View source for Grumman XTSF

{{Short description|Torpedo scout aircraft proposed for the US Navy in 1944}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
  |name= XTSF
  |image= File:Grumman XTSF-1 mockup.jpg
  |caption= Mockup of the XTSF-1's forward fuselage
  |type= [[Torpedo bomber|Torpedo scout]]
  |manufacturer= [[Grumman]]
  |designer=
  |first_flight= 
  |introduction= 
  |retired= 
  |status=
  |primary_user= [[United States Navy]]
  |more_users=
  |produced=
  |number_built=None
  |unit cost=
  |developed_from= [[Grumman F7F Tigercat]]
  |variants=
  |developed_into=
}}

The '''Grumman XTSF''' was a proposed twin-engine [[torpedo bomber|torpedo scout]] aircraft, designed by [[Grumman]] for the [[United States Navy]] towards the end of [[World War II]]. Based on the design of the [[Grumman F7F Tigercat]] fighter, but enlarged and with the addition of a bomb bay, the XTSF was deemed too large for carrier operations, and the project was cancelled before any aircraft were built. Instead, the Navy chose to order the single-engine XTB3F, which became the successful [[AF Guardian]].<ref name="VectorSite"/>

==Design and development==
In 1944, it was determined that the [[Grumman XTB2F]], then under development for the Navy, would be too large to practically and safely operate from aircraft carriers.<ref name="VectorSite">Goebel 2009</ref> Even the new {{Sclass|Midway|aircraft carrier}}s, known as "battle carriers" (CVB) and the largest aircraft carriers built by any nation to that point, would have difficulty operating the massive aircraft, which was the size of a [[U.S. Army Air Force]] medium bomber.<ref name="Norton"/> As a result, in late June 1944, Grumman submitted its '''G-66''' design to the [[Bureau of Aeronautics]] (BuAer).<ref name="Norton"/> After a review of the design by BuAer during the following month, a revised design was submitted, and on August 17 the existing contract for the XTB2F was modified to instead order two XTSF-1 aircraft,<ref name="Norton"/> to be based on Grumman's F7F-2 Tigercat two-seat, twin-engined fighter-bomber, the first prototype intended to be a conversion of a F7F airframe.<ref>American Aviation Historical Society ''Journal'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=x4ZWAAAAMAAJ&q=Grumman+XTSF v.14-15], p. 269.</ref>

A mid-wing, all-metal, [[cantilever]] monoplane with two [[Pratt & Whitney R-2800|Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp]] radial engines mounted in streamlined [[nacelle]]s under the wing,<ref name="AMF">Angelucci 1987, p. 238.</ref> the XTSF-1 was intended to carry two crew members in tandem seats, and featured an internal bomb bay and an [[P-61 Black Widow#SCR-720 radar|SCR-720]] radar set, the radar later being replaced in the design by an AN/APS-3 or AN/[[APS-4]] set.<ref name="Norton"/> A second seat was added for the radar operator.<ref name="Norton"/>

The outer wing of the XTSF was lengthened by {{convert|7.8|ft}} compared to that of the F7F-2, while the size of the [[Tailplane|horizontal stabilizer]] was increased by {{convert|28|in|cm}}).<ref name="Norton"/> The [[vertical stabilizer]] was also enlarged, while the aircraft's weight increased by almost {{convert|2000|lb|kg|spell=in}} over that of the Tigercat.<ref name="Norton"/>

The wings [[folding wing|folded upwards]] for [[stowage]] aboard aircraft carriers, while the undercarriage and [[arrestor hook]] were [[Hydraulic machinery|hydraulically]] operated.<ref name="AMF"/> Gun armament was planned to be four .50&nbsp;[[caliber]] (12.7&nbsp;mm) [[M2 machine gun#AN.2FM2 and AN.2FM3|Browning M2]] machine guns,<ref name="Navy"/> or, alternatively, two [[Hispano-Suiza HS.404|20&nbsp;mm Hispano]] cannon,<ref name="Norton"/> while a [[bomb bay]] based on that of the [[Grumman TBF Avenger]] was installed in a [[fuselage]] stretched by {{convert|5.5|in|cm}}.<ref name="Norton"/>

===Cancellation===
A [[mockup]] of the cockpit, center fuselage, and wing center section was built and was inspected by the BuAer in the fall 1944.<ref name="Johnson">Johnson 2008, p. 427</ref> However, the contract for the prototype XTSF-1s was terminated in January 1945. This was due to a variety of factors, including the Navy's belief that the Grumman engineers and factory were already at capacity producing the [[Grumman F6F Hellcat|F6F Hellcat]], the F7F, and the [[Grumman F8F Bearcat|F8F Bearcat]],<ref name="Norton2">Norton 2008, p. 121</ref> that the XTSF-1 would be too large for practical operations from [[escort carrier]]s,<ref name="Norton"/> and because it was believed the Grumman G-70, to be built as the XTB3F, was a better prospect.<ref name="VectorSite"/> In addition, the F7F was proving difficult to certify for operations from aircraft carriers,<ref name="Meyer">Meyer 2002, p. 55</ref> further prejudicing the Navy against the design.

