11/30/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Ordered as a prototype on 30 June 1938 by the USN Bureau of Aeronautics, the XF5F-1 was of radical concept. It was intended as a twin-engined shipboard fighter, and this at a time when the first single-engined shipboard fighter monoplanes were only just commencing flight test.

Conceived as the Model G-34 Skyrocket, the XF5F-1 was flown on 1 April 1940, and, in its initial form, had a singular appearance resulting from an abbreviated forward fuselage, the wing leading edge extending ahead of the fighter's nose, as seen in photo 1916 and 2122.

Powered by two 1,200 hp Wright XR-1820-40/42 radials and having provision for two 0.91 in (23 mm) Madsen cannon, the XF5F-1 underwent some redesign as a result of testing, the engine nacelles being lengthened, the fuselage nose being extended (shown above), etc. Flight testing of the XF5F-1 provided information utilized in the development of the more advanced XF7F-1 (Model G-51). A land-based version was developed for the USAAC as the XP-50."

Span: 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)
Length: 28 ft 8.5 in (8.75 m)
Height: 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)
Wing area: 303.5 sq.ft (28.19 sq.m)
Weight empty: 8,107lb (3,677 kg)
Loaded weight: 10,138 lb (4,599 kg)
Max speed: 380 mph (611 kmh) at 16,500 ft (5,030 m)
Climb: 4,000 ft (1,219 m)/min
Range: 1,200 mls (1,930 km)