The Mighty Grumman F8F Bearcat Fighter! B-I-G Pratt & Whitney Engine Sounds - YouTube The Mighty Grumman F8F Bearcat Fighter! B-I-G Pratt & Whitney Engine Sounds Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Nov 28, 2010 Enjoy my video of the greatest piston-powered fighter aircraft ever built, the mighty Grumman F8F Bearcat. This mid- to late-1940s aircraft never saw combat with the U.S. Navy but did see combat in Vietnam with the French Air Force. This is the most awesome performer of all the piston-powered fighters ever designed! This has got to be the burliest sound to ever come from a fighter. Hard to believe that this aircraft is that tiny! Category F8F Bearcat Dazzled Naval Aviators in the 1940s | Defense Media Network F8F Bearcat Dazzled Naval Aviators in the 1940s By Robert F.

Dorr - October 21, 2013 Naval Air Reserve F8F-1 Bearcats (bureau nos. 94818 and 95437) in flight over Long Island, N.Y., ca. 1950. Photo courtesy of Jim Hawkins Sharing Options: Labels: Attack Aircraft , Fighter Aircraft , International Militaries , Naval Aviation , U.S. Navy In the 1940s and 1950s, naval aviators pushed the limits in a powerful, lightweight, very nimble fighter that some called a “hot rod.” It was the fighter that was built to defeat Japan, but the war ended before Americans could fly it in combat. Many wish they’d had the chance. To them, the Grumman F8F Bearcat was a world-beater. “It had so much ‘oomph’ and speed, you would ask yourself, ‘Can I control this airplane?’ Then with a little practice you could fling it all over the sky and you’d ask yourself, ‘How am I ever going to get this plane on the ground?’” “The first time I flew one it dazzled me,” said retired Marine Corps Col.

John J, Geuss of Palos Park, Ill., who piloted Bearcats with the Naval Air Reserve in the 1950s. “That thing went up like a skyrocket. You needed to pay attention or it could leap away from you, but if you stayed in charge, it handled well and performed beautifully.” Pilot Pride Bearcat pilots thought of themselves as top guns before the term existed. The F8F was the ultimate propeller-driven fighter, as they saw it. “I felt like a kid who’d been riding a speedy bike and was suddenly given a Harley Davidson ,” said retired Cmdr. Robert S. “Beaver” Blake, of Bridgeton, Mo., who flew the Bearcat at Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Md., near the end of its service career in 1956. Two U.S. Navy F8F-2 Bearcats flyover the USS Valley Forge (CV 45). The white stripes on the fuselage of the aircraft are war game markings.

National Museum of Naval Aviation photo “It had so much ‘oomph’ and speed, you would ask yourself, ‘Can I control this airplane?’ Then with a little practice you could fling it all over the sky and you’d ask yourself, ‘How am I ever going to get this plane on the ground?'” The F8F was designed to be the ultimate fighter in the final days of World War II against Japan. It was meant to operate from carriers of all sizes . The Navy wanted excellent maneuverability, good low-level performance, and a high rate of climb. Historians debate whether the threat from Japanese suicide aircraft, called kamikaze, influenced the design of the Bearcat. When they retired the last Bearcat from service, “it was a sad day for all of us,” remembered Blake. As a product of the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Company in Bethpage, Long Island, N.Y., the Bearcat was the logical successor to the F6F Hellcat, which had turned the tide against the vaunted Japanese Zero, the Mitsubishi A6M, in the Pacific war. But although the prototype XF8F-1 made its initial flight on Aug.

21, 1944 in the hands of engineer/test pilot Bob Hall, the Bearcat did not reach Fleet squadrons before the war ended. The Bearcat was about 20 per cent lighter than the Hellcat and used a more powerful engine, the 2,100-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial. It was officially credited with a maximum speed of 421 miles per hour, but Bearcats used in civilian air races in recent years have flown as much as a hundred miles per hour faster. At its lightest loaded weight the Bearcat was stressed to 7.5 positive g and 3.7 negative g. War Machine The F8F Bearcat was armed with four .50-caliber machine guns. While the war was going on, the Navy ordered 2,023 F8F-1 models, the first of which equipped squadron VF-19 beginning in May 1945.

Plans for an F3M-1 version to be manufactured by General Motors never materialized, and the number of Bearcats actually built ended up being 1,266 – 765 F8F-1s, 100 F8F-1Bs with four 20mm cannon; 36 F8F-1N night fighters; and 293 F8F-2s with redesigned engine cowling and taller tail fin, 12 F8F-2N night fighters, and 60 F8F-2P reconnaissance aircraft with cameras and two 20 mm cannon. A flight of four F8F Bearcats flown by the Blue Angels flight demonstration team. U.S. Navy photo After the war, the Bearcat seemed to be everywhere. A couple were flown by the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and some were used to maintain flight proficiency by students at Landing Signal Officer school at Pensacola, Fla. Famed Royal Navy test pilot Eric “Winkle” Brown flew Bearcats during his time at the U.S. Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Md., and remembered it fondly.

