacing the aft centerline elevator. These modifications were the major part of SCB 125, which was then applied all but two of the carriers updated by SCB 27A and 27C. (These three were also unique in that the starboard deck edge elevator was located farther aft than on the other three 27Cs or any of the 27As subsequently modified in accordance with SCB 125, hence the hangar deck illustration mentioned above showing two locations for that elevator.)

The 27 Charlies are also distinguished by a 70-foot long forward elevator. However, the three modified at Puget Sound (Lexington, Hancock, and Shangri La) were originally completed with the standard SCB 27 54-foot forward elevator for some reason, with the 70-foot version being retrofitted at some point.

More than half of the angled-deck Essex-class carriers were therefore 27 Alphas plus the SCB 125 changes. One, Antietam (CVA-36), was neither a 27A or C but it was modified with an angled deck for an evaluation, which resulted in SCB 125. The starboard deck edge elevator was not incorporated. Antietam was eventually relegated to a training role.

Strictly speaking, it is not even correct that all angle-deck carriers with steam catapults were 27 Charlies. The first carrier to be modified in accordance with SCB 27A, Oriskany (CVA-34), had its hydraulic catapults replaced with steam catapults in the late 1950s when the angled deck was finally added to it. This was the unique SCB 125A configuration. From a capability standpoint, it was equivalent to the other 27 Charlies.

For much, much more on the subject of the development and description of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, I recommend Dr. Norman Friedman's excellent U.S. Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, Naval Institute Press, 1983, ISBN 0-87021-739-9.

* The most significant difference between the so-called Essex and Ticonderoga classes, if I understand correctly, is that the Ticonderoga-class had the upper part of the bow extended slightly to accommodate a second quad 40 mm cannon emplacement just in front of and below the flight deck. This gives rise to the categorization of short hull (Essex) versus long hull (Ticonderoga) ships; they were the same length at the waterline and the flight decks were essentially the same size.

The Best F8U-3 Monograph Now Available

Not too bold a claim, since as far as I know, it's the only one. However, it's got a lot of stuff in it on the F8U-3 and the Grumman D-118 that I'm sure you've not seen as well as coverage of the fly-off between the F8U-3 and the F4H. You can order it from Steve Ginter here or from Sprue Brothers here.

No matter how long I procrastinate before turning in a manuscript and illustrations, something always shows up after it's too late to include. In this case, the go-to guy for F3D stuff, Paul Bless, sent me an email with the following additional information:

I believe that the heads-up display in the F8U-3 was one of the first in a combat aircraft. It was developed by the Autonetics Division of North American Aviation and test flown in F3D-2M BuNo 127028, which was assigned to the Dallas BAR (Bureau of Aeronautic Representative) in 1956 through about 1960 when it was transferred back to Point Mugu.

VX Squadrons

The history of Navy VX development/evaluation squadrons is complicated and inadequately documented but I've attempted to summarize it. An example of complication is VX-3. In its first (and brief) incarnation, it existed to evaluate helicopters and develop operational procedures for them.

The aircraft evaluated by the second VX-3 couldn't have been more different, although it even used the same tail code initially.

VX-3 was one of four new air development squadrons (VX) that the Navy formed in 1946 to develop and evaluate aircraft tactics and techniques as directed by a command that was a consolidation of fleet units doing development work. (In December 1947 this command was designated the Operational Development Force.) Other squadrons were subsequently added. In 1969, the surviving Air Development Squadrons became Air Test and Evaluation Squadrons.

The first VX squadrons had two-letter tail codes with the first letter being X. In 1957, the first letter of the east-coast-based VX squadrons was changed from X to J.

VX-1 (XA/JA) Anti-Submarine Warfare: VX-1 was originally an Aircraft Experimental and Development Squadron established at NAS Anacostia in Washington D.C. on 13 August 1942 (in 1945, according to Johnathan Clayborn’s comment below, it was an Air Test and Development Squadron). A detachment for aircraft antisubmarine warfare development was established at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 1 April 1943. This detachment was the basis for the next VX-1, which was commissioned on 15 March 1946 and moved to Boca Chica Field, NAS Key West, Florida. VX-1 relocated to NAS Patuxent River in September 1973 and is the only one of the original four VX squadrons still in existence.

VX-2 (XB/JB) Drone Controller/Guided Missile Development: VX-2 was formed on 15 March 1946 from VJ-20, which existed for only a week having previously been XVJ-25, which was established on 16 June 1945 at NAS Brunswick, Maine to support XVF-200, an Experimental Development Squadron formed at the same time to evaluate and test Kamikaze defenses. In 1956, according to Johnathan Clayborn’s comment below, it was know as an Operational Development Squadron. VX-2 was based at NAS Chincoteague, Virginia until it was disestablished circa 1958.

