The Bearcat was a fearsome machine and much loved by it's pilots and hanling crews. On a carrier it was easy to position and load. Developed in response to the Kamikaze threat it could climg very well and performed extremely well in the air, and it could carry heavy loads. because of the jets coming into service and the fact the war ended before it could really get in on it, it's performance is largely forgotten, but it was a honey in every way. it was tested against all,only P-47N kept up!
@packr72 Probly nothing short of tear them limb from limb. If the Hellcat was a tough bird, than the Bearcat is even tougher. Did you know there is an animal called a bearcat?
Back in the 70's I went to an airshow at NAS Pensacola. Blue Angels, Bob Hoover and Corky Fornoff in his F8F Bearcat. At the time it held the climb to 10,000 ft record.
He rolled down the runway, pulled it up and hung it on the prop....all the way to 10,000ft then leveled over.
@segestaview Man, that had to be an impressive sight and sound (really... is there a more beautiful sound than a round motor going all-out?). I'd love to have seen it!
I saw two Bearcats flight demo at the St Charles airport in northern Illinois way back in 1973 or so. They tore the sky up. They OWNED that place. This was back when there were fewer restrictions on what aircraft could do and their performance was jaw dropping. We had seen the Thunderbirds perform in their F-4s which was impressive enough. Then the bearcats came on the scene and left everybody speechless.
There's a pretty hair-raising story about the first time Roy Voris and his men flew their new Bearcats and got the call from the Grumman mechanic that the plane was grounded - and they were already in the air! The CG had traveled as they burned fuel, but Voris figured out how to get all of his guys down.
@terrryc it is actually designed on the experience of leroy grumman and 2 test pilots that went to england and flew a captured fw190,the first prototype was called design 58 which was based on the fw190 then led to the f8f brearcat.
The public needs to be aware of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft/United Technologies Corporations sordid illegal behavior. In particular, attempting to provoke this caring and devoted father into committing suicide over my child care issues and then conspiring to obstruct justice in federal court against not only me, but in addition 4 other litigants/former UTC employees.
Please check out my You Tube videos to find my website and genuine court documents.
The public needs to be aware of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft/United Technologies Corporations illegal behavior. In particular, attempting to provoke this caring and devoted father into committing suicide over my child care issues and then conspiring to obstruct justice in federal court against not only me, but in addition 4 other litigants/former UTC employees. Please check out my You Tube videos to find my website and genuine court documents.
@jaredlee283 Grumman studied a captured FW190, but no part was copied exactly/ The company learned a wealth of information that they put towards the F8F to make it faster. It was more maneuverable then the Zero, but didn't see any service in WWII
@saintrobbie375 Where did you get that silly story? The Bearcat is simply a radically lightened, 20%, (sacrificing some range and equipment), somewhat scaled down Hellcat, with the next generation, +40% power, of the same P&W R2800 engine fitted. It even retains the airfoil and fuselage sections of the Hellcat.
Plans for this aircraft emerged immediately as the Hellcat design was being finished.
Besides, even the Hellcat was a better ac than the FW 190.
@Vermiliontea leroy grumman and 2 test pilots would disagree with your statement about the hellcat being better than the fw190 as they actually stated the fw190 was a far supperior aircraft,not my words but theirs!
@OHNGAI There is a context for those words. All pilots who have tried the FW190 have been delighted at the control harmonization and responsiveness of the aircraft. Depending on background, some have also been impressed with the roll-rate. Since the FW190 has about 50% better power/weight ratio than F6F, comparisons of straight speed and climb max-performance naturally defaults. But by surprisingly small margins. And that is the first hint that there are more ways to compare apples and oranges.
@OHNGAI continued: The other side of the coin is that the F6F can sustain max speed for more than an hour, (FW190 5-10min), has an 8 hour mission endurance and about 300% better range. The F6F is despite this still a formidable dogfighter. It is so by its agility, energy retention qualities in a turning state, armor and lethal abilities at keeping its guns on target. The one occasion Fw190 and F6F met in a sustained turning dogfight, the germans lost 0-3. Though, that doesn't prove anything.
@Vermiliontea if you want to argue about 'context' take it up with the 2 test pilots and leroy grumman,that was their choice of words! I would also take their words over any stats you wish to make as they built ,designed and flew the hellcat along with actually fly the fw190 in direct comparison.After all they flew both in real life not look at some stats in a book and state the fw190 was 'better' because of this or because of that,but actual experience!
@OHNGAI I understand that you need things to be very simple. Well, prepare for a confusing life.
The Hellcat was built to do a vastly more demanding mission. The germans never built any as capable fighter. Not even Bf110 or Me410. Those "words" you take for gospel are only understandable when you consider what exactly they meant by "better". "Better" is an easy word at 50% more power/weight ratio.
...But I would have thought I made those things perfectly understandable already.
@Vermiliontea GO AND ARGUE with the designer and test pilot,for everything you say are your words ,what i typed was a 'quote' from the men directly responsible for the whole project of this aircraft,and the 'designer' Leroy Grumman said those so YES i do take them as gospel...you state the germans never built a more capable fighter! the top 100 aces in ww2 were flying Me 109's
@OHNGAI Dear Ohngai, I would not have an argument with Leroy, since he would understand and agree with my point. Your comment with the Me 109 is an excellent example of how we don't communicate. Regardless whatever other good or bad attributes the Me 109 had, less demanding fighter mission than what the Me 109 was designed for is hard to imagine. Only the russians and the italians had fighters with less range & payload.
