Fifi the Goblin; Grumman’s First Fighter

Grumman has built some legendary carrier fighter aircraft. And it started with an - to modern eyes - odd looking two seat fighter that rejoiced under the names of "Fifi" and "Goblin"!
But it its day, the FF-series was a cutting edge design.
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[@stay_at_home_astronaut]

Ed, the FF was developed into the J2F "Duck" by adding the center line and wing floats, and keeping the retractable landing gear. My grandfather flew them out of NAS Dinner Key (Miami, Florida) and almost sunk one in Biscayne Bay during War 2.

[@Darrylx444]

Check out Murphy's War (1971), with Peter O'Toole for some cinematic Duck action.

[@Burningwithecstasy]

thanks for that fact. The Duck's unusual appearance will always make it stand out in a crowd. and I love it for that reason.

[@brotherjim3051]

I wish we had more content about the Spanish Civil War air war.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

Love the colours of the yellow wing inter war U.S. naval planes. Did a few vac form model kits of them in the 90s inspired by seeing some at a model show.

[@paintnamer6403]

When I hear Goblin I think of the XP-85 parasite fighter, both have their oddities.

[@proud_emmerian6510]

The XF-85 is hella tiny too. The SAC Museum in Nebraska has one and I stood next to it. I don't think I would ever fit in one if I tried lol.

[@Farweasel]

I think wistfuly of a petite Eurasian lady who works at a local 'sauna' .............. But perhaps I digress.

[@nickthompson9697]

@@Farweasel sounds neat.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

One reason that Grumman and Douglas built so many aircraft for the USN was that the USN for many years, and they may still do this, would only accept aircraft from manufacturers who had a track record of building carrier-based aircraft. Hence Northrop had to get into bed with McDonell Douglas to get the USN to consider their YF-17.

[@baker2niner]

The plane the USAF rejected...

[@hostiablegamusino549]

The ones sold to Spain were G.23, a version done by Canadian Car & Foundry company. They saw a lot of combat in Spanish CIvil War. They were used to defend coastal cities and also as assault plane or light bomber. Republican aviators appreciated them a lot due their sturdiness, reliability and modern equipment

[@Caseytify]

Looking forward to more detail on the F2F & F3F, especially the latter.

[@MisterApol]

You can see a wild flight in a Grumman Duck in the 1971 film, "Murphy's War."

[@VenlyssPnorr]

Peter O'Toole? Love that film!

[@andrewince8824]

Failed or short-lived aircraft are the most interesting and often most important. To progress and advance one need not get it right 10 times, but to get it wrong and learn just once. Failure is a fantastic learning opportunity, it is the backbone of engineering.

[@scottdewey3544]

This is interesting, in showing how fighter aircraft performance gradually improved over the period from 1920-1940. [Including naval fighter aircraft.]

[@-vajradatta-8359]

A revolutionary aircraft for about a year. Acceptable epitaph.

[@TheWirksworthGunroom]

Never cease to be amazed at the variety of aircraft that I had never heard of before seeing them on your channel. Good work!

[@rangefinder3538]

Another excellent episode ed!

[@owen368]

Many thanks for this upload one of the forgotten aircraft that did a reasonable job in it's day and like an old soldier faded away. Nice that one ended up in a museum. Thank you for your efforts sir. oj

[@patrickmichaelspencecooler4768]

There is always a need for heavily armoured ground attack aircraft that appear to be "obsolete" in design. Think of the Il-2 Sturmovik and the A-10 Warthog. Very effective ground attack aircraft. The A-10 is basically very similar in design to the Heinkel He-162 but with two engines mounted on either side of the fuselage instead of one engine on top and the cast iron "bathtub" cockpit.

[@nickthompson9697]

And far more robust construction, though the 162 was a fabulous machine. Agile, great view and so tiny it was nearly impossible to hit.

[@pushbikeman]

Another Solid Video Nash With An Entertaining Narration And Good Pictures Of A Interesting Goofy Looking Aircraft.

[@petesheppard1709]

A legend begins; inauspiciously, as is often the case. Thank you.

[@benwelch4076]

Really great video, thank you.

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

Goblin Mark I. I love it. FIFI the Goblin.

