Grumman

Grumman Corporation
	File:Grumman.svg
Industry	Aircraft; aircraft components and systems; data processing and management; navigation and search technology; commercial vehicle bodies; electrical products and supplies
Founded	December 6, 1929; 96 years ago
Founders	Leroy Grumman; Edmund Ward Poor; William T. Schwendler; Jake Swirbul;
Defunct	April 4, 1994
Fate	Merged with Northrop
Successors	Northrop Grumman; Gulfstream Aerospace;
Headquarters	Bethpage, New York, U.S.
Key people	Thomas J. Kelly; Corwin H. Meyer; David Thurston; George F. Titterton;
Products	Grumman F4F Wildcat; Grumman F6F Hellcat; Grumman TBF Avenger; Grumman A-6 Intruder; Grumman F-14 Tomcat; Apollo Lunar Module; Grumman LLV;
Number of employees	23,000 (1986)
Subsidiaries	Grumman Aerospace Corp.; Grumman Allied Industries, Inc.; Grumman Data Systems Corp.;

The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, which later became Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a leading American manufacturer of both military and civilian aircraft throughout the 20th century. Established on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman alongside his partners, the company ultimately merged with Northrop Corporation in 1994 to create Northrop Grumman.

History

After his tenure at Loening Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Leroy Grumman teamed up with Edmund Ward Poor, William Schwendler, and Jake Swirbul to found the company in 1929, following Loening’s acquisition by Keystone Aircraft. Their initial base of operations was located in Baldwin on Long Island, New York.

The enterprise initially generated revenue by providing aluminum welding services for truck chassis but quickly shifted focus toward securing contracts with the U.S. Navy. Grumman pioneered the development of practical floats equipped with retractable landing gear for naval aircraft, marking its entry into the aviation sector. Its inaugural aircraft was the Navy’s Grumman FF-1, a biplane featuring retractable landing gear introduced in 1931, which was followed by a succession of successful models.

During World War II, Grumman earned significant acclaim for producing Navy fighter planes famously known as the "Cats": including the Grumman F4F Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, and F8F Bearcat, alongside the torpedo bomber TBF Avenger. The firm ranked twenty-second among U.S. companies in wartime production contracts. Much of the manufacturing for Wildcats and Avengers was subcontracted to General Motors’ Eastern Aircraft Division.

Following the war, Grumman advanced into jet aircraft development with models such as the F9F Panther, later updated to the F-9 Cougar, and subsequently the F-11 Tiger. The 1960s brought success with the attack aircraft A-6 Intruder and the airborne early warning platform E-2 Hawkeye. The 1970s introduced the electronic warfare aircraft EA-6B Prowler and the renowned F-14 Tomcat. Grumman’s planes were featured prominently in major motion pictures like The Final Countdown (1980), Top Gun (1986), and Flight of the Intruder (1990). The U.S. Navy continues deploying the Hawkeye aboard carriers, while the Marine Corps retired the Prowler in 2019.

As lead contractor for NASA’s Apollo Lunar Module—the first manned spacecraft to achieve a lunar landing—Grumman constructed thirteen units after securing a contract in 1962. Six of these modules successfully touched down on the Moon, with one serving as a rescue vehicle during Apollo 13’s crisis. Although it competed for NASA’s Space Shuttle contract, it ultimately lost to Rockwell International.

The company adopted the name Grumman Aerospace Corporation in 1969. In 1978, it divested its Grumman-American Division to Gulfstream Aerospace and purchased bus manufacturer Flxible, which it sold in 1983 for $40 million. From 1987 to 1994, Grumman produced the Long Life Vehicle (LLV) mail trucks for the United States Postal Service; many remained in service well into 2020.

Beginning in the 1950s, Grumman manufactured Gulfstream business aircraft—including the turboprop Gulfstream I (G-159) and jet-powered Gulfstream II (G-1159)—serving corporate customers, government entities such as NASA, and regional airlines. In the early 1970s, it gained majority ownership of American Aviation’s light aircraft line, marketing them under "Grumman-American" before integrating this with Gulfstream operations and eventually divesting both by 1978.

Following its sale in 1978 to American Jet Industries—which adopted the Gulfstream name—Gulfstream Aerospace developed into a premier business jet producer and has been a subsidiary of General Dynamics since 1999.

