Warplanes of the USA: Grumman J2F Duck

Grumman J2F Duck

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Grumman J2F Duck (BuNo. 36937), NAS (NART) Oakland reserve plane in March 1947.

The Grumman J2F Duck (company designation G-15) is an American single-engine amphibious biplane. It was used by each major branch of the U.S. armed forces from the mid-1930s until just after World War II, primarily for utility and air-sea rescue duties. It was also used by the Argentine Navy, who took delivery of their first example in 1937. After the war, J2F Ducks saw service with independent civilian operators, as well as the armed forces of Colombia and Mexico.The J2F was an improved version of the earlier JF Duck, the main differences being a longer float and a more-powerful engine (900 horsepower versus 775). (Wikipedia)

(USN Photo)

Grumman J2F-1 Duck.

(USN Photo)

Grumman J2F-3 Duck (BuNo. 1578) assigned to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, January 1940.

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(USN Photo)

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo 36935) in flight on 31 December 1943.

(USN Photo)

Grumman J2F-1 Duck on the midships elevator of USS Yorktown (CV-5), 2 November 1937.

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 32681), Concord, California, 10 November 1946. Later Reg. No. N1235N.

Surviving Grumman J2F Ducks:

Grumman J2F-4 Duck (BuNo. 1649), airworthy with the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33549), airworthy at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33559), airworthy at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33581), on static display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33587), on static display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33594), airworthy with Comanche Warbirds Inc. in Houston, Texas.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33614), under restoration to airworthy for Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 36976),  on static display at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Grumman JOA-12 Duck (BuNo. 48-0563), in storage with the Skyfire Corporation in Wilmington, Delaware.

(Valder137 Photo)

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33549), airworthy at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.

(Greg Goebel Photo)

(Tomás Del Coro Photos)

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33581), biplane floatplane. National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida.

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33587). Frank Tallman's Duck at the Reno National Air Races in September 1970. It went to the USAF Museum in December 1985.

(NMUSAF Photo)

Grumman OA-12 Duck, Reg. No. N67790,  (Serial No. 33587), painted as 48-0563.  The OA-12 Duck was the USAF version of the Navy J2F-6 amphibian.  After the Second World War, the USAF' Air Rescue Service needed special aircraft for overwater missions, and in 1948 the USAF acquired eight surplus Navy J2F-6s.  Designated the OA-12, five of these aircraft went to Alaska for duty with the 10th Air Rescue Squadron.  The Columbia Aircraft Corp. of Valley Stream, New York, built the Grumman-designed J2F-6 Duck on display in the NMUSAF.  it was delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard on 9 June1945, and became surplus in 1946. It served with a series of civilian owners and "starred" in several films, including "Murphy's War" of the early 1970s.  This aircraft is painted to represent one of the rescue OA-12s the USAF acquired in 1948. National Museum of the USAF, Dayton, Ohio.

(Cory W. Watts Photo)

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (BuNo. 33594), airworthy with Comanche Warbirds Inc. in Houston, Texas.

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