@OHNGAI continued: My point being that though Leroy would be enthusiastically interested in, and suitably humble and respectful of Kurt Tank's masterpiece, "better" always relates to criteria. And maybe the deserving criteria is the qualities of the aircraft as a tool for winning a war.
@drod103164 No. The Bearcat's main claim to fame comes mostly from having had the world speed record for piston engined aircrafts almost continuosly since 1955. The current record is by 'Rare Bear' and is >850km/h at sea level and 'closed circuit' (meaning average of times in opposing directions). The Bearcat is also widely acknowledged as the most powerful and most violently maneuverable aerobatic dogfighter of WW2 design.
France did use them in combat in Indochine, but only against ground.
@Vermiliontea Your wrong there , the 109 had the world speed record for piston engined aircrafts from 1939 This world record for a propeller-driven aircraft was to stand until 1980s FYI :).
@texasfathead I'm very rarely wrong. This time I was. But so was you :). D. Greenameyer set a new record in his Bearcat in 1969. For some reason my encyclopedic memory failed me and I had the date '55 in my mind. I can understand how that happened: The record set by the Messerschmitt 209V1/109R was 755 km/h. Me 109 never had any speed record. The single 209V1 speed record plane was only renamed 109R for propaganda reasons, and have no similarities.
@Vermiliontea The Me 109 set many speed records. It was the fastest fighter when it first came out and continued to be successful until the end of WWII. Check your facts instead of guessing wrong.
@FantasticBob7000 Is "many speed records" and "successful" IN-retard-speak? The only "speed-record" which can be connected to the Me-109 is a very brief spell of being considered the fastest _land_plane, '37 lasting a couple of months, until He100 claimed that title. The ratified official speed record at that time was however 100km/h faster, set by Macchi in '34. Macchi was only beaten by the Me 209V1 in '39. (previously discussed).
As for operation, Me 109 stopped being a factor early '44.
@Vermiliontea So you're one of those guys. You're wrong all over the place yet you call me a retard for correcting you. You said the 109 never had any speed record then you admit it was the fastest land plane in 37. It shot down more aircraft than any fighter in history. The top aces of all time including Erich Hartmann scored most of their kills in the 109.
"stopped being a factor in 44" must be retard speak for "remained Germany's main fighter" until the end of the war.
@jaredlee283 In a very roundabout way, yes. Not that they needed to copy any design or technology, but the design of the Hellcat was entirely done while considering the Zero very carefully.
And the Bearcat is a lightened, more powerful descendant from the Hellcat. And aerodynamically loaded for lower altitudes, which also transfers into higher speeds.
The Bearcat wouldn't exist without the Zero. But there is no similarity beyond the optical configuration between the Zero and Bearcat.
It's a shame the Confederate Air Force succumed to 'Political Correctness' and changed their name. I was bitterly disappointed. A history based organization like this one should be among the first to understand you can't let others force you to rewrite history. The simple word 'confederate' is now on the list of words that can't be uttered in mixed company and one future generations will think they are supposed to be ashamed of. Pretty soon the word 'southern' will be taboo.
@1bearcatf8f The Zero was already outclassed by the Vaught F4U and the F6F-5. Not to mention seeing stiff opposition at the hands of the Fairey Firefly.
MR Jp, my dad has time in the AD-4 (A-1), the FJ-4, the F4U-4, and finally the A-4C. He also flew with United, flying the DC-6, DC-8, 707, 747, 727, and finally the 737. What a good live he has had!!!
My dad flew with the Marines back in post WWII and also flew Corsairs in Korea. He said that the Bearcat would fly circles around the Mustang. What a neato bird.
First, is the white smoke on start-up due to oil in the cylinders or to the rich fuel mixture? I've heard both, and I want to know!
2nd, the smoke seems to come from the lower half of the exhaust opening...is there one single ejector exhaust in the lower half, or is there two, and the smoke is only coming from the lower one? To me, that suggests oil in the bottom cylinders, if there's 4 pipes total...2 for each side.
@justforever96 I'm no radial engine expert but an engine is an engine. The start up smoke is probably a little of both, but probably more oil. Too rich & you'll see flames. There are probably at least 6 individual exhaust stacks (if not more) in that opening & they all appear to belch their fair amount of smoke. The bottom cylinders of the radial is where the oil pools (gravity) during shut down, hence the smoke on start up. The cable is to supply external electrical power while on ground.
@yakovlev3a Sort of....I think there's more too it though. They follow different desgin philosophies. The Hellcat was designed as a heavyweight, strong framed fighter. It did well, but they decided to try a lightweight, fast, maneuverable plane as well. The Bearcat is much lighter built, only with the same engine. So you can't call it a "mini-Hellcat", exactly...it's a much different fighter in most every way except it's lines.
Just read up on the history of the USS Ranger CV-4 she actually spent a LOT of time in the ETO the Med the Atlantic and actually did engage German targets off NORWAY (neat huh!) so there IS the possibility (theoretically) that Bearcats, had they come into service a year earlier could have seen air-combat action against the Germans. Though in my earlier comment I did NOT mention the Germans but thanks for leading me on a fact-finding mission! FLY NAVY!!
@vdub2002 So, "The US navy didnt operate carriers in combat over germany "? Really? So which countries did they operate carriers over? Can you believe that I never even knew that carriers could fly? I mean, I've heard of "carrier air wings", but I always thought they were talking about PLANES...I never guessed that they meant that the CARRIERS had wings too! Geez....Spruce Goose, eat your heart out! The Ranger was a SMALL carrier and weighed 18,000 tons...now THAT'S a "heavyweight"!
