by Tommy H. Thomason

Thursday, July 7, 2011

S2F One More Time

I decided to double check my assertion that the vertical tail did not change between the S2F-1/2 (S-2A/B) and the S2F-3 (S-2D). With respect to the size of the vertical tail, there's no difference shown on the Grumman factory drawings between the S2F-1/2 and the -3 or any mention in Grumman documents of a change. The mean aerodynamic chord is identical and the tip of the tail is at the same fuselage station of 157 inches. There is a difference in height between the top of the tail and the ground, but it can be accounted for by the -3 forward fuselage stretch between the main landing gear and the nose gear, which would result in a more nose down sit since the length of the nose gear did not change. Here is an overlay of the respective SAC side views:
 Note the difference in the "sit" in additional to the exact overlay of the vertical tails..

Since it's not unknown for draftsmen to be a bit lazy (note the inaccurate depiction of the aft end of the S2F-1 engine nacelle) and perhaps not to have bothered to update the S2F-3 SAC drawing for a change in the tail, I compared a couple of pictures taken from about the same distance and angle.

They look identical to me...

2 comments:

  1. What is the difference in the fuselage width between the S2f and the C-1/E-1?

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  2. Unfortunately, I don't have factory drawings that are adequate for making that determination. My guess is that the C-1/E-1 fuselage is very slightly wider than the S-2's but it's more a matter of the difference in the shape of the forward fuselage cross section. Note that the C-1 and E-1 fuselages do not have the longitudinal crease below the cockpit side window like the S2F and the upper side of the window is lower than it is on the S2F. The overhead hatch looks different as well. These differences appear to result from the C-1 and E-1 fuselages having a more oval cross section immediately aft of the cockpit. The maximum width of the fuselage is also lower. I'm working on an illustration of the differences.

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