VX-3 (XC) Helicopter Development: Established at NAS New York on 1 July 1946 and moved to NAS Lakehurst. It apparently didn't take long to sort things out because the first VX-3 was disestablished on 1 April 1948. Its personnel and aircraft were assigned to one of two utility helicopter squadrons HU-1 (UP) and HU-2 (UR) located on the west coast and east coast respectively.

VX-3 (XC/JC) was reincarnated in November 1948 at NAS Atlantic City to accomplish development and evaluation of jet fighter tactics and procedures. It was formed by merging VF-1L and VA-1L of Light Carrier Air Group 1L. VX-3 was relocated to NAS Oceana, Virginia before NAS Atlantic City was decommissioned in July 1958. It was disestablished on 1 March 1960.

VX-4 (XD) Airborne Early Warning Development was established with the personnel and aircraft of VPB-101 on 15 May 1946 at Floyd Bennett Field, New York, flying PB-1Ws (B-17Gs with APS-20 air search radar installed in place of the bomb bay). The squadron made the first hurricane surveillance flight using radar in September 1946. It relocated to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, in September 1946. It subsequently moved to NAS Patuxent River in July 1948 and was reportedly redesignated as Airborne Early Warning Squadron 2 (VW-2) in June 1952.

VX-4 (XF) Air-Launched Guided-Missile Development: Established 15 September 1952 at Point Mugu, California. It was disestablished on 30 September 1994 as part of the consolidation with VX-5 to form VX-9.

VX-5 (XE) was commissioned on 18 June 1951 at NAS Moffett Field, California. The squadron was initially assigned the development and evaluation of aircraft tactics and techniques for delivery of special weapons (nukes) from AD Skyraiders in all-weather conditions. In July 1956 VX-5 moved to the Naval Air Facility, China Lake, CA, since much of their test effort had involved use of the ranges and instrumentation facilities there. Semi-permanent detachments were located at several other bases Over the years, VX-5 maintained detachments at other Navy bases, e.g. at NAS Whidbey Island, WA to monitor EA-6B developments. VX-5 was formally disestablished on 29 April 1994 as part of the consolidation with VX-4 to form VX-9.

VX-6 (XD/JD) Antarctic Program Support: Established at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland on 17 January 1955 and subsequently relocated to NAS Quonset Point from which it deployed to the Antarctic from October to February each year. It was redesignated as VXE-6 in January 1969. Before Quonset Point was closed in 1974, the squadron was relocated to Naval Air Weapons Stations Point Mugu, California, where it was disestablished on 27 March 1999. (At some point, possibly associated with the move to the west coast, the tail code became XD again.)

VX-7 I haven't found anything on a squadron operating as VX-7.

VX-8 (JB) The Oceanographic Airborne Survey Unit was established on 1 July 1965 at NAS Patuxent River. It was redesignated VX-8 on 1 July 1967 and became the Oceanographic Development Squadron, VXN-8, on 1 January 1969. It was disestablished on 1 October 1993.

VX-9 (XE) was formed at China Lake from the consolidation of VX-4 and VX-5 directed by the CNO in June 1993 as a cost reduction measure. It was established on 30 September 1994. It evaluates strike warfare airplanes, weapons, and tactics, to include electronic countermeasures, from an operational standpoint.

HMX-1 was established in on 1 December 1947 at MCAS Quantico, Virginia for the development of amphibious assault via vertical envelopment. In September 1957, it acquired the additional role of presidential transportation via helicopter.

In early 2002, only three "X" squadrons remained: VX-1, VX-9, and HMX-1. Five more were added on 1 May 2002 as a result of redesignations of existing units:

   The aircraft test and evaluation squadrons at Patuxent River were redesignated as VX squadrons;

      VX-20 (Force) Naval Force Warfare Aircraft Text Squadron (VP, VS, VAW, VX, VR, and VT aircraft)

      HX-21 Naval Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron (for some reason, this squadron does not mark their aircraft with a tail code)

      VX-23 (SD) Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron

   Two existing Naval Weapons Test Squadrons were also redesignated:

      VX-30 (BH) Naval Weapons Test Squadron at Point Mugu

      VX-31 (DD) Naval Weapons Test Squadron at NWAS China Lake

Navy Research Aircraft Designations

In addition to its descriptive designation system for operational aircraft, the Navy had one for research aircraft, at least following World War II. It evolved to be the combination of the Navy’s letter for the manufacturer and the manufacturer’s internal design number for the project.

