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Grumman F-11A (F11F-1) Tiger

A picture of the Grumman F-11A Tiger

Begun as a supersonic variant of the F9F Cougar the Tiger quickly evolved into an entirely new design with its own designation, F11F-1.  The Tiger showed great early promise as a fighter, but the rapid advancement of aviation technology in the 1950s resulted in the plane’s obsolescence even before it entered service.  Tigers served in front line squadrons for only four years before they were replaced by the F-8 Crusader.  Tigers continued in use in training and testing programs and with the Blue Angels up to the end of the 1960s. The last two flying Tigers were used in a program to test an inflight thrust reverser and made the last Tiger flights in 1975.

Service History:

Built by Grumman Aircraft, Bethpage, New York and delivered to the U.S. Navy on March 31, 1958.

June 1958                    To Aircraft Pool, Naval Air Station Olathe, Kansas.

July 1958                    To Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51), Naval Air Station Miramar, California.

Wingspan

31 ft 7 in.

Length

46 ft 11 in.

Height

46 ft 11 in.

Weight

22,160 lbs (loaded)

Maximum Speed

750 MPH

Service Ceiling

41,900 ft

Range

1,270 miles

Engine

One Wright J65-W-18 turbojet with 10,500 pounds of thrust

Crew

1

Manufacturer
Grumman

Markings
U.S. Navy Aerial Demonstration Team, The Blue Angels, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, 1968

Designation
F-11A

Registration
Blue Angel #6

Serial Number
141824

December 1958           To Fighter Squadron 24 (VF-24), Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California.

March 1959                 To Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211), Naval Air Station Miramar, California.

March 1959                 Deployed on USS Midway.

May 1959                    Deployed on USS Lexington.

December 1959           To Fighter Squadron 111 (VF-111), Naval Air Station Miramar, California.

April 1960                   Assigned to Aircraft Pool, Naval Air Station Miramar, California.

February 1961             To Litchfield Park, Arizona for storage.

February 1965             To Naval Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina for Overhaul and Repair.

April 1965                   To Training Squadron 26 (VT-26), Naval Air Station Chase, Texas.

March 1967                 To Naval Air Basic Training Command Headquarters, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.  Assigned to Blue Angels demonstration team.

February 1969             To Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona for storage.

1973                            Refurbished by Grumman for chase plane duties during inflight thrust reverser testing of F-11A number 141853.

1975                            Returned to storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

July 1987                    Loaned to Pima Air & Space Museum by National Naval Aviation Museum.