A pity it entered service too late. I would've liked to see how the lightened airframe held up under fire. The lower training of the Jap pilots that late in the war, wouldn't have tested the actual performance vs.Jap fighters.
It will be. I'm still waiting for the letter. I've already wasted three hours @a dealership. They sold me a crooked car. The Castor is out on one side. They tried to align everything. If it's out on one side. It'll never drive correctly. Didn't feel it @first. Progressively, over the first 3K miles, it became pronounced (pulling & squirly). The question is, will Toyota do the costly fix to make it straight? I'm pissed.
@DrPilotRedC I used to say "Jap" all the time (when typing, anyway), just because it saves so much space...you only get 500 letters per comment. I never really thought of it was a nasty term, just a nickname. But apparently a lot of folks get upset about it. I don't see why, exactly...I don't mind being called a "Yank". I guess it's complex. So now, if I really need to save room, I add a period after, like "Jap." to SHOW that it's just an abbreviation. But PC-ness sure can be annoying at times.
The last piston engine fighter for the Navy. From what has been written its performance in a dogfight could match the Mustang. Was the first aircraft the Blue Angels flew. It and the A1 Skyraider, that served until the 70's, were probably the best of the piston engine designs for milatary aircraft. The Bearcat could also outperform early jet fighters.
@mondo78 Actually, the F6F Hellcat was the first Blue Angel aircraft. They were formed at NAS Jacksonville and flew their first public demo at Craig Field in Jacksonville, which is still a very active general aviation airport. The Blues flew their first season in the Hellcat before transitioning to the Bearcat.
@BKrystall , actually the last piston fighters flown in combat were the F4U Corsair and the P-51D Mustang in the "soccer" war in Honduras in the 1960's
@BKrystall , Did you mean the last produce as a new design for the US Navy? The F4U was produce until the mid 1950's longer than the Bearcat. The last piston engine combat occured in Central america during some cross border incidents. P-51D's and F-4U5N were used.
your comments in the video description say the plane belongs to the "Commemorative Air Force", is this the new PC name for the old Confederate Air Force?
You are correct. The reason for the similarity is that the f8f actually incorporated design strategies found in a 190 that was captured and evaluated in 1943.
Sorry about the typo, I meant Bear as in Bearcat instead of Beaq. Btw, while I love the Brit planes, they dont match up to the Bearcat, P47, Corsair and the P51.
If you go back 2 decades the Beaq beat everything in races flown by Art Shell. The Bear could out perform even the Fw @ mid to low level while the P51 screamed @ high alt. And dont forget the P38. modified with Merlins in 1982 Was incredible.
Not sure about abandoned. Think the Sea Fury remained in development when the "Land" Fury was abandoned.
Out-turning the Jug probably wasn't that hard, but it's not simply the plane, it's also what you do with it. Zeke was better than Wildcat, but Jimmy Thach turned that around. Hurricanes killed more Germans that Spitfire did in Battle of Britain...
P51D = best of NACA aeronautics + (then) best of British engine design.
Yeah, Fury was a biplane, along with the Demon/Hart series. Forgot that. But Sea Fury is the navalised update of the Tempest and Tempest was virtually co-developed with the Typhoon. Now, that was a beast.
Typhoon/Tempest and Sea Fury are (to a greater/lesser extent) the same series of aircraft and Tempest climb and top speed do Bearcat.
I believe the Bearcat was designed as an anti-kamakzi weapon. A powerful heavily armoured plane with a fast climbing rate, great speed, and those four twenty MM guns.
It is a real beauty and you have to wonder what it might have done had it been in service long enough to find out how good it really was, or wasn't.
I like all of these old planes (pieces of history).However since meeting the one and only Pappy Boyington about a year before his passing.The Corsair is my favorite.
Had this airplane been in widespread service a year earlier it would have easily been the best fighter of the war to include the P-51 and all the German models. Most early jets couldn't climb as fast at low altitudes and it really had an awesome power to weight ratio.
One of my favourites. Too bad it was built so late in the war that it never saw much service. My father built an RC model of one of these (1/8 scale I believe) and it's still the best looking plane at the yearly display.
And if wishes were horses beggars would ride. The Wildcat was a 1930's design evolved from a biplane where the Bearcat was a 1940's design benefiting from the massive advances prompted by WWII.
It would have proved to be the best fighter of the war, if Japan hadn't surrendered just before it flew combat-- a plane designed around a huge radial engine, twice the climb rate of a P51, more agile, and more reliable. A modifed version still holds the piston plane speed record.
How much do these old warplanes in such good condition sell for? Millions I imagine
smith45acp 1 month ago
Reckon you could richen the mixture touch more on start?
bigtopbollocks 2 months ago
The Bearcat was a fearsome machine and much loved by it's pilots and hanling crews. On a carrier it was easy to position and load. Developed in response to the Kamikaze threat it could climg very well and performed extremely well in the air, and it could carry heavy loads. because of the jets coming into service and the fact the war ended before it could really get in on it, it's performance is largely forgotten, but it was a honey in every way. it was tested against all,only P-47N kept up!
chasyes1 3 months ago
she sounds beutiful!
the82spartans 3 months ago
Bearcat vs Frank: what a fight!
Landoforpresident 5 months ago
what would this have done to the japanese airforce, scary
packr72 6 months ago
@packr72 Probly nothing short of tear them limb from limb. If the Hellcat was a tough bird, than the Bearcat is even tougher. Did you know there is an animal called a bearcat?
Fireheart528 6 months ago
Back in the 70's I went to an airshow at NAS Pensacola. Blue Angels, Bob Hoover and Corky Fornoff in his F8F Bearcat. At the time it held the climb to 10,000 ft record.
