Grumman AF Guardian

The Grumman AF Guardian was a U.S. Navy carrier-based aircraft developed just after World War II. It holds the distinction of being the first purpose-built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft used by the U.S. Navy. First flight was in late 1945. Not a prioritty as the war ended, the final protototype flew in December 1946. The original rear jet was omitted and the AF entered service in 1950 as part of an ASW team to replace the worn out Avenger. It was short-lived, retired in 1955. It worked as a pair in Anti-submarine warfare (hunter-killer), one fitted with a radar and MAD detector. The other had weapons. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine, with a crew of 2–3, one pilot, and two operators further down in th fuselage. The Guardian featured a unique “Hunter-Killer” Design, operating in paired versions, since early radar and detection equipment was too bulky for one aircraft:
AF-2S (“Hunter”) – Carried detection equipment (radar, magnetic anomaly detector).
AF-2W (“Killer”) – Carried weapons such as torpedoes and depth charges.
These aircraft worked together: The “Hunter” located submarines, The “Killer” attacked them. This two-aircraft system was later replaced by single-aircraft designs as technology improved. This Large, piston-engine aircraft (among the largest single-engine carrier aircraft ever operated by the U.S. Navy) had a straight-wing design (folding), quad bladed prop, and fully equipped for carrier operations with its arrestor hook end reinforced structure to be catapulted, and wheeltrain undercarriage. It was eventually replaced by the twin-engine Grumman S-2 Tracker, which could carry both detection equipment and weapons in a single airframe and had a longer range.

Work in Progress, release planned 2027

⚙ Grumman AF specs.
Empty Weight	14,580 lb (6,613 kg)
Max Takeoff weight	22,640 lb (10,270 kg)
Lenght	43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)
Wingspan	60 ft 8 in (18.49 m) (about 25 ft-wings folded (7.62 m))
Height	16 ft 2 in (5.08 m)
Wing Area	560 sq ft (52.03 m2)
Engine	Pratt & Whitney R-2800-48W "Double Wasp" radial: 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Top Speed, sea level	253 mph (510 km/h, 276 kn) full throttle over 30 min. 15,000 ft
Range	1,500 mi (2,415 km, 1,304 nmi)
Climb Rate	1,850 ft/min (9.4 m/s)
Ceiling	15,000 ft (4,600 m)
Armament	6x 5 in HVAR, 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) bombs, torpedoes, depth charges
Crew	Three: Pilot, 2 Operators