One of the first Navy research aircraft was the concept demonstrator for the Vought F5U program. The Navy designated it V-173, the Vought model number, and it was so marked along with the assigned Bureau Number (BuNo). The V-173 apparently predated the formal adoption of the research aircraft designation convention because U was the Navy’s letter for Vought, not V.

The Navy's next research aircraft program was initiated in 1945 with Douglas for high-speed research aircraft. This was intended to be a three-phase effort, with the first phase being design, manufacture. and flight test of a set of transonic jet airplanes; the second, modification of two of the six Phase 1 airplanes with auxiliary rocket engines for higher speed; and the third, a mockup of an operational jet fighter. Early on, Douglas and the Navy tore up the original plan. The first phase resulted in three D-558-1 identical straight-wing Skystreaks. The second phase was an all-new swept-wing aircraft. It received the designation D-558-2 and a different popular name, Skyrocket. Note that its Douglas model number was almost certainly not 558. The third phase of the contract was cancelled.*

The next Navy research aircraft program resulted in two Bell P-63s modified with swept wings in  early 1946. These were designated L-39-1 and L-39-2, with L being the Navy’s letter for Bell and 39 in this case being the Bell design number for the proposal. (Design numbers were assigned by Bell engineering independently of model numbers, which were assigned by management). As it happened, Bell never assigned a model number to the Navy’s L-39. However, at least one of Bell’s L-39 flight test reports began with 33, which was the model number of the early P-63s.

The Navy bought three of the Kaman synchropter model 225s for evaluation in 1950, assigned them BuNos, and gave them the designation K-225, which also was the Kaman designation.

In January 1951, Convair received a contract for two experimental jet fighter seaplanes, which the Navy designated Y2-2. This is the cleanest example of the convention, since Y was the Navy’s letter for Convair and 2-2 was Convair’s model number. These were redesignated XF2Y-1 later that year.

The Navy contracted with Kaman for a tiltwing STOL ground test article (half of the wing, one engine, nacelle, and prop) as the K-16 in 1956. In January 1958, this contract was amended to add the design and manufacture of the K-16B, which consisted of the K-16 wing and a Grumman JRF fuselage. It never flew but was tested in the NASA Ames 40X80 wind tunnel in late 1962. A K-16C proposal with a Kaman HU2K helicopter uselage and fixed wing aircraft empennage did not result in a contract.

The Goodyear Inflatoplane was evaluated at NATC circa 1959/1960 in an Office of Naval Research Program. Five Goodyear GA-468s were reportedly acquired by the Navy for test but I don’t know if it ever got a BuNo or a Navy designation.

* The cancellation of the third phase of the Navy/Douglas high-speed research program did not preclude the uninformed from subsequently applying the designation D-558-3 to a follow-on study accomplished by Douglas for the Navy, the Models 671, as well as to its proposal for the Air Force/NASA/Navy X-15 program, the Model 684. It was, in effect, a retroactive nickname, one not used by Douglas at the time, much less the Navy.

                                                                              D-671                                                  D-684

Index for Entries 1-99

For the hundredth post on this blog, I decided to create an index of blogs 1-99, since I have trouble remembering what I’ve done and some of the entry titles aren’t very helpful. I've added links for your convenience. Note that the titles here may differ from the blog entry.

For a more modeler-oriented blog, see Tailhook Topics.