“Certainly it was a joy to throw around in the air, as it had beautiful harmony of control aided by its spring tab ailerons,” he wrote. “It had another hallmark of a good day fighter in that it had poor stability rather in the manner of the Spitfire . This combination made for superb maneuverability which, coupled with the fact that the aircraft was overpowered, resulted in an outstanding aerobatic performer. I do not think I have blacked myself out so consistently in an aircraft and it was just as well for peace of mind that the Bearcat was so highly stressed.” A handful of F8Fs remained in service until the late 1950s, and several are still flying today in private hands. A number of Bearcats served in Southeast Asia with the French and Thai air arms. When they retired the last Bearcat from service, “it was a sad day for all of us,” remembered Blake. Grumman Bearcat - YouTube Grumman Bearcat Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Jul 23, 2010 Copyright © 2010 Malcolm Auld This video and audio material may not be used in any form without written permission. The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called "Bear") was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, Powered by a Pratt and Whitney R2800 18 cylinder 2300hp radial engine it would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft. The Bearcat concept was inspired by the early 1943 evaluation of a captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190 by Grumman test pilots and engineering staff. After flying the Fw 190, Grumman test pilot Bob Hall wrote a report directed to President Leroy Grumman, who then personally laid out the specifications for Design 58, the successor to the Hellcat. Design 58 closely emulated the design philosophy of the German fighter, although no part of the Fw 190 was copied.

The F8F Bearcat stemmed from Design 58 with the primary missions of outperforming highly maneuverable late-model Japanese fighter aircraft such as the A6M5 Zero. A role which later developed was that of defending the fleet against incoming airborne suicide (kamikaze) attacks. The F8F prototypes were ordered in November 1943 and first flew on 21 August 1944, a mere nine months later. The first production aircraft was delivered in February 1945 and the first squadron was operational by 21 May, but World War II was over before the aircraft saw combat service. Category Grumman F8F Bearcat | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The Bearcat concept began during a meeting between Battle of Midway veteran F4F Wildcat pilots and Grumman Vice President Jake Swirbul at Pearl Harbor on 23 June 1942. At the meeting, Lieutenant Commander Jimmie Thach emphasized one of his most important requirements in a good fighter plane to Mr.

Swirbul, "climb rate", which connoted "power." [2] After intensively analyzing carrier warfare in the Pacific Theater of Operations for a year and a half, Grumman commenced designing the F8F Bearcat, and the first prototype flew on 31 August 1944. [3] [4] Prior to the F8F Bearcat, F6F Hellcats had been tasked with the primary missions of outperforming the exceptionally long range and highly maneuverable late-model Japanese fighter aircraft such as the A6M5 Zero ; [5] a later role was defending the fleet against incoming airborne suicide ( kamikaze ) attacks. [6] Work on the Grumman G-58 Bearcat began in 1943 with the specifications calling for an aircraft able to operate from the smallest carrier, primarily in the interceptor role. The F6F's Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine was retained but compared to the Hellcat, the Bearcat was 20% lighter, had a 30% better rate of climb and was 50 mph (80 km/h) faster. To achieve this, range was necessarily sacrificed.

[7] An XF8F-1 prototype at the NACA , in 1945. In comparison with the Vought F4U Corsair , the initial F8F-1 Bearcat series was marginally slower but was more maneuverable and climbed more quickly. Its huge 12 ft 4 in Aero Products four-bladed propeller required a long landing gear, giving the Bearcat a "nose-up" profile. The hydraulically operated undercarriage used an articulated trunnion which extended the length of the oleo legs when lowered; as the undercarriage retracted the legs were shortened, enabling them to fit into a wheel well which was entirely in the wing. An additional benefit of the inward retracting units was a wide track, which helped counter propeller torque on takeoff and gave the F8F good ground and carrier deck handling. [8] For the first time in a production U.S. Navy fighter, a bubble canopy offered 360° visibility.

The target loaded weight of 8,750 lb/3,969 kg (derived from the land-based German aircraft) was essentially impossible to achieve as the structure of the new fighter had to be made strong enough for aircraft carrier landings. Structurally the fuselage used flush riveting as well as spot welding, with a heavy gauge 302W aluminum alloy skin. [8] Armor protection was provided for the pilot, engine and oil cooler; weight-saving measures included restricting the internal fuel capacity to 160 gal (606 l) [8] (later 183) [9] and limiting the fixed armament to four .50 cal Browning M2/AN machine guns, two in each wing. As a weight-saving concept the designers came up with detachable wingtips; if the "g"-force exceeded 7.5 "g", then the tips would snap off, leaving a perfectly flyable aircraft still capable of carrier landing.

While this worked very well under carefully controlled conditions in flight and on the ground, in the field, where aircraft were repetitively stressed by landing on carriers and since the wings were slightly less carefully made in the factories, there was a possibility that only one wingtip would break away with the possibility of the aircraft crashing. [10] This was replaced with an explosives system to blow the wing tips off together, which also worked well, however this ended when a ground technician died due to accidental triggering. In the end the wings were reinforced and the aircraft limited to 7.5 "g". [11] An unmodified production F8F-1 set a 1946 time-to-climb record (after a run of 115 ft/35 m) of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) in 94 seconds (6,383 fpm). The Bearcat held this record for 10 years until it was broken by a modern jet fighter (which still could not match the Bearcat's short takeoff distance).

