The Grumman F3F was the last American biplane fighter aircraft. It served between the wars, from 1936 until 1941. Changes from the F2F included a longer fuselage and increased wing area. It also had ground attack capabilities. On 22 March, 1935, the first prototype crashed in a cemetery, killing the test pilot. The F3F had …
The Grumman F2F was a single-engine biplane with the added bump of retractable undercarriage. Designed for both carrier- and land-based operations, it served as the standard fighter for the US Navy between 1936 and 1940. The F2F was mainly used by the US Navy, with a couple of variations assigned to the Marine Corps. One …
Finding the perfect setting for a story can be hard. Settings can change a story from mundane to unique. To this end, I prefer to set stories in places I’ve actually been. I believe it gives the story a greater sense of authenticity. However, sometimes stories need to be set in places that are not …
The Grumman J2F Duck, and its predecessor the JF Duck, was a single-engine amphibious biplane, used by the US armed forces for utility and air-sea rescues in the 1930’s and 40’s. The Duck’s main pontoon was part of the fuselage, almost making it a flying boat, although it appears more like a standard aircraft with …
“Before the truth can set you free you need to recognize which lie is holding you hostage.” Rachel Wolchin Every Monday, I meet with a group of writers from across the globe for the purpose of honing our writing craft. We’ve just started a new book, Creating Character Arcs by K. M. Weiland. The first …
The Grumman FF-1 was a first in many aspects. It was the first fighter with retractable landing gear, it had an enclosed cockpit, and the fuselage was an all metal, stressed skin. The FF-1 was the first complete aircraft design for the US Navy by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation. The FF-1 had a maximum …