He rolled down the runway, pulled it up and hung it on the prop....all the way to 10,000ft then leveled over.
One hell of an aircraft and one hell of a pilot.
segestaview 7 months ago
@segestaview Man, that had to be an impressive sight and sound (really... is there a more beautiful sound than a round motor going all-out?). I'd love to have seen it!
Alisterwolf66 3 months ago
10 people were flying buffalos when they saw this
Rammkommando 7 months ago 5
@Rammkommando no, 10 peaple didnt like bombs not being dropped on new jersey for fun.
badmanblottclott 1 week ago
I saw two Bearcats flight demo at the St Charles airport in northern Illinois way back in 1973 or so. They tore the sky up. They OWNED that place. This was back when there were fewer restrictions on what aircraft could do and their performance was jaw dropping. We had seen the Thunderbirds perform in their F-4s which was impressive enough. Then the bearcats came on the scene and left everybody speechless.
JetMechMA 7 months ago
@JetMechMA more then likely it was the Fornoffs that was ripping it up that day.
chubsmagoo 6 months ago in playlist Airplanes
@chubsmagoo Cool, thanks for the info.
JetMechMA 6 months ago
There's a pretty hair-raising story about the first time Roy Voris and his men flew their new Bearcats and got the call from the Grumman mechanic that the plane was grounded - and they were already in the air! The CG had traveled as they burned fuel, but Voris figured out how to get all of his guys down.
AmusedChild 9 months ago
what percentage of WWII single engined fighters USM planes, bombers were equipped with Wright Cyclones , or with Pratt & Whitneys?
bonsema1 9 months ago
Grumman's answer to the FW 190. An incredible airplane...
terrryc 9 months ago
@terrryc to late to see service during the war though
pramboy09 8 months ago
@terrryc it is actually designed on the experience of leroy grumman and 2 test pilots that went to england and flew a captured fw190,the first prototype was called design 58 which was based on the fw190 then led to the f8f brearcat.
OHNGAI 6 months ago
I wonder if this is the same one that appeared in the Blue Thunder TV show in the 1980's?
lst1195 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
The public needs to be aware of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft/United Technologies Corporations sordid illegal behavior. In particular, attempting to provoke this caring and devoted father into committing suicide over my child care issues and then conspiring to obstruct justice in federal court against not only me, but in addition 4 other litigants/former UTC employees.
Please check out my You Tube videos to find my website and genuine court documents.
silvertiger333 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
The public needs to be aware of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft/United Technologies Corporations illegal behavior. In particular, attempting to provoke this caring and devoted father into committing suicide over my child care issues and then conspiring to obstruct justice in federal court against not only me, but in addition 4 other litigants/former UTC employees. Please check out my You Tube videos to find my website and genuine court documents.
silvertiger333 11 months ago
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silvertiger333 11 months ago
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silvertiger333 11 months ago
Too bad it's unarmed and there's no Zero to shoot down.
Elmore3141 1 year ago 2
Fantastic quality video!
revodes21 1 year ago
Was this based on the Zero fighter recovered on akhutan?
jaredlee283 1 year ago
@jaredlee283 Grumman studied a captured FW190, but no part was copied exactly/ The company learned a wealth of information that they put towards the F8F to make it faster. It was more maneuverable then the Zero, but didn't see any service in WWII
saintrobbie375 1 year ago
Comment removed
Vermiliontea 1 year ago
@saintrobbie375 Where did you get that silly story? The Bearcat is simply a radically lightened, 20%, (sacrificing some range and equipment), somewhat scaled down Hellcat, with the next generation, +40% power, of the same P&W R2800 engine fitted. It even retains the airfoil and fuselage sections of the Hellcat.
Plans for this aircraft emerged immediately as the Hellcat design was being finished.
Besides, even the Hellcat was a better ac than the FW 190.
Vermiliontea 1 year ago
@Vermiliontea leroy grumman and 2 test pilots would disagree with your statement about the hellcat being better than the fw190 as they actually stated the fw190 was a far supperior aircraft,not my words but theirs!
OHNGAI 6 months ago
@OHNGAI There is a context for those words. All pilots who have tried the FW190 have been delighted at the control harmonization and responsiveness of the aircraft. Depending on background, some have also been impressed with the roll-rate. Since the FW190 has about 50% better power/weight ratio than F6F, comparisons of straight speed and climb max-performance naturally defaults. But by surprisingly small margins. And that is the first hint that there are more ways to compare apples and oranges.
Vermiliontea 6 months ago
@OHNGAI continued: The other side of the coin is that the F6F can sustain max speed for more than an hour, (FW190 5-10min), has an 8 hour mission endurance and about 300% better range. The F6F is despite this still a formidable dogfighter. It is so by its agility, energy retention qualities in a turning state, armor and lethal abilities at keeping its guns on target. The one occasion Fw190 and F6F met in a sustained turning dogfight, the germans lost 0-3. Though, that doesn't prove anything.
Vermiliontea 6 months ago
@Vermiliontea if you want to argue about 'context' take it up with the 2 test pilots and leroy grumman,that was their choice of words! I would also take their words over any stats you wish to make as they built ,designed and flew the hellcat along with actually fly the fw190 in direct comparison.After all they flew both in real life not look at some stats in a book and state the fw190 was 'better' because of this or because of that,but actual experience!
OHNGAI 6 months ago
@OHNGAI I understand that you need things to be very simple. Well, prepare for a confusing life.
