Grumman F8F Bearcat (1944)

Carrier-based Fighter

The Grumman F8F Bearcat in a nutshell was some sort of US reaction to the German FW-190, as well as the need for an interceptor. Both the F8U and F6F were excellent in most areas, but they lacked a bit in climb rate. It was the result of the most powerful available engine into the smallest, lightest possible airframe. It was also conceived to operate from escort carriers while outperforming any Japanese fighter. This was achieved with the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. The Bearcat could ascend to 10,000 feet in under two minutes, outclimbing early jet aircraft. It also innovated with "detachable" wingtips designed to cleanly snap off under excessive G-forces. However it arrived from May 1945 on the frontline, and was essentially still training in the summer as the war ended, nearby realizing its potential. Nevertheless postwar it was used by the USMC, the French in Indochina and afterwards, both the Thai and South Vietnamese air forces. It also had a superb racing career long after its retirement and to this day, with world records like Polar Beat at 528.33 mph (850.26 km/h) in 1989, remaining one of the fastest piston aircraft in history.

The last Grumman classic Piston engine Fighter

Quick Intro

The F8F was conceived to be capable of operating from aircraft carriers of all sizes and to be used primarily as an intercept fighter, a task that required excellent maneuverability, good low-altitude performance and high rate of climb. In order for the two XF8F-1 prototypes ordered on November 27, 1943 to have these characteristics, Grumman adopted the bulky Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, which had already been used to power the Grumman F6F Hellcat and Grumman F7F Tigercat, although putting special care that the weapons, armor and amount of fuel required could be housed in a cell as small and light as possible.

Test Plane 1943

Test Plane in late 1943

The XF8F-1, which made its maiden flight on August 21, 1944, was not only smaller than the excellent (F6F Hellcat) of the US Navy, but also the Bearcat was 20% lighter and could climb 30 % faster and travel at a speed 80 km/h higher. On the other hand, in addition to exceeding official requirements, the Grumman model began to be delivered in its serial version in February 1945, just six months after the first flight of the prototype. Compared to the Vought F4U Corsair, the F8F -1 was marginally slower, but possessed better maneuverability and higher rate of climb.

The initial F8F-1 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction; the wings folded by about two-thirds of their span for easy storage on board. Its massive 4-blade propeller required long landing gear, a feature that gave the Bearcat its renowned high-nose profile. Also, for the first time in the production of a fighter for the US Navy, a bubble-shaped cockpit allowed the pilot 360º visibility.

Deep Roots of the Program

The Bearcat concept emerged from a meeting between Battle of Midway veteran F4F Wildcat pilots and Grumman vice president Jake Swirbul, at Pearl Harbor, on 23 June 1942. Lieutenant Commander Jimmie Thach argued, and he seemed to be in agreement with other pilots at that, probably the most important requirement for an excellent fighter was the climb rate. Something that the Wildcat was clearly lacking, but that the Hellcat being tested already was to improve. Swirbul knew that this performance was strongly related to the power-to-weight ratio. This forced to be creative when wrapping the smallest and lightest possible airframe, around the most powerful engine.

It was already too late for the Hellcat, which many designed changes and initial conception made a large, much heavier model than the Wildcat. So that requirement was kept for the next model, soon called the G-58 internally. It should be able to operate from escort carriers, just like the ageing obsolescent F4F Wildcat. So instead of replacing the Hellcat, the Navy was interested to replace the late 1930s Wildcat, now obsolete. The G-58 would needed to be also a small and lightweight aircraft. In 1943, Grumman's team were also studying carefully all reports about carrier warfare in the Pacific. This groundwork being established Grumman started the proper development of the G-58 Bearcat in late 1943.

XF8F-1 Bearcat in 1945

In between, part of the issue was solved by new high-performances, late F4F versions such as the GM-2 made by General Motors, instead of Grumman, now occupied with the Hellcat. The GM Wildcats became the darlings of escort carriers operating both in the Atlantic and Pacific in 1943. The ultimate GM-2 was the most powerful Wildcat ever made, derived from the XF4F-8 prototype, not only it was fully optimized for small-carrier operations but it received the 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) Wright R-1820-56. However there were limits to what type of engine could be fitted on the venerable F4F, which cell reached its apex. There were new engine in study and development for 1944 that were far more powerful, but could just not fit. So a brand new airframe was necessary in any case.

