known company designation american scout bomber developed united_states_navy 1930s derived successful fighter aircraft developed time giving way competition aircraft proved possess inferior performance intended role enter production sole prototype went serve liaison aircraft experiments destroyed crash design development late issued specification new scout bomber torpedo bomber designs companies submitted designs response evenly split having successfully provided fighters navy scout submitted advanced development response specification request aircraft capable carrying bomb given model number aircraft received official designation navy contract single prototype issued march seat featuring enclosed cockpit fuselage metal construction wings covered largely fabric power provided twin wasp junior air cooled radial engine driving variable pitch propeller armament planned forward firing machine guns replaced prototype carried single gun single weapon fitted rear cockpit defense bomb carried launching cradle fuselage hook carried fully enclosed position bags fitted wings case aircraft forced ditch landing gear similar fighter operational history piloted test pilot flew time december following initial testing found aircraft reasonably delivered evaluation competition submitted specification great lakes unusually types possessed retractable landing gear evaluation showed design superior designs order placed type designated service august competition lost development came end sole prototype assigned tested use liaison aircraft hack addition facility work research time aircraft involved accidents accidents repaired accident resulted death pilot longer considered worth returning flight status aircraft officially stricken navy inventory july designation unusually navy world war assigned produced license operators united_states united_states navy specifications data general characteristics crew pilot observer length upper wingspan lower wingspan height wing area weight gross weight fuel capacity gal powerplant twin wasp junior radial engine propellers bladed variable pitch performance maximum speed mph stall speed mph range nmi combat range nmi service ceiling armament guns machine gun machine gun rear cockpit bombs pounds
Grumman XSBF