[@simonmcowan6874]

Thanks Ed, love your posts they always make me chuckle out loud. 😂

[@RogueAce93]

Great work as always! You should totally do more of these aircraft stories and here’s a few suggestions: Brewster Buffalo -Boulton-Paul Defiant -Sopwith Snipe -Westland Wyvern -Dornier Do 335 Pfiel -Focke-Wulf Ta183 Huckebein (prototype jet fighter) -Junkers Ju390 (the bomber that nearly flew over American soil) P-39 Airacobra To name a few.

[@blue387]

P-36, P-43, P-66 and CW-21

[@rojaunjames747]

I really want him to do the spiteful

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

One day 😉

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Already done the CW 21 😁

[@CZ350tuner]

@@blue387 Republican China's top ace, "Fatty" Chung, flew the Vultee P-66 Vanguard. He scored his first four A6M Zero kills in one sortie.

[@DomCombatVids]

Another amazing video, as usual

[@HamiltonStandard]

In what other Grumman aircraft have we seen that landing gear retraction system? Genius engineering by genius minds...

[@nickthompson9697]

If it's not broken, don't try to fix it.

[@jessfrankel5212]

Classic Grumman: distinctive cowl and stubby frame. While it was obsolete in a couple of years and eventually supplanted by the far superior F4F, it still was a step in the right direction for the company. Grumman always made quality aircraft.

[@TheopolisQSmith]

Wasn’t’ there a single seat similar to this model? I remember building a model of one back about 55 years ago.

[@bullthrush]

F2F and F3F.

[@mbryson2899]

Thank you for another I was only vaguely aware of, Mr. Nash.

[@johnforsyth7987]

This was a very informative video. Thank you. I always learn new things about aircraft from your videos. Would love to hear more about how the Royal Navy used Grumman aircraft as well as the RAF using the P-47 Thunderbolt in WWII.

[@SemiLobster]

I believe technically these were the first fighter aircraft built in Canada

[@TheDkeeler]

There is a model kit the Goblin by Special Hobby in 1/72nd.

[@bravo0105]

Thank-you for covering the obscure! If you take requests, could you please do a video on Brewster and its Buffalo?

[@DraftySatyr]

That may be a little mainstream for Mr Nash 😂

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

LOL well never say never

[@bravo0105]

@Drafty Satyr Yes, yet the Buffalo has been obscured on account of its abysmal record outside of Finland. It was a revolutionary aircraft on debut, a transitional design, and an embodiment of the early war with Japan: a DISASTER.

[@adamrodaway9116]

There’s a really thorough multi part series on the Buffalo somewhere on KZbin. I’ll try and find the link.

[@adamrodaway9116]

Here it is! kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5WndI2uZtGieqs

[@paulkirkland3263]

Nice that one was preserved. Too many interesting aircraft of that period are 'extinct'.

[@Farweasel]

I don't suppose 'The Manatee' would have seemed much more complimentary But it *is* kind of Manatee shaped innit? Like Ed says, credit where due - It was cutting edge at first. And Grumman's later herritage followed in part from it.

[@benwilson6145]

Thank you

[@johndavey72]

There once was an ugly duckling! But someone commented that a float plane called the J2F was produced . l understand Kermit Weeks has one and still uses it . Thanks Ed.

[@janrobertbos]

Very nice videos..................!!! Thanks..................!!!

[@callenclarke371]

Wonderful content.

[@mpetersen6]

Fast is always a relative term.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Double take - I'm pretty sure this is the first bi-plane I've seen with retractable gear. It does still look rather squat and dumpy, thicc, as we now say!

[@BattleManiac7]

Yeah, they're kinda funny looking. I feel like the F2F and F3F are more thicc, or at least round. Like barrels with biplane wings.

[@nickthompson9697]

Absolute delight to fly though. Pretty even match for the Gladiator and more forgiving in a spin if I am not mistaken.

[@nickthompson9697]

Also, check out the I-153 by Polikarpov.

[@rubiix2889]

I've seen that FF at the Pensacola museum

[@vaclav_fejt]

Those aircraft that came before 1937 - 38 were very unfortunate, because that was that big developmental leap. Polikarpov I-16, Douglas TBD Devastator, and many more...

