Grumman AF Guardian

The Grumman AF Guardian is the first purpose-built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) carrier-based aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy.

[4] The "killer" deleted the cannon of the torpedo bomber, but retained the bomb bay, added a third crewmember, a searchlight, and short-range radar, and (as the XTB3F-2S) first flew in January 1949.

[4] The Guardian saw service in the maritime patrol role during the Korean War, however it proved unpopular with pilots, being underpowered and heavy on the controls; the aircraft suffered from a severely high accident rate.

[4] Shortly after the end of the war, it began to be replaced by the Grumman S2F Tracker,[9] the U.S. Navy first purpose-built ASW airplane to combine the hunter and killer roles in a single airframe.

[4] After disposal by the U.S. Navy five Guardians saw many years service with Aero Union based at Chico, California, in the forest firefighting role, the last being retired in 1978.

An AF-2W from VS-37 in flight circa July 1957
An AF-2S in the colors of VS-25 pictured while owned by Aero Union Corporation, circa 1978/79.
The underside of an AF-2S showing its opened weapons bay
Grumman AF Guardian in Aero Union colors at Pima
AF-2 Guardian on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation
3-view line drawing of the Grumman AF-2S Guardian
3-view line drawing of the Grumman AF-2S Guardian