F3F-2

F3F-2

BF2C-1

F2A-1

F3F-2

BF2C-1

F2A-1

USA

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	1.3	1.3

Class:

Fighter

Naval aircraft

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

Show in game

Description

The F3F-2 is a Rank I American fighter with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 1.3 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.55 "Royal Armour".

The F3F-2 is, as of War Thunder patch 1.69, the sole American biplane fighter outside of its premium variant. However, it is a very capable biplane fighter, and can be seen in-game as a rival to the USSR's I-153 Chaika.

As expected with most Rank I fighters, but often considered "unusual" for an American fighter, the F3F is a pure bred turn fighter. Like the Chaika mentioned above, and the polar opposite in performance of the F2A that replaced it in service, the F3F can pull turns with relative ease, and also has a very excellent roll rate in addition to that, which when abused can provide a tough challenge for most of its opposition. It easily outclasses all reserve planes except the Ki-10 in maneuverability, and is on par with the I-153 in that matter as well. However, the F3F's BR can push it into the domain of Spitfires, late-model I-16s, Ki-43s (as well its bigger brother, the Ki-44) and of course Bf 109s, all of which are capable of easily disposing of its biplane opposition. It isn't the fastest or most climbable fighter either.

Due to its lackluster armament (one M2 Browning machine gun with 200 rounds and one 7.62 mm Browning machine gun with 500 rounds), the F3F should mainly go after the fighter opposition, and not after bombers-leave that job to the P-40s. While it can carry two 100 lbs bombs, they are only effective against lightly armoured targets (armoured cars, artillery, AAA etc.), and if carried early on in the match can weigh the plane down, affecting its flight characteristics a bit as a result. Leave the bombs until either the opposition goes passive for a while or air superiority can be obtained for a period of time over an opposing field of ground targets.

The F3F is armed with one 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, and one 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, both are located within the nose of the aircraft right above the engine. While this does mean gun convergence is not an issue, the two-gun armament can be lacking in both firepower and ammunition count; the larger M2 has only 200 rounds to play with while the smaller 7.62 has 500 rounds on hand.

Nevertheless, this armament is decent enough to take down reserve tier and lightly-armoured Rank I planes down with relative ease and, if an experienced player is behind the controls, is capable of dealing with even Tier II aircraft.

The best air-to-air belts for the 12.7 MG are either universal or stealth belts (good amount of incendiary bullets), and universal belts should be used for the 7.62 MG.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,268 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
411	404	11,000	15.8	16.1	10.4	12.5	210
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,268 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
461	436	11,000	14.3	15.0	24.3	16.0	210

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	X	X	✓

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
703	500	???	~??	~8

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 320	< 390	< 350	> 200

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
1,600? m	850 hp	952 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,214 m	750 hp	840 hp

Survivability and armour

• 8.5 mm Steel boxes in the fuselage.
• No armour glazing
• Critical components located at front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage

Armaments

Offensive armament

The F3F-2 is armed with:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
• 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)

Suspended armament

The F3F-2 can be outfitted externally with:

• Without load
• 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (200 lb total)

Usage in the battles

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator			Offensive 7 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	Offensive 12 mm		Mk.41
III		Engine			New 7 mm MGs
IV	Wings Repair	Engine Injection	Cover	New 12 mm MGs

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very good turn rate and roll rate
• Can be a deadly fighter with an experienced pilot behind the controls
• Capable of dealing with most reserve or Tier I aircraft
• Can land on carriers, which comes in handy
• Massive fuel load

Cons:

• Lackluster armament (one 12.7 mm machine gun and one 7.62 mm machine gun)
• Not a very fast plane
• Doesn't have a very good climb rate

History

The last biplane fighter in use by the United States Navy, the Grumman F3F first flew on 20 March 1935, and entered front-line service with VF-5B of USS Ranger the following March. The improved F3F-2 model-fitted with a more powerful Wright R-1820-22 Cyclone nine-cylinder engine-entered service between 1937-38 and proved to be the ultimate evolution of American biplane fighter design; it also earned the nickname "Flying Barrel" due to its modified engine cowling, which had to be larger to fit the new and bigger 1820 cubic-inch (29.88-litre) radial powerplant. The modifications allowed the updated fighter to accelerate to a higher top speed of 264 miles per hour (425 km/h), improved its clim brate from 2050 to 2750 ft/min (10.4 m/s to 13.7 m/s) and also expanded its service ceiling to 33,200 feet (10,120 m). Despite already being obsolete by the time it was introduced, Navy pilots loved the tough little Grumman fighter, and the F3F also influenced and provided a starting point for the design of Grumman's more successful wartime F4F Wildcat monoplane fighter.

Eighty-one F3F-2s were procured, and served with VF-6 aboard the USS Enterprise as well as Marine squadrons VMF-1 and VMF-2. The last F3Fs in front-line use by carrier squadrons were gone by 1941 (replaced by newer Brewster F2A Buffalo monoplanes), but remained in use for training and transport duties during the first two or so years of the United States' involvement in World War II, the last of which was retired in November 1943.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read also

• Some information on the F3F, in all its variants
  
• English Wikipedia article about the F3F
  
• War Thunder Live camouflages for the F3F

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• page on aircraft encyclopedia;
• other literature.