[@benlaskowski357]

Fifi. I have to say I think that's the cutest name ever given a fighter.

[@donaldbest1295]

A wonderful bit of history. Thanks Ed!

[@Simon_Nonymous]

Another great story. There's a silly part of me that wants a combat flight sim which captures that amazing 1930s period with all these oddities in it, like the Heinkel bomber you showed here. If I win the lottery I might be in touch with you Ed......

[@Sneemaster]

The lowest tier aircraft in War Thunder have a lot of 1930's aircraft in it that were considered obsolete by WW2.

[@robertguttman1487]

During the early 1930s, when the FF-1 was developed, the concept of the two-seat fighter, operated by a pilot and a rear gunner, was still regarded as a viable concept by both the US Navy and Army Air Corps. However, by the mid thirties the concept had been pretty much discredited. That was the main reason why Grumman's next fighter, the F2F, was a single-seater, as were all subsequent Grumman fighters until the twin-engined F7F Tigercat. The Army Air Corps also experimented with the concept of the two-seat fighter with the Lockheed/Detroit P-24 and Consolidated P-30 fighters but, by 1935, had also discarded it in favor of single-seaters.

[@infoscholar5221]

Fascinating. By the time it was produced, theP-36, 38, and 40 monoplane fighters were already in the air over China. She was ahead of, and behind her time, all at once.

[@CD-ek3iq]

Tiger and bearcat videos soon? Pretty please?

[@diggledoggle4192]

The Gloster Javelin might be worthy of a video

[@brianmarak9689]

Yes. The Javelin please.

[@clydecessna737]

Terrific.

[@terrymacintyre6167]

Cool plane. Neat looking. Puts me in mind of that duck tales cartoon.

[@vaclav_fejt]

Well, that is certainly a look.

[@drydogg]

"... It, kind of, suits it..." LOL!

[@johnjephcote7636]

Goblin as a name isn't so bad and DH used it for their jet engine along with Ghost. One also thinks of the Gloster 'Gormless', although that was Bill Waterton's soubriquet for the experimental E1/44 jet.

[@burtuppercut]

Great stuff.

[@jasondiaz8431]

There is a mockup of the plane in Mineola Ny cradle of aviation museum It is complete with Retractable landing gear and a rotated propeller it was created by workers from that time I spoke to them in that late nineties Original plants. It is not too far from the original Grumman facthree in bethpage New York

[@gunner678]

Great video

[@kirkmooneyham]

I had heard of the plane, but never knew much about it. Glad the sole survivor is in the US Naval Air Museum, a fitting final home.

[@Scepticalasfuk]

I got one in my barn. It's in bad shape.

[@brentjames9388]

Yep Canada the bottom of the barrel , as per usual, Love Dr Evil at the 6:08 Mark

[@jouhannaudjeanfrancois891]

Me: Oh, great! a video about a pretty obscure fighter. I have to make a thoughtfull comment to sound like an expert in aeronautics. Me: In Quebec, FiFi means "queer"

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Might be why the RCAF went with Goblin 🤣

[@nunyabeeswax2575]

@@EdNashsMilitaryMatters now, now....

[@arcanondrum6543]

The narration was right the first time : *_"Grumman"_* a *FINE* aircraft maker and everything Grumman did *before* Northrop purchased them in 1994 (and kept the name to cash-in on the reputation) was excellent work. It's a very long list. Since Northrop took over however, the priority has been different. All that engineering has been replaced with accountants and the priortity of the bean counter corporation is to grow profits at the expense of the Taxpayers. Incidentally, the Craptacular B2 ("invisible" only with electronic jamming and for no other reason - same for all the "Invisible" Fighters, see my Channel for more).... Anyway the Craptacular B2 is not "new", it was in fact, Northrop that introduced the propeller driven Northrop Flying Wing that only flew test flights because it _also_ sucked.

[@rodbey9318]

Could call it the "Stray Cat"

[@shanesimpson3455]

Where in the fuselage are the fix forward guns? I am getting on a bit and my eyes are a bit iffy but I can not see the gun ports.

