Grumman AF Guardian

what is it?

The Grumman AF Guardian is the first purpose-built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) carrier-based aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy. It consisted of two airframe variants, one for detection gear, the other for weapons. The Guardian remained in service until August 1955, when it was replaced by the twin-engined Grumman S-2 Tracker.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · mid wing · retractable tailwheel (taildragger) · 18.5 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 510 km/htop speed
• range 2,415 kmwithout refuelling
• size 10.3 tmax take-off weight
• built 390made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 81 years ago, in 1945.
• 🏎️Top speed is 3.9× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 18.5 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 2,415 km: 13× Amsterdam to Brussels.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1945-12-19

introduced

1950

retired

1955

status

retired

number built

390

role

anti-submarine warfare aircraft

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Grumman

engines

1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-48W "Double Wasp" / R-2800 Double Wasp

length

13.2 m

wingspan

18.5 m

height

5.1 m

max take-off weight

10.3 t

top speed

510 km/h

range

2,415 km

ceiling

4,600 m

wings

mid wing

landing gear

retractable conventional landing gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.