The Grumman Gulfhawk - The Long Island Early Fliers Club

The Gulfhawk 1,2,3 & 4
By Dave Horn

Hawk 1A

The most famous individual Hawk was the 1A flown by Alford J. Williams for the Gulf Oil Company from 1930 to 1936 as the "Gulfhawk." It was a special demonstrator built in April 1929 for long-distance flights. It used the Conqueror engine and had extra fuel tanks fitted into the sides of the fuselage as on the Helldivers.

The original registration was NR63E, c/1. After a crash, it was rebuilt as a Hawk registration NR9E32V. In August 1931, Williams installed a 575 hp Bliss Jupiter engine, which was the American-built version of the British Bristol Jupiter.

Following another crash, 982V was again rebuilt with a 710 hp R-le20F-3 Cyclone. The side tanks were removed and the fuselage was metal-skinned. The engine was transferred to William’s new Grumman "Gulfhawk 11" in 1936 and 982V was placed in an aeronautical trade school.* It was retrieved in 1958 by movie pilot Frank Tallman, who installed a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney engine. This last flying example of the long Hawk line is presently owned by the US Marine Corps Museum at Quanitico, Virginia (now on display at the Paul Garber facility of the NASM, Washington, DC.).

Grumman G-22 "Gulfhawk 11"

During the 1930’s, several major oil companies in the United States retained the services of well-known pilots and purchased special aircraft to help promote their sales. This was notably the case of the Gulf Oil Company which in 1936 bought the sole Design 22 for its demonstration pilot Al Williams. Powered by a 940hp Wright GR-1820-GI, the G-22 was a hybrid using the wings of the F2F, the fuselage and powerplant installation of the XF3F-2, and the enlarged vertical tail surfaces of the F3F-2s but without the increase in fin area below the tailplane. Bearing c/n 355, registrated NR 1050, and named "Gulfhawk 11", this aircraft first flew on December 6, 1936. Twelve years later, it was donated to the National Air and Space Museum.

Al Williams

Grumman G-32 "Gulfhawk 111"

To complement its G-22, the Gulf Oil obtained a two-seat demonstration aircraft powered by a 950hp GR-1820-G5 radial. Unlike the G-22, the two-seater was fitted with the longer wings of the F3F and had split flaps beneath the upper wings. Bearing c/n 466, registered NR 1051, and named "Gulfhawk 111", it was first flown on May 6, 1938. In 1942, it was impressed into the USAAF service as an UC-103.

Grumman G-58A

As a replacement for the prewar Gulfhawk 11 biplane used by its demonstration pilot, Al Williams, Gulf Oil Company ordered a civil version of the F8F-1. All armament and military equipment, including the tail hook, were removed and a 2,100 hp Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp CA-15 eighteen cylinder was installed. Registered NX 1201V, the "Gulfhawk IV" was flown on July 23, 1947. It was later re-registered NL 3025, but shortly after it was destroyed in a landing accident at Elizabeth City, New Jersey.

* Manhattan H.S. of Aviation (S.A.T.)

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