12/31/2009. This aircraft had its origins in the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics design No. 96, that was produced by Berliner-Joyce as the XFJ-1.

Having a semi-monocoque stressed-skin fuselage with fabric covered metal wings, the XFJ-1 single-seat experimental shipboard fighter featured an upper wing faired into the fuselage which was strut-braced above the lower wing. Proposed armament comprised two 0.3 in (7.62 mm) synchronized machine guns and power was provided by a 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340C Wasp nine-cylinder radial air-cooled engine.

The XFJ-1 was ordered on May 16, 1929, and flown for the first time in May 1930, but evinced extremely poor landing characteristics and was damaged in a landing accident at NAS Anacostia, Washington, D.C., early in its flight program. It was returned to the Berliner-Joyce Corporation in November 1930 for reconstruction and modification.

After the reconstruction the dihedral was eliminated from the upper wing, which was given gull configuration, the vertical tail surfaces were enlarged and a 500 hp R-1340D Wasp engine was installed, this being enclosed by a Townend ring and fitted with a spinner.

Redesignated XFJ-2, the aircraft resumed its flight test program at NAS Anacostia on May 22, 1931. The XFJ-2 displayed no improvement in landing characteristics by comparison with the XFJ-1 and proved unstable, and after testing by the USN was discarded as unsatisfactory.

Span: Length: Height: Wing area: Weight empty: Weight loaded: Max speed: Landing speed: Range:

XFJ-1 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m) 20 ft 7 in (6.27 m) 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) 179 sq.ft (16.63 sq.m) 2,046 lb (928 kg) 2,797 lb (1,297 kg) 172 mph (277 kmh) 65 mph (105 kmh) 716 mls (1,152 km)

XFJ-2 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m) 20 ft 7.25 in (6.28 m) 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) 178.6 sq.ft (16.63 sq.m) 2,102 lb (953 kg) 2,847 lb (1,291 kg) 177 mph (285 kmh) 64 mph (103 kmh) 520 mls (837 km)