The Hellcat was built to do a vastly more demanding mission. The germans never built any as capable fighter. Not even Bf110 or Me410. Those "words" you take for gospel are only understandable when you consider what exactly they meant by "better". "Better" is an easy word at 50% more power/weight ratio.
...But I would have thought I made those things perfectly understandable already.
Vermiliontea 2 months ago
@Vermiliontea GO AND ARGUE with the designer and test pilot,for everything you say are your words ,what i typed was a 'quote' from the men directly responsible for the whole project of this aircraft,and the 'designer' Leroy Grumman said those so YES i do take them as gospel...you state the germans never built a more capable fighter! the top 100 aces in ww2 were flying Me 109's
OHNGAI 2 months ago
@OHNGAI Dear Ohngai, I would not have an argument with Leroy, since he would understand and agree with my point. Your comment with the Me 109 is an excellent example of how we don't communicate. Regardless whatever other good or bad attributes the Me 109 had, less demanding fighter mission than what the Me 109 was designed for is hard to imagine. Only the russians and the italians had fighters with less range & payload.
Vermiliontea 1 month ago
@OHNGAI continued: My point being that though Leroy would be enthusiastically interested in, and suitably humble and respectful of Kurt Tank's masterpiece, "better" always relates to criteria. And maybe the deserving criteria is the qualities of the aircraft as a tool for winning a war.
Vermiliontea 6 months ago
@saintrobbie375 does the bearcat have any kills to its credit? this plane could have been one hell of a acemaker against the zero.
drod103164 1 year ago
@drod103164 No. The Bearcat's main claim to fame comes mostly from having had the world speed record for piston engined aircrafts almost continuosly since 1955. The current record is by 'Rare Bear' and is >850km/h at sea level and 'closed circuit' (meaning average of times in opposing directions). The Bearcat is also widely acknowledged as the most powerful and most violently maneuverable aerobatic dogfighter of WW2 design.
France did use them in combat in Indochine, but only against ground.
Vermiliontea 1 year ago
@Vermiliontea Your wrong there , the 109 had the world speed record for piston engined aircrafts from 1939 This world record for a propeller-driven aircraft was to stand until 1980s FYI :).
texasfathead 1 year ago
@texasfathead I'm very rarely wrong. This time I was. But so was you :). D. Greenameyer set a new record in his Bearcat in 1969. For some reason my encyclopedic memory failed me and I had the date '55 in my mind. I can understand how that happened: The record set by the Messerschmitt 209V1/109R was 755 km/h. Me 109 never had any speed record. The single 209V1 speed record plane was only renamed 109R for propaganda reasons, and have no similarities.
Vermiliontea 1 year ago
@Vermiliontea The Me 109 set many speed records. It was the fastest fighter when it first came out and continued to be successful until the end of WWII. Check your facts instead of guessing wrong.
FantasticBob7000 11 months ago
@FantasticBob7000 Is "many speed records" and "successful" IN-retard-speak? The only "speed-record" which can be connected to the Me-109 is a very brief spell of being considered the fastest _land_plane, '37 lasting a couple of months, until He100 claimed that title. The ratified official speed record at that time was however 100km/h faster, set by Macchi in '34. Macchi was only beaten by the Me 209V1 in '39. (previously discussed).
As for operation, Me 109 stopped being a factor early '44.
Vermiliontea 11 months ago 2
@Vermiliontea So you're one of those guys. You're wrong all over the place yet you call me a retard for correcting you. You said the 109 never had any speed record then you admit it was the fastest land plane in 37. It shot down more aircraft than any fighter in history. The top aces of all time including Erich Hartmann scored most of their kills in the 109.
"stopped being a factor in 44" must be retard speak for "remained Germany's main fighter" until the end of the war.
FantasticBob7000 11 months ago
@FantasticBob7000 It didn't so much stop being an effective plane in '44, the Germans just ran outta good pilots.
Gumby553 11 months ago
@Gumby553 Man don't tell it to me, tell it to the know-nothing war nerd posting his nonsense here.
FantasticBob7000 11 months ago
@jaredlee283 In a very roundabout way, yes. Not that they needed to copy any design or technology, but the design of the Hellcat was entirely done while considering the Zero very carefully.
And the Bearcat is a lightened, more powerful descendant from the Hellcat. And aerodynamically loaded for lower altitudes, which also transfers into higher speeds.
The Bearcat wouldn't exist without the Zero. But there is no similarity beyond the optical configuration between the Zero and Bearcat.
Vermiliontea 1 year ago
Man, that is badass sounding plane. I love the old warbirds.
F14ace 1 year ago
Love those radials. Theres nothing that sounds as good as a 2800, Thats the sound of raw horsepower.
KHugh8 1 year ago
You gotta love the sound of round.
PastYears 1 year ago
I read where a pilot in a Bearcat literally flew rings around a Mustang. That's one hell of a feat.
Being politically correct is keeping in-line with politicians which is like keeping in-line with child molesters.
KEM451 1 year ago
I live near one of these built for racing #77 Rare Bear.
kingrex1002 1 year ago
Nice fat little thing. Like it!
SteffanLlwyd 1 year ago
i saw this one down at Midland for the Commemorative Air Force airshow, ive also seen Howard Purdue's bearcat but i love Grumman cats
SgtGrant23 1 year ago
That's one sleek piston.
kendoka0girl 1 year ago
It's a shame the Confederate Air Force succumed to 'Political Correctness' and changed their name. I was bitterly disappointed. A history based organization like this one should be among the first to understand you can't let others force you to rewrite history. The simple word 'confederate' is now on the list of words that can't be uttered in mixed company and one future generations will think they are supposed to be ashamed of. Pretty soon the word 'southern' will be taboo.
