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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0169.PDF
Vought SBU-i scout - bombers of the U.S. Navy. Part II. : Foreign Equipment Specialised Aircraft THE carrier strength of the U.S. Navy was discussed briefly in last week's instalment of this article. The U.S.N, has paid great attention to the provision of aircraft on cruisers, all such vessels being fitted with at least two catapults. Certain of the newer craft carry four seaplanes (of the Vought Corsair central-float type), while one, the Augusta, is listed by Brassey's Naval Annual as having accommodation- for eight machines, although she normally carries only six. Some of the most interesting fleet aircraft in the world are being used by the U.S. Naval Air Service or are on test in America. A few of these were illustrated last week. The American Navy's system of designating their aero planes is interesting if somewhat appalling to the unini tiated. Each class of machine is allotted a combina tion of two letters; should an aircraft be capable of functioning in more than one form a third letter may be used. For example, bombers are symbolised by the letters VB, but a machine which, although primarily a bomber, is applicable as a fighter, bears the combination VBF. It is usual to dispense with the " V " because this is common to all the combinations. The following is a complete list of the designations: — Anting VF Bombing B Torpedo YT KING Up to the present no monoplanes are in large-scale operation with the U.S. Navy, but orders have been placed for Douglas torpedo bombers and Vought scout- bombers built to a completely modern formula. Purely for fighting, the U.S. Navy is using Grumman biplanes of single- and two-seater types. The single- seaters are the F2F-1 and the F3F-2, the former with Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp Junior two-row radial (in the development of which engine the U.S.N, played a big part) and the latter with a Wright Cyclone G. They are said to attain speeds between 230 and 250 m.p.h. The two-seater fighter is the FF-i, with Cyclone engine, a similar machine to the SF-i scout, also a standard type. These Grummans are metal biplanes with retractable undercarriages and are not to be confused in flight with the Curtiss BF2C-1 single-seater which functions as a dive bomber and single-seater fighter and is a development of the Hawk series. The BF2C-1 also has a Cyclone engine and retractable landing gear. Of earlier design are the Boeing F4B-4 (P. and W. Wasp) and the Observation VO Patrol VP Ambulance VH General Utility VJ Scouting VS Training N Transport VB Bombing-Fighting VBF Observation-Scouting .... YOS Patrol-Bombing VPB Patrol-Torpedo VPT Torpedo-Bombing VTB Scouting-Bombing VSB Scouting-Observutinn .... VSO Utility-Transport VJR Fairey Sword fish torpedo-spotter-recon naissance machines JPegasus III) ready •or torpedo practice at Gosport.
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