Operational history On 25 August 1946, the Blue Angels transitioned to the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat and introduced the famous "diamond" formation. A fully restored Bearcat in Blue Angels colors; seen at EAA AirVenture 2011 The F8F prototypes were ordered in November 1943 and first flew on 21 August 1944, a mere nine months later. [N 1] The first production aircraft was delivered in February 1945 and the first squadron, Fighter Squadron 19 ( VF-19 ), was operational by 21 May 1945, but World War II was over before the aircraft saw combat service. Postwar, the F8F became a major U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps fighter, equipping 24 fighter squadrons in the Navy and a smaller number in the Marines. Often mentioned as one of the best-handling piston-engine fighters ever built, its performance was sufficient to outperform many early jets.

[N 2] Its capability for aerobatic performance is illustrated by its selection as the first demonstration aircraft for the navy's elite Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron in 1946, who flew it until the team was temporarily disbanded in 1950 during the Korean War and pressed into operational combat service. The F9F Panther and McDonnell F2H Banshee largely replaced the Bearcat as their performance and other advantages eclipsed piston-engine fighters. First combat Edit The first combat for the F8F Bearcat was during the French Indochina War (aka First Indochina War 1946-1954) when nearly 200 Bearcats were delivered to the French forces in 1951. When the war ended in 1954, 28 surviving Bearcats were supplied to the new South Vietnamese Air Force and entered service in 1956.

[15] The SVAF retired their F8Fs in 1959 which were replaced by North American T-28 Trojans , then later Douglas A-1 Skyraiders as the Vietnam War (aka Second Indochina War 1957–1975) continued through the 1960s. F8Fs were also supplied to Thailand during the same time period. [16] [17] [18] Air racing Record-breaking Rare Bear racer Bearcats have long been popular in air racing . A stock Bearcat flown by Mira Slovak and sponsored by Bill Stead won the first Reno Air Race in 1964. Rare Bear , a highly-modified F8F owned by Lyle Shelton , went on to dominate the event for decades, often competing with Daryl Greenamyer , another famous racer with victories in his own Bearcat ("Conquest I", now at the Smithsonian's NASM) and holder of a propeller-driven aircraft world speed record in it.

Rare Bear also set many performance records, including the 3 km World Speed Record for piston-driven aircraft (528.33 mph/850.26 km/h), set in 1989, and a new time-to-climb record (3,000 m in 91.9 seconds (6,425.9 fpm), set in 1972, breaking the 1946 record cited above). [19] [N 3] [20] [21] Variants Edit Andrews, Hal. The Grumman F8F Bearcat (Aircraft in profile 107). Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1972 (reprinted from 1966). Bridgman, Leonard. "The Grumman Bearcat." Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. ISBN 1-85170-493-0 . Brown, Eric . "Last of the wartime 'cats'." Air International, Vol. 18, No. 5, May 1980.

Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. ISSN 0306-5634. Chant, Christopher. Grumman F8F Bearcat: Super Profile. Sparkford, Yeovil, UK: Haynes Publishing, 1985. ISBN 0-85429-447-3 . Drendel, Lou. U.S. Navy Carrier Fighters of World War II. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1987. ISBN 0-89747-194-6 . Ewing, Steve. Thach Weave: The Life Jimmie Thach. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. 2004. ISBN 1-59114-248-2 . Francillon, Rene J. Grumman Aircraft Since 1929. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1989. ISBN 0-87021-246-X . Green, William. "Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat". War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters.

London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961, pp. 109–111. ISBN 0-356-01448-7 . Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "Grumman F8F Bearcat". WW2 Fact Files: US Navy and Marine Corps Fighters. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1976, pp. 62–63. ISBN 0-356-08222-9 . Gunston, Bill. Grumman: Sixty Years of Excellence. London: Orion Books, 1988. ISBN 1-55750-991-3 . Hanson, James R. First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005. ISBN 0-7432-5751-0 . Maloney, Edward T. Grumman F8F Bearcat (Aero Series Vol. 20). Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, 1969.

ISBN 0-8168-0576-8 . Manevy, Jean Christophe. "French Bearcats in Indo-China 1951-1954". Air International, Vol. 44, No. 6, June 1993, pp. 278–280. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. ISSN 0306-5634. Meyer, "Corky". "Clipping the Bearcat's Wing." Flight Journal, Vol. 3, No. 4, August 1998. Morgan, Eric B. "Grumman's Hot Rod." Twenty-first Profile, Volume 1, no. 12. New Milton, Hantfordshire, UK: Profile Publications, 1972. ISSN 0961-8120. Morgan, Eric B. "Grumman Bearcat part II." Twenty-first Profile, Volume 2, no. 17. New Milton, Hantfordshire, UK: Profile Publications, 1972. ISSN 0961-8120. O'Leary, Michael.

United States Naval Fighters of World War II in Action. Poole, Dorset, UK: Blandford Press, 1980. ISBN 0-7137-0956-1 . Scrivner, Charles L. F8F Bearcat in Action, Aircraft number 99. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1990. ISBN 0-89747-243-8 . Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press 1991, pp. 241–243. ISBN 0-87021-792-5 . Taylor, John W.R. "Grumman F8F Bearcat". Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the Present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2 .