BushPilot444 1 year ago
@BushPilot444
Yeah, Political Correctness is always Political and rarely correct.
Still love the old Warbirds. Old planes period. There is a lot to like with the modern stuff, but the old birds are where it's at.
longrifle2T 1 year ago 7
If this actually saw action in ww2 the zero would have been outclassed for sure.
1bearcatf8f 1 year ago
@1bearcatf8f The Zero was already outclassed by the Vaught F4U and the F6F-5. Not to mention seeing stiff opposition at the hands of the Fairey Firefly.
TheCatFan21 1 year ago
@TheCatFan21 Still if the bearcat went in to ww2 mayby the F4F wildcat would have been replaced by newer model hellcats and bearcats.
1bearcatf8f 1 year ago
@1bearcatf8f "IF"
TheCatFan21 1 year ago
@TheCatFan21 yeah duh man
1bearcatf8f 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
here you can find the f8f flight manual flightmanuals.yolasite.com
32azaf 1 year ago
Pratt 2800s are the best sounding at idle..
canals22 1 year ago
MR Jp, my dad has time in the AD-4 (A-1), the FJ-4, the F4U-4, and finally the A-4C. He also flew with United, flying the DC-6, DC-8, 707, 747, 727, and finally the 737. What a good live he has had!!!
mystinger72 1 year ago
@mystinger72 dang thts alot of planes i hope he is still having a good life :)
MrJp990 1 year ago
what is a fast and safe way to download this video?
EnterpriseXI 1 year ago
My dad flew with the Marines back in post WWII and also flew Corsairs in Korea. He said that the Bearcat would fly circles around the Mustang. What a neato bird.
mystinger72 1 year ago
@mystinger72 really? what other planes did he fly
MrJp990 1 year ago
A few questions:
First, is the white smoke on start-up due to oil in the cylinders or to the rich fuel mixture? I've heard both, and I want to know!
2nd, the smoke seems to come from the lower half of the exhaust opening...is there one single ejector exhaust in the lower half, or is there two, and the smoke is only coming from the lower one? To me, that suggests oil in the bottom cylinders, if there's 4 pipes total...2 for each side.
3rd, is that cable an electrical cable?
I love them fly-bys!
justforever96 1 year ago
@justforever96 I'm no radial engine expert but an engine is an engine. The start up smoke is probably a little of both, but probably more oil. Too rich & you'll see flames. There are probably at least 6 individual exhaust stacks (if not more) in that opening & they all appear to belch their fair amount of smoke. The bottom cylinders of the radial is where the oil pools (gravity) during shut down, hence the smoke on start up. The cable is to supply external electrical power while on ground.
kolbpilot 1 year ago
What a monster! Awesome aircraft!
klextacy 1 year ago
like the bearcat but its problem it came out too late during WWII
KilleTheHedgehog8492 1 year ago
Nice Video and nice plane!
megatwingo 1 year ago
I'm gonna miss those smokey piston engines one day :(
barthoedemaker 1 year ago
Jason Somes, you are one lucky son of a gun!!!
AV8R4HM 1 year ago
We sum BAD ASS planes back in those days!!! Awesome to see some of our Old Warbirds still flying! Those pilots are some lucky SOB's!!!
MEDIC1275 1 year ago
is it me or is there something wrong with the audio?
truckr74 1 year ago
The f8f really is basically a mini hellcat.
yakovlev3a 1 year ago
@yakovlev3a Sort of....I think there's more too it though. They follow different desgin philosophies. The Hellcat was designed as a heavyweight, strong framed fighter. It did well, but they decided to try a lightweight, fast, maneuverable plane as well. The Bearcat is much lighter built, only with the same engine. So you can't call it a "mini-Hellcat", exactly...it's a much different fighter in most every way except it's lines.
justforever96 1 year ago
@justforever96
I know that. My comment was in reference to physical properties of the two planes, particularly weight
yakovlev3a 1 year ago
Wah???
Just read up on the history of the USS Ranger CV-4 she actually spent a LOT of time in the ETO the Med the Atlantic and actually did engage German targets off NORWAY (neat huh!) so there IS the possibility (theoretically) that Bearcats, had they come into service a year earlier could have seen air-combat action against the Germans. Though in my earlier comment I did NOT mention the Germans but thanks for leading me on a fact-finding mission! FLY NAVY!!
Still LOVE the sound of that plane!
Bobesocks 1 year ago
Wow...just WOW!
Too bad we did not have these babies a year earlier....the Japs' would have peed' their panties...
Bobesocks 1 year ago
@Bobesocks
odds are, they would have NEVER seen a german fighter in combat. The US navy didnt operate carriers in combat over germany
vdub2002 1 year ago
@vdub2002 So, "The US navy didnt operate carriers in combat over germany "? Really? So which countries did they operate carriers over? Can you believe that I never even knew that carriers could fly? I mean, I've heard of "carrier air wings", but I always thought they were talking about PLANES...I never guessed that they meant that the CARRIERS had wings too! Geez....Spruce Goose, eat your heart out! The Ranger was a SMALL carrier and weighed 18,000 tons...now THAT'S a "heavyweight"!
;)
justforever96 1 year ago
I've been to this airshow
DrPilotRedC 2 years ago
It looks & sounds like a baby FW190.
neomuttley 2 years ago
with more power and smoother lines
DrPilotRedC 2 years ago
@DrPilotRedC,
A pity it entered service too late. I would've liked to see how the lightened airframe held up under fire. The lower training of the Jap pilots that late in the war, wouldn't have tested the actual performance vs.Jap fighters.
neomuttley 2 years ago
I wouldn't recommend saying Japs, it's like Negro, disrespectful, but not terrible.