Some sources erroneously state that the XTSF-1 became the XTB2F,<ref name="Dive">Lawson and Tillman 2001, p. 87</ref> however this is not the case.<ref name="Norton">Norton 2008, p. 120</ref> The XTSF-1 was the only aircraft ever designated by the U.S. Navy in the 'TS for Torpedo Scout' category,<ref name="Johnson"/> the designation being superseded and incorporated, along with 'BT for Bomber-Torpedo', 'SB for Scout-Bomber', and 'TB for Torpedo-Bomber', into the new 'A for Attack' series.<ref>[http://www.driko.org/usdes2.html "U.S. Systems of Aircraft Designation"], ''driko.org''. Accessed May 8, 2010.</ref>

==Specifications (XTSF-1)==
[[File:Grumman XTSF-1 3-view.jpg|right|250px|Three-view drawing of the XTSF-1 from Johnson 2008.]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=<ref name="Navy">XTSF-1 Airplane Characteristics and Performance</ref>
|prime units?=imp
|crew=2 (Pilot and radar operator)
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=46
|length in=4
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=59
|span in=4
|span note=(folded span {{convert|32|ft}})
|height m=
|height ft=16
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=500
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=NACA 23015-23012
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=17288
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=26171
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|400|USgal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Pratt & Whitney R-2800]]-22W Double Wasp
|eng1 type=[[radial engine]]s
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=2400
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|prop blade number=4
|prop name=Aeroproducts H-20-156
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=13
|prop dia in=2
|prop note=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=414
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|18600|ft}}
|max speed mach=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=84
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=975
|range nmi=
|range note=internal fuel at {{convert|172|mph}}
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=395
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=radius with two {{convert|150|USgal}} drop tanks
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=36500
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=3920
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=47.9
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=6.5lb/bhp
|more performance=
<!--
        Armament
-->
|guns= 4 .50-calibre [[machine gun]]s
|bombs= Internal bomb bay, capacity one [[Mark 13 torpedo]], one {{convert|2000|lb}} bomb or [[naval mine]], or up to {{convert|4000|lb}} smaller bombs, or up to {{convert|1300|lb}} [[depth charge]]s.
|rockets= 
|missiles= 
|hardpoints=Two, {{convert|1000|lb}} capacity each
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=
|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation}}
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
* [[Grumman F7F Tigercat]]
<!-- aircraft that are of similar role, era, and capability as this design: -->
|similar aircraft=
* [[Bristol Brigand]]
* [[Douglas BTD Destroyer]]
* [[Grumman XTB2F]]
|lists=
* [[List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)]]
}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book |last1=Angellucci |first1=Enzo |title=The American Fighter from 1917 to the Present |year=1987 |publisher=Orion |location=New York |isbn=0-517-56588-9}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.vectorsite.net/avguard.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020221193021/http://www.vectorsite.net/avguard.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 21, 2002 |title=The Grumman AF Guardian |first=Greg |last=Goebel |year=2009 |publisher=vectorsite.net |access-date=2010-05-06}}
*{{cite book |last1=Johnson |first1=E.R. |title=American Attack Aircraft Since 1926 |year=2008 |publisher=McFarland & Company |location=Jefferson, NC |isbn=9780786434640}}
*{{cite book |last1=Lawson |first1=Robert |author2=Barrett Tillman |title=U. S. Navy Dive and Torpedo Bombers of World War II |year=2001 |publisher=MBI Publishing |location=St. Paul, MN |isbn=0-7603-0959-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/usnavydivetorped0000till }}
*{{cite journal |last=Meyer |first=Corwin H. |author-link=Corky Meyer |date=August 2002 |title=F7F Tigercat: The Untold Story |journal=Flight Journal |location=Ridgefield, CT |publisher=AirAge Publications }}
*{{cite book |last1=Norton |first1=Bill |title=U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 |year=2008 |publisher=Specialty Press |location=North Branch, MN |isbn=978-1-58007-109-3}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/XTSF-1_Tigercat_ACP_-_1_August_1944.pdf |title=XTSF-1 Airplane Characteristics and Performance |author=U.S. Navy |date=August 1, 1944 |at=alternatewars.com |access-date=2011-01-08}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/Description_Card_for_XTSF-1.pdf |title=Aircraft Description Card for XTSF-1 |author=U.S. Navy |date=July 1944 |at=alternatewars.com |access-date=2011-01-08}}
* [https://www.angelfire.com/space/grumman/aircraft/designs.html "Grumman Designs and Proposals"], ''The Grumman Pages''.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091130005013/http://www.personal.psu.edu/dob104/aviation/us/ntorpedos.html#XTSF-1 TS - Torpedo Scout Aircraft], ''U.S. Military Aircraft and Weapon Designations''

{{Grumman aircraft}}
{{USN torpedo aircraft}}
{{Good article}}

[[Category:Grumman aircraft|TS01F]]
[[Category:Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United States]]
[[Category:High-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Carrier-based aircraft]]
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[[Category:1940s United States bomber aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear]]