</dl> Grumman F8F Bearcat | How It Flies You are hereGrumman F8F Bearcat Grumman F8F Bearcat YOU CAN ADD TO OR EDIT THIS PAGE To add aircraft comments, reviews, photos, videos, facts or opinions simply Register (free) and start contributing! Photos Videos No images for this Aircarft. The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called "Bear") was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engine d fighter aircraft. Design and development The Bearcat concept was inspired by the early 1943 evaluation of a captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190 by Grumman test pilots and engineering staff. After flying the Fw 190, Grumman test pilot Bob Hall wrote a report directed to President Leroy Grumman, who then personally laid out the specifications for Design 58, the successor to the Hellcat .

Design 58 closely emulated the design philosophy of the German fighter, although no part of the Fw 190 was copied. The F8F Bearcat stemmed from Design 58 with the primary missions of outperforming highly maneuverable late-model Japanese fighter aircraft such as the A6M5 Zero . A role which later developed was that defending the fleet against incoming airborne suicide (''kamikaze '') attacks. Work on the Grumman G-58 Bearcat began in 1943 with the intention to provide the U.S. Navy with a high performance derivative of the Grumman F6F Hellcat . The specifications called for an aircraft able to operate from the smallest carrier, primarily in the interceptor role. The F6F's Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine was retained but compared to the Hellcat, the Bearcat was 20% lighter, had a 30% better rate of climb and was 50 mph (80 km/h) faster. To achieve this, the range was necessarily sacrificed.

In comparison with the Vought F4U Corsair , the initial Bearcat (F8F-1) was marginally slower but was more maneuverable and climbed more quickly. Its huge 12 ft 4 in Aero Products four-bladed propeller required a long landing gear (made even longer by the mid-fuselage position of the wing), giving the Bearcat an easily-recognized, "nose-up" profile. The hydraulically operated undercarriage used an articulated trunnion which extended the length of the oleo legs to lengthen when down; as the undercarriage retracted the legs were shortened, enabling them to fit into a wheel well which was entirely in the wing. An additional benefit of the inward retracting units was a wide track, which helped counter propeller torque on takeoff and gave the F8F good ground and carrier deck handling.. For the first time in a production Navy fighter, a bubble canopy offered 360° visibility. The target loaded weight of 8,750 lb/3,969 kg (derived from the land-based German aircraft) was essentially impossible to achieve as the structure of the new fighter had to be made strong enough for aircraft carrier landings.

Structurally the fuselage used flush riveting as well as spot welding, with a heavy gauge 302W aluminum alloy skin. Armor protection was provided for the pilot, engine and oil cooler; weight saving measures include restricting the internal fuel capacity to 160 gal (606 l) (later 183) and limiting the fixed armament to four .50 cal Browning M2/AN machine guns, two in each wing. As a weight-saving concept the designers came up with detachable wingtips; if the ''g''-force exceeded 7.5 ''g'' then the tips would be allowed to snap off, leaving a perfectly flyable aircraft still capable of carrier landing. While this worked very well under carefully controlled conditions in flight and on the ground, in the field, where aircraft were repetitively stressed by landing on carriers and since the wings were slightly less carefully made in the factories, there was a possibility that only one wingtip would break away with the possibility of the aircraft crashing. This was replaced with an explosives system to blow the wings off together, which also worked well, however this ended when a ground technician died due to accidental triggering.

In the end the wings were reinforced and the aircraft limited to 7.5 ''g''. Grumman's project pilot for the Bearcat series was legendary test pilot Corky Meyer , who also had this role on the Grumman F6F Hellcat , F7F Tigercat , F9F Panther , XF10F-1 Jaguar , and the F11F Tiger series. Meyer was head of Grumman Flight Operations at Edwards Air Force Base from 1952–56. Another famous name is associated with the type; when asked his favorite aircraft to fly, Neil Armstrong 's immediate and unequivocal answer was "Bearcat". Armstrong had flown the type in 1950 during his Navy Advanced Training, field qualifying in it at age 19. Operational history The F8F prototypes were ordered in November 1943 and first flew on 21 August 1944, a mere nine months later. The first production aircraft was delivered in February 1945 and the first squadron, VF-19 , was operational by 21 May, but World War II was over before the aircraft saw combat service.

Postwar, the F8F became a major U.S. Navy fighter, equipping 24 fighter squadrons. Often mentioned as one of the best-handling piston-engine fighters ever built, its performance was sufficient to outperform many early jets. Its capability for aerobatic performance is illustrated by its selection for the Navy's elite Blue Angels in 1946, who flew it until the team was temporarily disbanded in 1950, during the Korean War . The F9F Panther and McDonnell F2H Banshee largely replaced the Bearcat in USN service, as their performance and other advantages eclipsed piston-engine fighters. An unmodified production F8F-1 set a 1946 time-to-climb record (after a run of 115 ft/35 m) of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) in 94 seconds (6,383 fpm). The Bearcat held this record for 10 years until it was broken by a modern jet fighter (which could still not match the Bearcat's short takeoff distance). Other nations that flew the Bearcat included the French Air Force and Royal Thai Air Force .