DrPilotRedC 2 years ago
@DrPilotRedC,
I'm the disgruntled owner of a 2010 Camry...I'm not feeling the love right now.
neomuttley 2 years ago
was it recalled?
DrPilotRedC 2 years ago
@DrPilotRedC,
It will be. I'm still waiting for the letter. I've already wasted three hours @a dealership. They sold me a crooked car. The Castor is out on one side. They tried to align everything. If it's out on one side. It'll never drive correctly. Didn't feel it @first. Progressively, over the first 3K miles, it became pronounced (pulling & squirly). The question is, will Toyota do the costly fix to make it straight? I'm pissed.
neomuttley 2 years ago
@DrPilotRedC I used to say "Jap" all the time (when typing, anyway), just because it saves so much space...you only get 500 letters per comment. I never really thought of it was a nasty term, just a nickname. But apparently a lot of folks get upset about it. I don't see why, exactly...I don't mind being called a "Yank". I guess it's complex. So now, if I really need to save room, I add a period after, like "Jap." to SHOW that it's just an abbreviation. But PC-ness sure can be annoying at times.
justforever96 1 year ago
Heh heh --- it's the 190 that would get spanked though.
J2OLDS 2 years ago
@neomuttley
to the victor goes the spoils...
vdub2002 1 year ago
@vdub2002,
Huh? Meaning?
neomuttley 1 year ago
@neomuttley
jet technology, swept wing design, all taken from the germans
vdub2002 1 year ago
@vdub2002,
Oh, I think I see where you're going w/this. A test pilot for Grumman flew a captured FW90. He wrote a detailed report on how good it was.
The president(?) of Grumman read the report, & designed this plane. It was heavilly influenced by the FW, but shares no parts.
neomuttley 1 year ago
@neomuttley,
Damn new Youtube reply format. I can't see ha;f of what I type. I'm making typos...
neomuttley 1 year ago
Imagine a hellcat that had 1/3 of its weight removed and 200 more hp.That is a bearcat.These beasts could climb over 5000 feet per minute!
916fanatic1 2 years ago
Damn, that thing rumbles like a dragster. What a badass!
crmac56 2 years ago
It's the other way around XD
flexyco 2 years ago
The last piston engine fighter for the Navy. From what has been written its performance in a dogfight could match the Mustang. Was the first aircraft the Blue Angels flew. It and the A1 Skyraider, that served until the 70's, were probably the best of the piston engine designs for milatary aircraft. The Bearcat could also outperform early jet fighters.
mondo78 2 years ago
@mondo78 Actually, the F6F Hellcat was the first Blue Angel aircraft. They were formed at NAS Jacksonville and flew their first public demo at Craig Field in Jacksonville, which is still a very active general aviation airport. The Blues flew their first season in the Hellcat before transitioning to the Bearcat.
fbrown172 1 year ago
@fbrown172
i thought the Blue Angels first aircraft was the F6F hellcat
EnterpriseXI 1 year ago
@EnterpriseXI That's what I said.
fbrown172 1 year ago
lovely sound. i saw bearcat display at duxford a couple years ago i hope to see one there again in future
davekree 2 years ago
Masterpiece of engineryng.Those good old days are gone forever.
chinagilb 2 years ago
I just jizzed my pants, awesome plane !
Regret696 2 years ago
And I on my keyboard and LCD
WakeUpDummies 2 years ago
shuda shown de landing
Diemorder 2 years ago
I love the bearcat. It was one of the last piston engine fighters ever flown. This Bearcat is based over at Camarillo.
BKrystall 2 years ago 7
@BKrystall , actually the last piston fighters flown in combat were the F4U Corsair and the P-51D Mustang in the "soccer" war in Honduras in the 1960's
HuasoPodrido 1 year ago
@BKrystall , Did you mean the last produce as a new design for the US Navy? The F4U was produce until the mid 1950's longer than the Bearcat. The last piston engine combat occured in Central america during some cross border incidents. P-51D's and F-4U5N were used.
HuasoPodrido 1 year ago
The planes are nice, but a human is in the seat.
82abnoff 2 years ago
I want to see a bearcat land on a navy carrier 1 last time!
yakovlev3a 2 years ago
your comments in the video description say the plane belongs to the "Commemorative Air Force", is this the new PC name for the old Confederate Air Force?
CincyRoy 2 years ago
I gather it was renamed in the late 1990s or early 2000s.
SerenissimaRepublica 2 years ago
Fuck! Are you kidding me?
WakeUpDummies 2 years ago
@wakeup, nope, just checked wikipedia, Confederate Air Force was renamed to Commemorative Air Force.
CincyRoy 2 years ago
Oh good grief! This PC BS is pissing me off.
WakeUpDummies 2 years ago 5
@WakeUpDummies pc bs?
MrJp990 1 year ago
@MrJp990 I dont remember what I was talking about. LOL Love the plane.. don't know where political correctness comes into this.
WakeUpDummies 1 year ago
@WakeUpDummies hahaha its ok
MrJp990 1 year ago
notsobeautiful like a f4u4 or a selak hotie spitfire
Santoslhelpa 2 years ago
Or was that a battery cable harness...?
radiation500 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Jesus, did that old guy remember to remove the fuel nozzle at the last minute, or was that a planned "sequence"?
radiation500 2 years ago
External Power
Mattythabest 2 years ago 2
That's for the ground power cart to start the engine.
spencnaz 2 years ago
You're showing a bit of ignorance here, so we'll forgive you a bit. That was the cable for the APU.