In between from Europe, two FW-190 the famous German "butcher birds" were captured after crashing, almost intact. They were tested by Grumman test pilots like Bob Hall and Bud Gillies which travelled to the UK but only started from September 1943. However LeRoy Grumman already formally laid out the baseline parameters for the Grumman Design 58 in a memo to Chief Engineer Bill Schwendler on July 28, 1943, a few months prior. Thir report essentially found many similarities in the German design and validated Leroy's engineering instincts already held from their pre-war racing pedigree such as the Gulfhawk and ongoing studies.

Essentially Kurt Tank designed the Fw 190 around the bulky BMW 801 air-cooled radial engine while keeping the airframe as tight and streamlined as possible, giving it exceptional low-to-medium altitude speed and a blistering roll rate. Of course there were no reasons to copy-paste the design that late in the process, because the Fw 190 used a close-fitting NACA-style cowl with a distinct internal fan to force-cool the BMW radial when Grumman relied on tight baffling and aerodynamic contouring for the R-2800, later famously redesigning the Bearcat's exhaust structure to solve oil-cooler overheating issues. Plus the Fw 190 was a light, land-based Luftwaffe workhorse which was devoid of any measures to land on a carrier.

Finalization of the Design

B-17 flying with a Grumman F8F 1/2 model during aerodynamic tests in 1944

To meet this tight aiframe the fuselage was made about 5 ft (1.5 m) shorter than the Hellcat, cut down vertically behind the cockpit. The vertical stabilizer was the same height as the Hellcat but with an increased aspect ratio making it look thinner. The wingspan was also shorter, tighter, loosing 7 ft (2.1 m). The structure was about to be stressed far more by the engine and this fuselage used flush riveting, spot welding. A special heavy-gauge 302W aluminum alloy was used for the skin. This was all for tough carrier landings. Armor protection already present in the Helcat was still provided for the pilot as well as part of the engine, and the critical oil cooler, reflecting on combat reports.

There were also questions about the right choice of propeller: A 13 ft 1 in (3.99 m), three-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller was at first retained. But due to the slight reduction in size asked for, the design went for a 12 ft 7 in (3.84 m) Aeroproducts four-bladed propeller. The four bladed configuration compenseated in traction what was lost in diameter. The urge to keep the prop clear of the deck was still there on this small airframe and imposed long landing gear, duly reinforced. The final Bearcat was to have a mure significant "nose-up" profile on land, making taxing on deck more difficult, even though Grumman took care of sloping down the upper nose at least for good approach visibility.

The undercarriage was relatively "thin" yet extremely robust and used an articulated trunnion extending the length of the oleo legs when lowered. So when the undercarriage retracted, these legs were shortened in order to fit into a wheel well in the wing. This inward-retracting units made for a wide track, helping counter propeller torque on takeoff. So despite it was nose-up, it had a good ground and carrier deck handling.

The design team worked on a weight baseline for the G-58 of 8,750 lb (3,970 kg) fully loaded. However later down the line with additions and revisions it was just impossible to achieve, notably because of a beefed-up structure for aircraft carrier landings. This imposed weight-saving measures, like restricting the internal fuel capacity to 160 US gallons (610 L) and later it was ported to 183 US gallons or 690 metric liters. The fixed armament was also downgraded, compared to the Hellcat and Corsair to just four .50 cal Browning AN/M2 machine guns in the wings. The limited range was not an issue as the model was designed for an interception role (Typically CAPs, staying close to the carrier), while the Hellcat would go for longer range patrols. The priority for the new F8F was to deal in 1944 with kamikaze attacks. So when compared to the Hellcat, it was made 20% lighter, with a 30% better rate of climb, while being 50 mph (80 km/h) faster.

Weight Savings

To construct a lightweight interceptor without sacrificing pilot safety or structural integrity, Grumman implemented highly innovative, aggressive design choices:
The "Safety Breakaway" Wingtips: To save roughly 200 lbs of internal spar reinforcement, Grumman designed the outer 36 to 40 inches of the wings to cleanly snap off at a predetermined limit load (~8.5 to 9 Gs). If a pilot overstressed the aircraft during high-G maneuvers, the tips would shed away, preserving the main structural integrity of the wing. (Note: Due to manufacturing tolerances and explosive microswitch unreliability that caused deadly asymmetric rolls, this feature was eventually modified and eliminated post-WWII).
Condensed Fuel & Armament Capacity: To save weight, range was intentionally traded for vertical performance. The initial variants restricted fuel to a single 185-gallon tank and carried only four .50-caliber Browning machine guns rather than the standard six.
Aerodynamic Smoothness: To maximize the R-2800's energy, the fuselage skin utilized heavier, flush-riveted, and spot-welded aluminum panels to eliminate rivets and drastically reduce skin friction drag.