[@BHuang92]

Forgot to mention that the FF was the foundation for a series of fighters that accumulated to the Wildcat and Hellcat series. The Wildcat was a monoplane version of the FF.

[@martindione386]

exactly what I thought when I saw the picture of the XSF-2, a biplane Wildcat!

[@peterkissinger9696]

XF4F-1 was planned as a Biplane. But unfortunately remained a Paper Aircraft.

[@JTA1961]

Wonder if anyone ever landed with out putting the wheels down ?

[@Parocha]

6:39 delFIN

[@williamroberts8470]

You found an He59 on wheels?

[@BengalLancer]

That stuff looks like a ground level attack aircraft, or a bomber.

[@craigpennington1251]

You have to start somewhere and some are a hit & some aren't. Landing gear had to be done this way because otherwise would be a much larger aircraft design. Maybe. That type landing gear makes for a strange appearance.

[@blondegirlsezthis8798]

Fifi the Goblin is going to be the name of my next punk rawk band

[@mathewkelly9968]

To be fair for air defence of Halifax harbour the Goblin 1 would have been adequate in 1940 .

[@baker2niner]

Nicely done. But, please don't associate the memory of Grumman with modern NG. "Grumman" created the dominant platforms for US naval air power for decades. The "Northrup" legacy is several dozen freak aircraft. It's an interesting story how Dick Cheney (the most appropriately named man in America) destroyed Grumman and "combined" them.

[@mathewkelly9968]

Grumman made good planes , my personal favorite is the Intruder not a fighter I know .

[@colinmartin2921]

Why were Grumman's WWII fighters always so portly?

[@maxpayne2574]

The F14 would still be an awesome plane.

[@casinodelonge]

She's a beauty !!! :-)

[@carlwattjr]

Apparently several went to Russia on lend lease in wwii

[@psikogeek]

Grumman Goblin Gremlin

[@treefiddy5092]

Looks like the Gloster Gladiator with retractable undercarriage

[@Nightdare]

Another forgotten Grumman: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_LLV

[@rojaunjames747]

I wonder what will be the next grumman aircraft name

[@vaclav_fejt]

Hm...Siamese cat?

[@chefchaudard3580]

Pussycat?

[@IvorMektin1701]

Alley cat

[@jimdavis8391]

Topcat....what else? :)

[@vaclav_fejt]

@@chefchaudard3580 When it passes people on the ground, they hear "WhoAoAoA!"

[@DeclanOReilly]

Its called the Grumman iron works for a reason lol

[@karoltakisobie6638]

Cool video but could you kindly turn on English auto subs please? My Dutch is very rusty lol.

[@aaronlopez3585]

The Canadians named it the goblin. It could have been worst, let's how about "Troll".

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

You know, I'd love to see the Grumman Troll!

[@lindamcentaffer5969]

"F F" shoulda stood for "Foo Fighter."

[@karoltakisobie6638]

No English subs?

[@SSN515]

Where is Grumman now? They used to be on Long Island.Did they move to Mexico? China?

[@blue387]

Grumman merged with Northrop to form Northrop Grumman in 1994

[@SSN515]

@@blue387 So they are Northrop Grumman HQ'ed in Beijing?

[@blue387]

@@SSN515 You can google it, their headquarters are in Virginia

[@SSN515]

@@blue387 OK. Thanks. Close to DC, so they are owned by the Chinese Communists along with the rest of the Government. I figured that was the case.

[@fatdad64able]

@@SSN515 Har-dee, har-har.....

[@lyingcorrectly]

"Air defence" 😂

[@salty4496]

:)

[@lukewarmwater6412]

the grumman g-164 planted tons and tons of rice. basicly feeding the nation for decades.

[@Anlushac11]

With that belly bulge Im surprised it wasnt named the Guppy.

[@WilmerCook]

Pregnant guppy

[@Robutube1]

Something of the 'ugly/beautiful' about this 'plane, especially with the undercarriage retracted.

[@ericbeattie761]

That is the ugliest plane I have ever seen

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Oh, I've covered a few which I think are worse 😁

[@peterkissinger9696]

Fairey Gannet? EKW C-36 Turbine Conversion?

[@asd36f]

Was the Grumann FF the only aircraft to feature the unusual retraction system for the undercarriage?