Launch
   Real Men Don’t Need Catapults (F4D) 3 November 2008
   Hangar Deck Catapult 17 November 2008
   Hydraulic vs. Steam (F4D) 10 January 2009
   Nose Gear Launch Bar 27 April 2009
   Bridal Launch (F2H/A3J) 28 April 2009
   High Angle of Attack (F7U-1) 27 May 2009
Landing
   Davis Barrier Development 22 September 2008
   Davis Barrier Redux 1 October 2008
   Barrier Cable Pickup (XFJ-2) 26 September 2009
   Most Accurate Aviation Movie Ever? 10 November 2008
   Ramp Strikes 20 April 2009
   The Tail Hook (F11F) 20 September 2009
   Landing Stress (F8U) 3 October 2009
   LSO
   The Tail Hook (FR-1/XF4D) 12 October 2009
   The Tail Hook (F7U-1) 14 October 2009
   Vertical Fin Markings 10 December 2009
   Beware of Propellers 21 January 2010
Spot Factor and Folding
   Wing Folding (F4F) 13 March 2010
   A-7 Vertical Fin Modification 18 June 2009
   A-6 Folding Horizontal Tail 19 June 2009
   Spot Factor Summary (V-383) 22 June 2009
   A4D Wing Span 28 June 2009
   XF3H Angled on Elevator 30 June 2009
   Hangar Deck Height
       AJ Savage 13 March 2010
       F9F Panther 21 March 2010
   Maximum Folded Wing Span 11 July 2010
   Folded Wing Span History 14 July 2010
   Hangar Deck Folded Width Constraint 2 July 2009
   SCB 27C Forward Elevator I 5 March 2010
   SCB 27C Forward Elevator II 9 March 2010
Weapons
   Not Doing It Right (Idiot Loop) 5 June 2008
   Antiaircraft Bombs 20 June 2008
   Torpedo Attack Geometry 24 July 2008
   Torpedos (Tailhook Topics)
   TDN/TDR Control Plane 19 September 2008
   Folding Fin Air-to-Air Rockets
      XF4D/XF3H 12 June 2009
      F8U 20 December 2008
      A4D 11 June 2009
   AD-4N with torpedo 15 March 2009
   Nuclear Weapons (F2H) 4 November 2009
   Laser Guided Bombs 7 September 2009
Air Group Composition
   Saratoga (CV-3) 1930s 26 March 2009
   Midway August 1952 (F7U-3/XFJ-2) 26 February 2010
   Lake Champlain 1954/5 (VC squadrons) 29 November 2009
   Hornet 1957 23 March 2009
   Saratoga January 1958 4 December 2008
   Forrestal 1960 (F8U-2/A3J/F4H) 12 April 2009
Other
   Area Rule (F11F/F8U) 15 February 2009
   Boundary Layer Control 12 December 2009
   Turboprop Fighters (A2D) 9 February 2009
   General Purpose Fighter (F3H) 2 June 2009
   Self Boarding
       XF3H 2 June 2009
      Production F3H 21 May 2008
   1946 Long Range Escort 20 April 2010
   1948 Jet Bomber Competition 24 December 2008
   RATs
       F8U 26 January 2009
       XF4H 2 February 2009
   Akron and Macon 19 July 2009
   Strike from the Sea
      Errata I 31 July 2009
      Errata II 9 August 2009
   Unpainted Finish 20 December 2009
   V for Volplane? 4 April 2010
Engines
   Supercharging Makes a Difference 25 May 2008
   The Navy and Liquid Cooled Engines 10 June 2008
   Turbofan Engines (F-111B) 8 March 2009
Specific Airplanes
   Bell HSL Monograph Announcement 19 May 2008
   Bell XFL-1
      Carrier Suitability Evaluation 4 July 2008
      Monograph Announcement 6 September 2008
   Douglas “D-558-3” 20 May 2008
   Douglas AD Longevity 21 May 2008
   Douglas A4D
      With A3D Pathfinder 4 April 2009
      All-Weather (A4D-2N) 6 April 2009
      Book Announcement 27 June 2010
      Why 27 ft 6 inch Wing Span 11 July 2010
   General Dynamics A-12
      Lawsuit Status I 3 June 2009
      Lawsuit Status II 27 November 2009
      Lawsuit Status III 12 July 2010
   Grumman WF-2 Prototype 10 July 2008
   Grumman F10F
      Flight Controls 19 January 2009
      Variable Incidence Wing 14 July 2009
   Grumman Single Seat A-6 [VA(L) competition]
      Mockup 23 August 2008
      Artists Concept 14 June 2009
      A-6 Folding Horizontal Tail 19 June 2009
   Grumman F12F 16 September 2008
   Grumman F-111B
      Monograph Announcement 19 May 2008
      Carrier Trials 3 March 2009
      Engine Inlets 8 March 2009
   Martin Model 245 Long-Range Bomber 17 July 2008
   Martin Model 246 Attack Airplane 2 August 2008
   McDonnell F2H Banshee Misstatements 29 December 2008
   McDonnell F4H (F-4)
      Engine Selection 9 September 2009
      Lift Improvements 20 November 2008
   FJ-4/F8U (Navy Day Fighter Specification) 20 October 2008
   North American FJ-5 Monograph 6 December 2008
   Vought XF4U-1 (400 mph?) 10 October 2008
   Vought AU-1 20 March 2009
   Vought F7U-1 16 December 2008
   Vought General Purpose F8U 31 October 2008
   Vought F8U-3 15 December 2008
   Vought Attack Crusader (A-7) 17 August 2008
   Vought A-7 27 August 2009