French aircraft saw combat service against the Viet Minh in the First Indochina War as fighter-bombers in the early 1950s. They were used to support French Forces at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu , operating at the edge of their combat radius, but failed to prevent the French defeat that brought about the end of the war. Upon its creation in 1955, nearly 70 surviving aircraft passed to the Vietnam Air Force . Air racing Bearcats have long been popular in air racing . A stock Bearcat flown by Mira Slovak and sponsored by Bill Stead won the first Reno Air Race in 1964. ''Rare Bear '', a highly-modified F8F owned by Lyle Shelton , went on to dominate the event for decades, often competing with Daryl Greenamyer , another famous racer with victories in his own Bearcat ("Conquest I", now at [ the Smithsonian's NASM ]) and holder of a propeller-driven aircraft world speed record in it.

''Rare Bear'' also set many performance records, including the 3 km World Speed Record for piston-driven aircraft (528.33 mph/850.26 km/h), set in 1989, and a new time-to-climb record (3,000 m in 91.9 seconds (6425.9 fpm), set in 1972, breaking the 1946 record cited above). Variants Grumman F8F Bearcat | Flickr Grumman F8F Bearcat Group Description [ About the Bearcat: The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called "Bear") was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th Century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft. -Still Airworthy: Around 11 Company designtion. -G-58A Two civil aircraft. The first was owned by the Gulf Oil Company for the use of Major Alford Williams, the second one was used by Grumman as a demonstrator aircraft.

-XF8F-1 Prototype aircraft, two built. -F8F-1 Bearcat Single-seat fighter aircraft, equipped with folding wings, a retractable tailwheel, self-sealing fuel tanks, a very small dorsal fin, powered by a 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W Double Wasp radial piston engine, armed with four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. -F8M-1 Bearcat F8F-1 Bearcats built by General Motors. -F8F-1B Bearcat Single-seat fighter version, armed with four 20 mm cannons. -F8F-1(D) Bearcat Export version for France and Thailand. -XF8-1N Night fighter prototypes, two built. -F8F-1N Bearcat Night fighter version, equipped with an APS-19 radar. -XF8F-2 F8F-2 prototypes, two built.

-F8F-2 Bearcat Improved version, equipped with a redesigned engine cowling, taller fin and rudder, armed with four 20 mm (.79 in) cannons, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W radial piston engine, 293 built. -F8F-2N Bearcat Night-fighter version, equipped with an APS-19 radar. -F8F-2P Bearcat Photo-reconnaissance version, fitted with camera equipment, armed with two 20 mm (.79 in) cannons. -F8F-1D and F8F-2D Small numbers of F8F-1s and F8F-2s were converted into drone control aircraft.

Specifications F8F-1 and F8F-2: -Length: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m) -Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in (10.92 m) -Height: 13 ft 9 in (4.21 m) -Wing area: ft² (m²) -Empty weight: 7,070 lb (3,207 kg) - Loaded weight: 9,600 lb (4,354 kg) -Max takeoff weight: 12,947 lb (5,873 kg) -Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W "Double Wasp" two-row radial engine, 2,100 hp (1,567 kW) Performance -Maximum speed: 421 mph (366 kn, 678 km/h) -Range: 1,105 mi (1,778 km) -Service ceiling: 38,700 ft (11,796 m) -Rate of climb: 4,570 ft/min

 (23.2 m/s) -Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (360 W/kg) Armament -Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns (Four 20mm M3 cannon F8F-1B) -Rockets: 4× 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets -Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs Data from F8F Bearcat in action General characteristics -Length: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m) -Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in (10.92 m) -Height: 13 ft 10 in (4.21 m) -Empty weight: 7,650 lb (3,207 kg) -Loaded weight: 10,200 lb (4,627 kg) -Max takeoff weight: 13,460 lb (6,105 kg) Performance -Maximum speed: 455 mph (405 kn, 750 km/h)

 -Range: 1,105 mi (1,778 km) -Service ceiling: 40,800 ft (12,436 m) -Rate of climb: 6,300 ft/min (32.0 m/s) Armament -Guns: 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) M3 cannon -Rockets: 4× 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets -Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs ______ NOTE: All INFO FROM WIKIPEDIA.

Additional Info Accepted content types: Photos, Videos, Images, Art, Screenshots Accepted safety levels: Safe Grumman Bearcat | Aircraft | Links Grumman Bearcat - $5.50 The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called "Bear") was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th Century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft. Grumman F8F Bearcat WWII Carrier Fighter Downloadable Cardmodel Grumman F8F WWII Bearcat Most powerful and fastest of the 'cat' series but came into production at the end of WWII. It was an extremely high performance plane capable of taking off from the smallest carriers. Makes up into a sweetheart of a model. The F8F was Grumman's last production in a line of piston-engine fighters which began with the FF-l when the company was set up in 1931. Grumman F8F Bearcat the company designated the project G-58 and development started in 1943. What people say...

