In 1953, the mainstay of carrier-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) forces in the Navy were represented by a pair of Grumman AF-2W and AF-2S Guardians flying as a hunter-killer team and operating from an escort carrier of the Commencement Bay(CVE-105) class. The Guardian's wingspan of 60 feet, length of 43 feet 5 inches and height of 16 feet 7 inches, made it the largest single-engine piston-driven airplane ever to operate from an aircraft carrier.

Grumman Af Guardian

History

Steve Ginter

Ginter, Steve

Bob Kowalski

Kowalski, Bob

Military

First published in 1994, the Martin AM Mauler book cover the development, testing, and squadron usage of the runner-up to the Navy's AD/A-1 Skyraider in its bomber-torpedo competition. Even though a runner-up, a 147 aircraft were produced and five fleet squadrons, VA-17A/VA-174, VA-44, VA-45, VA-84 and VA-85 operated them aboard carriers prior to going to the reserves. 18 AM-1Qs were produced and operated aboard carriers by VC-4. The big Martin was unique in being powered by the huge corncob R-4360 engine which gave it a larger and heavier combat load than the AD. Imagine a single engine airplane carrying 3-torpedoes and 12-250lb bombs! It was armed with 4-20mm cannons and could carry an APS-4 radar. 128-b&w photos, and 36-illustrations. Also includes a synopsis of the 121-aircraft accidents in the Mauler.

Martin Am-1 - IQ Mauler (Naval Fighters Series No. 24)

Naval Fighters

Bob Kowalski continues the saga of the bomber Torpedo (BT) program and the similar Scout Bomber (SB) program with the obscure story of the Douglas XSB2D-1 and BTD-1 "Destroyer".The United States was still at peace when the Navy issued a requirement for a design to serve with the fleet as both a successor to the SBD, which would be nearing obsolescence, and as a possible replacement for the SB2C, which was undergoing what can charitably be called a prolonged proportional development period. To meet this requirement, two prototypes of the SXB2D-1 were ordered by the Navy on June 30, 1941.

Naval Fighters Number Thirty Douglas XSB2D-1 & BTD-1 Destroyer

Bob Kowalski continues the saga of the Bomber Torpedo (BT) program and the similar Scout Bomber (SB) program with the obscure story of the Douglas XTB2D-1 "SkyPirate". The story started in Naval Fighters #24, Martin AM-1/-1Q Mauler and continued with Naval Fighters #30, Douglas XSB2D-1 and BTC-1 "Destroyer".

Naval Fighters Number Thirty-Six Douglas XTB2D-1 Skypirate

The Kaiser Fleetwings XBTK-1 was initially designed to meet a 1943 Navy requirement for a "single-seat carrier based high performance dive bomber." As was the normal war-time practice, design studies were requested from companies without a major production model and, with the Navy's acceptance of the proposal from the Fleetwings company, the design was designated XBK-1.

Naval Fighters Number Forty-Eight : Kaiser Fleetwings XBTK-1

This is the fifth book in the series of World War II aircraft designed under the Navy's Bomber Torpedo requirements. The other books are Naval Fighters #24 Martin AM-1/1Q Mauler, #30 Douglas XSB2D/BTD-1 Destroyer, #36 Douglas XTB2D Skypirate and #48 Kaiser Fleetwings XBTK-1.
In the eyes of the editor, the Curtiss XBT2C-1 was an attractive aircraft in flight. But these good looks masked the true identity.

Curtiss XBT2C-1 (Naval Fighters, 62)

Curtiss Model 98 XBTC-2 was designed because of a request for a single seat dive/torpedo bomber in 1942. A Wright R 3350 with a four bladed prop should power the -1, a P&amp;W R-4360 with 3-bladed contra props the -2. Work on both variants was slow, to other commitments and stability problems were encountered during wind tunnel testing. The -2 was first flown on January 20 1945, and all work on the -1 was terminated after 1943. The crash of the first prototype in February 1947, and of the second in August 1947, ended the development.
March 1945, the Navy ordered 10 relatively minor derivatives of the XBTC-2. They had 2,500-horsepower Wright R-3350-4 engines turning single-rotation propellers. Progress was faster on this model, and the first flight was made in January 1946. Gross weight was 19,072 pounds, and max speed was 297 mph at sea level and 330 mph at 17,000 feet. Armament was two 20mm cannon, eight five-inch rockets and one 2,000-pound bomb or a torpedo.

Curtiss XBTC-2 Eggbeater (Naval Fighters, 77)

The Grumman S2F (S-2) was developed to meet a specific mission requirement, carrier-based antisubmarine warfare. It proved to be so useful and adaptable that it is still in military and civil service more than 60 years after it first flew in December 1952. 
Richly illustrated and personalized by Tracker pilots and crewmen anecdotes, Grumman S2F/S-2 Tracker describes its evolution from initial requirement to eventual replacement including unsuccessful Grumman proposals for improved versions. Its service in foreign militaries and adaptation to wildfire control are also summarized along with descriptions of the Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) and Airborne Early Warning (AEW) variants.

Grumman S2F/S-2 Tracker Part One: Development, Testing, Variants, and Foreign Users (Naval Fighters, 101)

Engineering & Transportation

Thomason, Tommy

Transportation

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Books by Kowalski, Bob