Grumman F8F Bearcat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F8F_Bearcat

The Grumman F8F Bearcat was a single-engine American fighter aircraft introduced
in late World War II. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the
United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the air forces of other
nations. It would be Grumman Aircraft's final piston engined fighter aircraft.
Modified versions have broken speed records for piston-engined aircraft, and are
popular among warbird owners.

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
the most important requirements in a good fighter plane was "climb rate".

Climb performance is strongly related to the power-to-weight ratio, and is
maximized by wrapping the smallest and lightest possible airframe around the
most powerful available engine. Another goal was that the G-58 (Grumman's design
designation for the aircraft) should be able to operate from escort carriers,
which were then limited to the obsolescent F4F Wildcat as the Grumman F6F
Hellcat was too large and heavy. A small, lightweight aircraft would make this
possible. After intensively analyzing carrier warfare in the Pacific Theater of
Operations for a year and a half, Grumman began development of the G-58 Bearcat
in late 1943.


Role
Fighter aircraft

Manufacturer
Grumman

First flight
21 August 1944

Introduction
1945

Retired
1963 VNAF

Status
Retired

Primary users
United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
French Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force

Number built
1,265

The F8F prototypes were ordered in November 1943 and first flew on 21 August
1944, a mere nine months later.[b] 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.

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 State of Vietnam and entered service in 1956.[16] The VNAF
retired their remaining F8Fs in 1963, replacing them with Douglas A-1 Skyraiders
and North American T-28 Trojans as the Vietnam War (aka Second Indochina War
1957–1975) continued.[17] F8Fs were also supplied to Thailand during the same
time period.

Specifications

F8F-1

General characteristics
Crew: 1 pilot
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: 244 ft²[55] (22.67 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: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W "Double Wasp" two-row radial engine,
2,300 hp[56][57] (1,715 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)
Wing loading: 39.3 lb/ft² (192.1 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (360 W/kg)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns (F8F-1 and F8F-1N); Four
20mm AN/M3 cannon (F8F-1B)
Rockets: 4 × 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets
Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs

F8F-2

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)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W two-row radial engine, 2,250 hp
(1,678 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 455 mph (405 kn, 730 km/h)
Range: 1,105 mi (1,778 km)
Service ceiling: 40,800 ft (12,436 m)
Rate of climb: 4,465 ft/min (23.2 m/s)
Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (360 W/kg)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) M3 cannon
Rockets: 4 × 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets
Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs





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"Miloch" wrote in message ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F8F_Bearcat

More F8F pix:
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