I have re-colored two color schemes used by the Blues on their Bearcats, from 1946 to 1950. the first is the familiar blue and gold--the other the less so, "BeetleBomb" adversary aircraft that was used in the mock dogfight that was a highlight of the show back then. The Bearcat replaced the SNJ late in it's career, as it was too slow to keep up with the Panthers! It flew as part of the show until 1950, when it crashed. Shortly thereafter--the team went to war, and when the shows started back up again--a TV2 was used by the announcer / advance person...Rob Carleen Wingspan six and 3/4 inches. Cockpit area on fuselage is covered with black paper. Two clear canopies are shown. I tried the suggested quick double packing tape method on the left one then played with gluing clear thin plastic onto the underside of a cut out frame. Both would work nicely. A cone was glued to the engine disk to help the prop clear the engine cowling. Prop assembly: The propeller blades are reinforced with straight wire.

The large cardboard disc is glued inside the cowling, the smaller one is glued onto the propeller straight pin at the aft end of the brass tube. Finished model. The canopy frame was first painted with enamel then sanded after drying and finally touched up with acrylic paint....Bob Penikas Hi guys! I love this model, so I invested a little time into recoloring it. I darkened the paint scheme to what I think is the right color for all late-war Navy/Marine aircraft and used the historically accurate insignia for 1945/46 (what if the war went on longer?). I also added exhaust smudges and changed the canopy reflection. I left numbers and letters and squadron markings off on purpose, I've found that multiple airplanes look funny when they all have the same numbers on them. Feel free to include this in your Bearcat folder if you like it. If there is something wrong that you see please don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks Ryan! I'm sure the guys will love this - Scott Fyn (added to folder June 26th 2014) Included in this folder...

Grumman F8F Bearcat The F8F was Grumman's last production in a line of piston-engine fighters which began with the FF-l when the company was set up in 1931. The company designated the project G-58 and development started in 1943. The requirement was for a high-performance aircraft capable of operation from even the smallest carrier. The G-58 was dimensionally smaller, but had a similar configuration to that of the F6F. Grumman received an order from the US Navy on November 27, 1943, for two prototypes which were given the designation XF8F- 1. One of the initial design features, and a most unusual one, was the provision of break points in the wings, along with explosive bolts. The purpose of these was to overcome a potentially dangerous situation if the aircraft was handled too vigorously: the tips would fail at selected known points, but balance would hopefully be restored. However, this provision was abandoned at a later stage in the development program, though the wings folded only at the tips. Unlike the Hellcat, the landing gear of the Bearcat retracted inwards.

The engine chosen to power the Bearcat was the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp which had also powered the Hellcat. Unlike most new 'developments' the Bearcat was a smaller aircraft than the Hellcat and significantly lighter which gave it an outstanding power-to-weight ratio. The Bearcat's range was average at 1105 miles, but its excellent climb capability of 4570ft/min more than made up for this. The first of the two prototypes made its maiden flight on August 21, 1944, with an R-2800-22W engine. It was an excellent first flight. The aircraft proved its high performance capability with a 4800 ft/min rate-of-climb and a maximum speed of 424 mph. Armament consisted of four 12.7-mm (0.5-in) machine-guns, mounted in the wings, and two 1000-lb bombs or four 12.7-cm (5-in) rockets could be carried on inner-wing racks, or two drop tanks. The navy came up with a production contract on October 6, 1944.

Grumman was to supply 2023 F8F-1 aircraft. A few months later, on February 5, 1945, Eastern Aircraft (General Motors) was contracted to produce 1876 Bearcats with the designation F3M-1. Grumman started deliveries in February 1945, and the aircraft were assigned to US Navy Squadron VF-19 which began to equip in May of that year. World War II ended without the Bearcat having seen operational service. The navy reduced its contracts to 770 aircraft but added an order for 126 F8F-1B Bearcats, with four 20-mm (0.79-in) cannon. Of the original order, 15 aircraft were revised as night fighters, with the designation F8F2N, with APS-6 radar. Navy squadrons continued to re-equip with the Bearcat and by 1948, the type was in service with 24 units. Another version, the F8F-2, appeared in 1948 armed with 20-mm (0.79-mm) cannon.

There were 293 of these built, as well as 12 night fighters, designated F8F-2N. Other changes included a taller fin and rudder, and the engine cowling was revised. Grumman also produced 60 F8F-2P photographic aircraft. Production ended in May 1949. At this time, 12 navy squadrons operated the F8F-l and 12 the F8F-2. By the end of 1952, the type was completely out of service. The Bearcat's operational life with the US Navy was relatively short, but surplus aircraft were sold to the French Arm& de l'Air and the Royal Thai Air Force, and the Bearcat gave an excellent account of itself in the Indo-Chinese war, fought between France and the communist Viet-Minh. While Grumman's Hellcat was wresting air superiority from the Japanese at high altitudes, its low-level performance was still somewhat behind that of the lighter Japanese types. To fill this gap in Navy fighter ranks, Grumman undertook the design of a scrappy, light-weight fighter that would combine nimble maneuverability with rapid climb characteristics.

