Grumman AF Guardian – Fotografie & videa

Tá Grumman AF Guardian byl první účelový protiponorkový bojový letoun (ASW), který vstoupil do služby u námořnictva Spojených států. Skládal se ze dvou draků, jednoho pro detekční zařízení, druhého pro zbraně. Guardian zůstal ve službě až do srpna 1955, kdy byl nahrazen dvoumotorovým Grumman S-2 Tracker. Guardian byl největším jednomotorovým letadlem poháněným pístem, který kdy byl zařazen do služby.

Zdroj: Grumman AF Guardian na Wikipedii

The Grumman AF Guardian was a carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft that served in the United States Navy from 1949 to 1955. It was the first purpose-built aircraft of its kind, and the first to operate as a hunter-killer pair with a separate aircraft carrying the detection equipment and another carrying the weapons. The Guardian was developed from the Grumman XTB3F, a torpedo bomber prototype that was cancelled after World War II.
The Guardian had a distinctive appearance, with a large radial engine in the nose and a tailhook under the tail. The Guardian was initially designated as the AF-1S for the hunter version and AF-1W for the killer version, but later changed to AF-2S and AF-2W respectively. The Guardian was armed with depth charges, rockets, torpedoes, or mines, depending on the mission. The Guardian was replaced by the Grumman S-2 Tracker, a single aircraft that combined both roles and had a twin-engine configuration.