# 118 SQN RCAF CC&F Gobblins (Grumman FF-1)



## TACHEL (Oct 9, 2017)

One of the ugliest aircraft ever in RCAF service... They flew with 118 SQN RCAF out of St-Hubert QC and Dartmouth NS between 1940 and early 1942.

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## vikingBerserker (Oct 9, 2017)

I had no idea they used them, that's awesome!


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## Old Wizard (Oct 9, 2017)




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## Capt. Vick (Oct 9, 2017)

Not ugly, homely


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## Wurger (Oct 10, 2017)




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## fubar57 (Oct 10, 2017)

Forgot all about these serving in the RCAF. Thanks for posting


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## TACHEL (Oct 15, 2017)

Found a few more of the belly landing.

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## Wurger (Oct 15, 2017)




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## TACHEL (Oct 15, 2017)

By the way, I just noticed the caption on the back... it reads:

"Rockliffe 1941 finger troubles"...

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## Airframes (Oct 15, 2017)

He probably belly-landed it in an effort to improve its looks !!


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## fubar57 (Oct 15, 2017)

Fingers forgot to lower the landing gear? Nice shots


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## TACHEL (Oct 17, 2017)

This is P/O Art Yuile of 118 SQN with a unit Gobblin. Art began with 115 SQN, was transferred to 1 SQN, flew in the BoB where he was wounded and returned to Canada. In 43, he'll command 118 SQN as a SQN/LDR in Alaska on Kittyhawks.

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## Wurger (Oct 18, 2017)




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## Crimea_River (Oct 18, 2017)

Good stuff.


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## TACHEL (Nov 9, 2017)

Just found these 2 really good shots at the bottom of a drawer... It's quite possible these have never been seen outside of the squadron before! 118 SQN over Halifax NS in mid 1941.

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## fubar57 (Nov 9, 2017)

Very nice shots


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## Wurger (Nov 10, 2017)




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## Milosh (Nov 10, 2017)

Nice. Notice some have full canopy and others don't.


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## Crimea_River (Nov 10, 2017)

Great pics! Interesting that they underlined the squadron codes. I've seen individual aircraft letters underlined but not the codes.


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## dogsbody (Nov 11, 2017)

From Wikipedia:

The Canadian Car & Foundry Co acquired a manufacturing licence for the *G-23*, and improved FF-1, of which it completed a total of 52, some of which were assembled from US-built components. Thirty-four were acquired by the Spanish Republican Government in 1937 by presenting forged Turkish credentials. This batch was built primarily to bypass the US embargo placed on belligerents during the Spanish Civil War.[3] Referred to as the GE-23 *Delfin* (enolphin) by the Spanish Republican Air Force, the aircraft fought in the conflict, but were outclassed by opposing fighters and losses were high. Despite this, a victory against a Heinkel He 59B would be the only recorded "kill" by a Grumman biplane fighter.[1] Eleven survived to serve in the _Ejército del Aire Español_, nicknamed _Pedro Rico_ for its rotundity.[1]

Although initially rejected as a fighter by the Royal Canadian Air Force as outdated and too slow, with the advent of war, the last 15 of the CC&F production batch were taken on strength as the *Goblin I*. The aircraft type served with the RCAF from 17 September 1940 until 21 April 1942. "A" Flight of No. 118 RCAF Sqn was equipped with Goblins at Rockcliffe in Ottawa, and subsequently became No. 118 (Fighter) Sqn., later stationed at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where the Goblins for a time constituted the sole fighter force on the east coast.[8]

Prior to RCAF use, single examples were delivered to Nicaragua, one to Japan, and another to Mexico.

The sole G-23 purchased by the Nicaraguan government saw limited service before being relegated to a scrap yard at Zololtan Air Field in 1942, destined to remain there until 1961 when it was purchased and shipped to the US. In 1966, Grumman restored the aircraft before passing it to the US Navy where it remains as one of the displays at the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.

The Japanese example was purchased as an example of Grumman's undercarriage, however by the time it was delivered better designs were already in use.[9]

The Mexican example was intended to be a pattern aircraft to allow a production line to be set up there but this never occurred.[10]

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## Gnomey (Nov 15, 2017)

Good shots!


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## Admiral Beez (Nov 24, 2019)

It’s too bad CC&F didn’t follow on production of the Grumman FF with the F3F, and eventually the Martlet.


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