The Navy expressed its interest in the project by awarding a development contract for two XF8F-1's on November 27, 1943. Their faith in Grumman's engineering capabilities is reflected in the fact that no full-scale mock-up was required-just the engine mounting and a detailed cockpit. Grumman set about their task with such rapidity that the Bearcat was in the air on August 21, 1944-just ten months after the contract was approved. The Bearcat made an immediate hit with the pilots and required only moderate revisions to become fully acceptable to the K Navy. The second prototype, delivered in November, already embodied many of the changes. Most notable amwing these was the addition of a dorsal fin to improve its directional stability. Within five months of 1he XF8F-1's initial flight, the first production Bearcats were rolling out of the Grumman plant. Though a few of these planes had reached the Navy before the war had ended, none were used in combat. The original contract called for 23 Bearcats, but this was upped to 2,023 before the first one was completed.

This was followed by another increase of 4,000 planes. General Motors received a contract for 1,876 F2M-1 and F3M-1 Bearcats, but these became victims of the postwar cutback and none were built. Grumman also suffered a severe reduction in orders on VJ Day, with the result that only 765 of the FSF- 1 Bearcats were completed. Grumman engineers included a novel feature into the design of the Bearcat's wings. In the event of excessively high "G" loads during maneuvering, the wingtips would break away to allow the shortened wings to safely withstand a higher "G" factor. The folding portion of the wing was designed to fail at half the distance to the tip if the plane exceeded 9 'G's." Problems with this system led to the addition of explosive bolts along the separation line, If only one tip separated, the explosive bolts would assure that the opposite side was ejected also. This would allow half of the aileron area to remain, but greatly reduced the stress on the balance of the wing structure permitting it to withstand even higher forces. After the war, Bearcat production continued with the FSF-LB.

One hundred of these appeared with four 20 mm cannons replacing the original Bearcat armament of four .50 cal. machine guns. Thirty-six F8F-2's, with radar pods suspended from a pylon on the right wing, were ordered as night fighters. Upgrading the design and increasing the height of the tail brought about the F8F-2 and an order for 293 copies. The order also included 60 camera bearing F8F-2P's with only two 20mm cannons. The Bearcat did not see combat in the colors of the U.S. Navy; but many of the planes, declared obsolete by the U.S. government, were delivered to the French for use in Indochina. These were in use by the Thais and Vietnamese during the conflict in that area. Power for the nimble F8F came from a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W. With 2,100 hp for take off and 1,850 hp for maneuvering, the Bearcat had a maximum speed of 447 mph in the -2 version-26 mph faster than the first model.

The FSF-1 had a wingspan of 35 feet 10 inches with an area of 244 square feet. It was 28 feet 3 inches long and stood 13 feet 10 inches high. By comparison, the FSF-2 was 27 feet 8 inches long and 12 feet 2 inches high. Respective weights of the two were: FSF1-empty, 7,070 pounds; gross, 9,386 pounds; maximum, 12,947 pounds. F8F2-empty, 7,690 pounds; gross, 10,426 pounds; maximum, 13,494 pounds. Fuel capacities were 183 gallons for the -1 and 185 for the -2. The earlier model had a service ceiling of 38,700 feet and a range of 1,105 miles, compared to a 40,700 foot ceiling and 865 mile range for the -2. The rate of climb was rather exciting at some 4,500 fpm for the Bearcat.

Had the war continued, there is little doubt that the Bearcat would have been recorded as one of the combat greats along with its larger relative, the Hellcat , and the Vought Corsair . Fortunately, these latter two went a long way to eliminate the need for their nimble successor. F-8F-1 Bearcat - Shop Online & Save! F-8F-1 Bearcat The highest quality airplane and ship models available! Qty: Order with Confidence Specials and Promotions The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called "Bear") was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft. This handcrafted model is painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by our skilled craftsmen with a wealth of detail and makes a great gift for any veteran, aviation enthusiast or history buff.

Scale of Model: 1/24 scale model Wing Span: 17.5 Order With Confidence Returns of purchases made today will be accepted through Thursday, February 16, 2017 if they meet the terms of our standard Return Policy . Lowest Price Guarantee PilotMall.com features more than 8,000 products from the traditional to the innovative for the appreciation, maintenance and operation of aircraft. We strive to offer our customers the lowest prices and greatest selection of pilot supplies, educational material and aviation gifts. Please provide some basic info and we'll do our best to beat the lowest price that you've seen! Lowest Price Guarantee Form . Shipping Orders for merchandise In Stock in our Lakeland, Florida warehouse typically ship same-day if ordered by 3:00 PM Eastern. We offer numerous shipping options based on the speed of delivery that you require. You will be prompted to select your desired shipping method during checkout. The Grumman F8F Bearcat The Grumman F8F Bearcat Caption The Grumman F8F Bearcat was one of the best piston-engine fighters to see operational service with the US Navy.

