Grumman F-11A (F11F-1) Tiger

The Tiger was the last Grumman "cat" and the last development of the F9F family but was the Navy's first supersonic fighter. This particular aircraft was accepted on March 31, 1958 and continued in USN service until Feb. 4, 1969. It currently carries the markings of the Blue Angels with which it flew from 1967-68. This particular aircraft is also significant because it was used in 1973 by Rohr Industries as a chase plane for another Tiger which had been outfitted with an in-flight thrust reverser.

The Tiger project had started out in April 1953 to be yet another variation in the F9F Panther and Cougar series. As such it would have been referred to as F9F-9 but what actually resulted was a completely new design that warranted its own new designation, F11F-1 and the new popular name, Tiger. then with the standardized numbering system in 1962 it received its final F-11A designation.

The prototype first flew on July 30, 1954 and, when it entered service in march 1957, it was the first carrier based single-seat fighter capable of supersonic flight.

Production ended in December 1958 with 201 having been built. Of these, two F11F-1s, equipped with 15,000 lb. thrust J79-GE-3A engines, achieved Mach two performance.

Visit other Grumman aircraft at the museum.

gru_f11.htm - imgb081