TheSaturnV 2 years ago
japanese Kawanishi has developed next Georges fighter which was called Jinpu.
I have Jinpus mokups old photo.
ult7 2 years ago
Uncanny resemblance to a FW-190 in some ways.
wilburhog 2 years ago
You are correct. The reason for the similarity is that the f8f actually incorporated design strategies found in a 190 that was captured and evaluated in 1943.
yakovlev3a 2 years ago
That was intented, the FW190 was the model for the development of the Bearcat.
flolupo 2 years ago
Sorry about the typo, I meant Bear as in Bearcat instead of Beaq. Btw, while I love the Brit planes, they dont match up to the Bearcat, P47, Corsair and the P51.
Celt7758 2 years ago
If you go back 2 decades the Beaq beat everything in races flown by Art Shell. The Bear could out perform even the Fw @ mid to low level while the P51 screamed @ high alt. And dont forget the P38. modified with Merlins in 1982 Was incredible.
Celt7758 2 years ago
I love that huge prop!
flyboy8492 2 years ago
Not sure about abandoned. Think the Sea Fury remained in development when the "Land" Fury was abandoned.
Out-turning the Jug probably wasn't that hard, but it's not simply the plane, it's also what you do with it. Zeke was better than Wildcat, but Jimmy Thach turned that around. Hurricanes killed more Germans that Spitfire did in Battle of Britain...
P51D = best of NACA aeronautics + (then) best of British engine design.
Prod1Kh 2 years ago
Comment removed
daswurger 2 years ago
Suggest you check out the Hawker Tempest, Fury and Sea Fury before you say the Brits couldn't match it...they bested it.
And shot down the MiG 15.
Prod1Kh 2 years ago
Comment removed
daswurger 2 years ago
Yeah, Fury was a biplane, along with the Demon/Hart series. Forgot that. But Sea Fury is the navalised update of the Tempest and Tempest was virtually co-developed with the Typhoon. Now, that was a beast.
Typhoon/Tempest and Sea Fury are (to a greater/lesser extent) the same series of aircraft and Tempest climb and top speed do Bearcat.
Prod1Kh 2 years ago
Comment removed
daswurger 2 years ago
I believe the Bearcat was designed as an anti-kamakzi weapon. A powerful heavily armoured plane with a fast climbing rate, great speed, and those four twenty MM guns.
It is a real beauty and you have to wonder what it might have done had it been in service long enough to find out how good it really was, or wasn't.
macnutz 2 years ago
I like all of these old planes (pieces of history).However since meeting the one and only Pappy Boyington about a year before his passing.The Corsair is my favorite.
car3177 2 years ago
i built this 1 as an model 1 time, 1:24 scale it was a beatiful plane i loved it.
nolifemerc 2 years ago
Had this airplane been in widespread service a year earlier it would have easily been the best fighter of the war to include the P-51 and all the German models. Most early jets couldn't climb as fast at low altitudes and it really had an awesome power to weight ratio.
kblackav8or 2 years ago 2
One of my favourites. Too bad it was built so late in the war that it never saw much service. My father built an RC model of one of these (1/8 scale I believe) and it's still the best looking plane at the yearly display.
djnormal 2 years ago
Exactly. If this plane were around instead of the hellcat it would have dominated the Zero easily
WakeUpDummies 2 years ago
The Hellcat -did- dominate the Zero easily. :P
SerenissimaRepublica 2 years ago 2
U R right.. I meant the Wildcat ;)
WakeUpDummies 2 years ago
And if wishes were horses beggars would ride. The Wildcat was a 1930's design evolved from a biplane where the Bearcat was a 1940's design benefiting from the massive advances prompted by WWII.
perfgeek 2 years ago
And your point being? I know the Bearcat kicks some serious ass.
WakeUpDummies 2 years ago
Anyone know where the paint scheme and squadron markings are from?
Fantastic plane, KEEP 'EM FIRING!
oldhatrs25 2 years ago
I think VF-3A,but I'm not for sure
snakestomper 2 years ago
Anyone know how many of these are remaining around the world?
r32adt3db 2 years ago
There's a flyable one in Kalamazoo Mi. Another on display at the Naval Air Museum, in Pensacola Fla.
Check "The Warbird Registry." Lots of aircraft list there and where they are.
Auggie56 2 years ago
Good running engine, nice job
1vdn992 2 years ago
the grumman bearcat and the de havilland sea hornet would have been a unbeatable together during ww2 if they had got the chance.
pramboy74 2 years ago
thanks.
jjjazzycraig 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Music to my ears!
bravo0105 2 years ago
anyone know how this plane would have faired in combat???
jjjazzycraig 2 years ago
It would have proved to be the best fighter of the war, if Japan hadn't surrendered just before it flew combat-- a plane designed around a huge radial engine, twice the climb rate of a P51, more agile, and more reliable. A modifed version still holds the piston plane speed record.
fsujdugamba 2 years ago
Think :"FockWulfe 190 on steroids" :) Grumman actually got the initial idea from a captured FW 190, then made it better.
fsujdugamba 2 years ago
Yep and from a distance it resembles the Focke-Wulf 190 when you look at it.
KGero478 2 years ago
Jesus God dont forget to shut off the GPU hah hah, great vid!!
chubsmagoo 2 years ago
Beautiful airplane! Excellent!
JackFlemingFan 2 years ago
This plane reminds me of the Fw-190, same stance and cowling.
elroto 3 years ago
You are correct. Design cues were taken from the FW-190.
RUNBITSYEMMA 3 years ago