It was also the last of a series of piston-engine carrier based fighters, which had been initiated with the FF-1 of 1931. It was designed primarily as an interceptor-fighter that would operate from carriers of all sizes. It never saw see action in WWII, as it was delivered to late, but surplus Navy Bearcats played an important role in the war in Indochina with the French Arm�e de l'Air and the Royal Thai Air Force. Eventually, Bearcats found their way into the civilian market and were featured attractions in the Reno Air Races in Nevada. In the summer of 1943, Grumman was now turning out large numbers of F6F Hellcats , which were seeing their first combat action in August. The design of the twin engine XF7F-1 was finalized and production would begin in October 1943.1 These two aircraft were a considerable improvement over the F4F Wildcat and were representative of the aircraft going into action for the US Navy with some emphasis on supercharged high altitude fighting. Grumman engineers working under Chief Engineer William Schwendler sought to fill a major gap in the low and medium altitude ranges for US carrier type fighters.

The goal was to create a small fighter, similar to the Wildcat , but with much more speed, rate of climb, and maneuverability than any other carrier fighters in service or under development. Caption Given the Grumman designation G-58, work on the Bearcat began in 1943. It was cantilever, low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, with the same NACA 230 series wing used in the Hellcat, that folded at about two thirds of the wing span for carrier storage. 2 It incorporated armor protection for the pilot and had self-sealing fuel tanks installed. It was more than 5 feet shorter and 2,000 lb. lighter, and had a rate of climb 30% higher than its predecessor, the F6F Hellcat . Despite being smaller and lighter, the Bearcat was still powered by the same Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine used on the F6F and F7F. The lightweight design ensured greater performance, especially in climb, but range was necessarily compromised. To minimize drag, a heavier skin would be used with flush riveting and spot welding in some areas.

Other improvements in aerodynamic design incorporated refinements in the engine cowling, leading edge intakes and a bubble canopy. Armament consisted of only four Browning M2 .50 caliber guns as this was considered adequate against the less rugged and less protected Japanese fighters.3 Armor protection and self sealing fuel tanks were sacrificed in Japanese A6M2 Zero fighters, particularly near the end of the war. Protection could not be incorporated into Zeroes powered with the 950 hp Sakae 12, and still meet armament and performance requirements.4 However, other Japanese fighters were being built with greater horsepower and performance, and the Bearcat was built with this in mind. The Bearcat had one unusual design feature to save weight, that was eventually abandoned. It incorporated provisions for Safety Wing Tips, that would break off, if the aircraft exceeded 9 Gs. This feature allowed for a lighter wing structure saving 230 lb.5 Based on experience with other aircraft, it was felt that a weak-point in the wing, would prevent the entire wing from being overstressed or failing. In addition, provisions for explosive charges were installed in the wing tips.

If only one wing tip separated, the charges would be activated, to maintain flight symmetry.6 However, this feature did not always work and in two cases, a wing tip broke off during a low-altitude, high-speed pullout, and both aircraft rolled over and crashed into the sea, before either pilot could recover.7 Also, on at least one occasion, a malfunction occurred with the explosive charges during maintenance, and a US Navy technician was killed.8 Two prototypes were ordered by the Navy on November 27, 1943, with the designation XF8F-1. The first aircraft flew on August 21, 1944 (another account sets the first flight on August 13, 1944)9 and it was powered with a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-22 engine. The initial flight test met performance expectations with an initial rate of climb of 4,800 ft/min and a top speed of 424 mph.10 There was some criticism during flight testing, which included: 1. The cockpit was cramped. 2. Lateral trim was inadequate. 3. Longitudinal trim was inadequate. 4. There was poor directional stability.

5. Airspeed indication was erratic. 6. The landing gear airspeed operation needed to be increased. 7. Provisions for six guns was requested. A dorsal fin was added to the second prototype and the request for six guns was dropped due to limitations on the aft movement of the center of gravity. Grumman was awarded a contract for 2,023 F8F-1s on October 6, 1944 and a contract was also awarded to General Motors on February 5, 1945, for 1,876, F3M-1 Bearcats. The F3M-1 was to be powered with the R-2800-34W engine with a small increase in fuel capacity. Grumman began equipping squadron VF-19 on May 21, 1945 , but the end of the war brought a cancellation to the GM contract and the Grumman order was reduced to 770 aircraft.11 US Navy units continued replacing the Hellcats with Bearcats through 1947 and 1947 with a total of 24 units receiving the type by 1948.

Grumman received an additional order of 126 F8F-1Bs with 20mm cannons replacing the .50 machine guns. fifteen of the original order were completed as F8F-1N night fighters with a radar pod located under one wing. In 1948 Grumman produced 293 F8F-2s with many improvments, such as a revised cowling, raised vertical stabilizer and rudder and with armament of 20mm cannons. Also produced were twelve F8F-2Ns as night fighters and sixty F8F-2Ps as reconnaisance aircraft. Production ended in 1949 and that same year, Bearcats were withdrawn from frontline service with the last F8F-2Ps withdrawn in 1952. Bearcats were later used as drones and designated F8F-1D and F8F-2D. In 1946, a �time to climb� record was set by an F8F, which, after a take-off run of only 115 feet, reached 10,000 feet in 94 seconds!

Although it never saw combat with U.S. forces, the French used the Bearcat during their war in Indochina. The Royal Thai Air Force kept its Bearcats in service until 1960.

Question: The 1940s US fighter plane the 'Bearcat' was built by which company?
Answer: GRUMMAN