Grumman Gulfstream I

Grumman Gulfstream I, designated the G-159, was the first corporate jet produced by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, entering service in 1958. Developed from the Navy’s Grumman TBF Avenger and the company’s successful business aircraft, the Gulfstream I was a turboprop‑powered, low‑wing machine powered by two Rolls‑Royce Dart engines mounted on the aft fuselage. Its pressurized cabin could accommodate up to 14 passengers and featured a spacious, flat‑floor layout that set a new standard for executive travel comfort. The aircraft’s sleek, all‑metal construction, tricycle landing gear, and innovative fuel‑efficient design gave it a cruise speed of 350 knots and a range of roughly 2,600 nautical miles, enabling nonstop transcontinental flights. Over 400 units were built, serving not only corporations but also military and government operators, including the U.S. Air Force as the C‑131. The Gulfstream I’s reliability and performance established Grumman’s reputation in the business‑aviation market and paved the way for the later Gulfstream jet series, influencing modern corporate aircraft design and cementing its place in aviation history. Its success also inspired the development of the Gulfstream II, the first pure‑jet model, and demonstrated the viability of turboprop business aircraft in an era dominated by piston‑powered planes.

Grumman

Grumman Gulfstream I

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