Long Island facilities

Throughout the Cold War era, Grumman stood as the foremost employer on Long Island. The company's products gained a reputation for exceptional robustness, earning it the nickname Grumman Iron Works. Initially expanding through Valley Stream and Farmingdale, Grumman eventually established its main operations at the Bethpage site. Final assembly and testing took place at the expansive 6,000-acre Naval Weapons Station located in Calverton. By 1986, Grumman's local workforce reached 23,000 employees, occupying six million square feet of leased Navy property in Bethpage.

Following the Cold War's conclusion, reductions in defense spending and industry consolidation occurred. In 1994, Northrop purchased Grumman for $2.1 billion, surpassing Martin Marietta's bid, resulting in the formation of Northrop Grumman. This acquisition led to the closure of most Long Island operations. The Bethpage manufacturing plant was repurposed into residential and commercial office developments, with its former headquarters becoming Cablevision’s corporate offices. Meanwhile, the Calverton facility was converted into a business park; former aircraft hangars now serve as Grumman Studios, a production center for film and television. A portion of the airfield was designated as Grumman Memorial Park.

Aircraft

Projects

Grumman 674 Nutcracker, a VTOL aircraft featuring a tilting fuselage
Grumman 698 VTOL design
Grumman G-3 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-4 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-17 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-25 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-27 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-29 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-30 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-35 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-48 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-49 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-57 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-62 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-68 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-71 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-76 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-77, a research aircraft with swept-back wings
Grumman G-78, designed as a towed target glider
Grumman G-84 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-85 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-86 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-91 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-92 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-97 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-107 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-108 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-110 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-113 (conceptual project)
Grumman G-114 model
Grumman G-115 model
Grumman G-116 (concept only)
Grumman G-118 (project stage only)
Grumman G-119 (project stage only)
Grumman G-122 (project stage only)
Grumman G-124, a jet trainer aircraft design
Grumman G-127 model
Grumman G-132 model
Grumman XTB2F model
Grumman XTSF model

Spacecraft

Space vehicles produced:
- Apollo Lunar Module
- Grumman 619 Space Shuttle

Other products

In 1976, the company broadened its portfolio by acquiring Howe Fire Apparatus, entering the fire truck manufacturing sector. Fire engines were marketed under the Firecat name, while aerial ladder trucks were branded as Aerialcat.
During 1944, leveraging aircraft-grade aluminum, the firm introduced durable and lightweight canoes. The boat manufacturing division relocated to Marathon, New York in 1952. Outboard Marine Corporation purchased this division in 1990 and discontinued the final canoe production under the original brand by 1996. Subsequently, former executives established Marathon Boat Group, securing licensing rights from Northrop Grumman in 2000 to continue the brand legacy.
The company also produced a line of sport boats and manufactured transit buses, notably the Grumman-Flxible 870 model between 1978 and 1982.
Additional significant creations include the Ben Franklin (PX-15), a scientific submarine, and the extensively utilized Grumman LLV, which serves postal delivery operations for both the United States Postal Service and Canada Post.
A dedicated memorial park located in Calverton, New York commemorates the firm’s contributions to aviation and aerospace industries.

External links

Model name	First flight	Number built	Type
Grumman FF	1931	116	Single-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman JF Duck	1933	48	Single-engine piston floatplane observation aircraft
Grumman F2F	1933	55	Single-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman F3F	1935	147	Single-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman J2F Duck	1936	254	Single-engine piston floatplane observation aircraft
Grumman G-21 Goose	1937	345	Twin-engine piston flying boat
Grumman F4F Wildcat	1937	2,605	Single-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman G-44 Widgeon	1940	276	Twin-engine piston flying boat
Grumman TBF Avenger	1941	2,290	Single-engine piston torpedo bomber
Grumman F6F Hellcat	1942	12,275	Single-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman F7F Tigercat	1943	364	Twin-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman F8F Bearcat	1944	1,265	Single-engine piston naval fighter
Grumman AF Guardian	1945	389	Single-engine piston anti-submarine warfare aircraft
Grumman HU-16 Albatross	1947	466	Twin-engine piston flying boat
Grumman F9F Panther	1947	1,382	Single-jet engine naval fighter
align=left Grumman F9F-6 Cougar \| 1951 \| 1,988 \| Single-jet engine naval fighter \|