The final iteration of the Bearcat incorporated state-of-the-art mechanical refinements that set it apart from mid-war fighters:
Hollow Hydraulic Wings: The folding wings used an independent hydraulic source divorced from the engine's main mechanics and had detachable wingtips. The wings were designed to fold at a point about 2/3 out along the span. Only the inner portion of the wing was made to support heavy loads, not the wrapping, making the whole structure lighter. The wingtips were designed to snap off at the hinge line above 7.5 g. remarkably this system saved 230 lb (100 kg).
Angled Tail Assembly: The vertical stabilizer was built with a slight offset/angle of attack. This counteracted the intense P-factor (asymmetric propeller thrust) generated by the massive propeller, allowing the aircraft to ascend or dive in a straight line with minimal rudder or trim corrections.
Bubble Canopy: The F8F was the first U.S. Navy fighter designed from the outset with a full 360-degree bubble canopy.

Flight Tests

The design was completed in November 1943 with two prototypes ordered on 27 November 1943, under the BuAir designation "XF8F-1". The first flew on 21 August 1944, nine months after the design started and it demonstrated a 4,800 ft/min (1,500 m/min) climb rate with a top speed of 424 mph (682 km/h). It was a bit slower than the Vought F4U Corsair, but far maneuverable and climbed more quickly. However more flights started to unveil a number of issues. The prototype had a lack of horizontal stability and underpowered trim system. The landing gear was also subject to drag and could be extended only at slow speeds. Pilots also noted an unreliable airspeed indicator, and generally appreciated the bubble, but hated the cramped cockpit. Pilots also all wanted six guns be installed, but this was never done due to weight and balance issues, however for stability the second prototype had a triangular fillet added to the front of the vertical stabilizer, which helped in this. The USN however was so confident in the design, that orders were passed even before the flight tests conclusion.

Production

The F8F made its first flight on August 21, 1944, just nine months after the contract was signed as seen above. Shortly after the prototype testing program began, the US Navy placed an order for 2,023 production F8F-1s, the first of which was delivered to the Navy's VF-19 squadron on May 21, 1945. This squadron, as well as the other first units to receive the Bearcat, was still in the process of adapting to the new fighter when World War II ended. This meant a reduction of 1,258 aircraft from the total previously ordered from Grumman and the definitive cancellation of an additional 1,876 F8M-1s, whose manufacture had been entrusted to General Motors.

Production ended in May 1949 with a grand total of 1,266 Bearcats, and this, despite the war ended. Like many other programs delayed and just cut off after V-Day, the Bearcat continued happily on the line for four full years before the plug was pulled. There were many reasons, like constant improvements justifying new series within, the initial replacement for the Wildcat was still valid, as many escort carriers remained mothballed but could be out in case of war (and some still served), plus for the fleet carriers, the Navy still wanted its dragster interceptor when early jets were initially slow, problematic and downright dangerous in some cases. This was the Navy's "insurance policy" until Jets were reliable. It was not rare to see in 1948-49 the Hellcat climbing faster than Jets and clearly outmanouvering them with ease.

Series

F8F-1: 658 produced with 4x HMGs, small dorsal fin, 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) PW R-2800-34W Double Wasp.
F8F-1B: 100 made, with AN/M3 20 mm cannons
F8F-1C: Redesignated as F8F-1B, 126 built
F8F-1D: 1 conversion as drone control aircraft
F8F-1(D)B: Unofficial export version to France, Thailand.
F8F-1E: F8F-1 night-fighter prototype with the APS-4 radar
XF8F-1N: Final F8F-1 conversion into night fighter prototype
F8F-1N: 12 night fighters with APS-19 radar.
F8F-1P: Photo reconnaissance conversion
F3M-1: Planned designation for General Motors manufacturing (cancelled)
F4W-1: Same but for Canadian Car and Foundry
F8F-2A: 293 with a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W, redesigned engine cowling, taller fin and rudder, other detail changes.
F8F-2N: 12 made as night fighters, still APS-19 radar
F8F-2P: 60 photo-reconnaissance variants with just two 20mm cannons to save weight
F8F-2D: Modified postwar as target controller
B.Kh.15: Postwar Thai designation.

Full BuAer drawings 1949

At the time production ceased, the Bearcat was in service with some 24 US Navy squadrons, but by the fall of 1952 all of them had been retired to second line units. Some, with a modified fuel system, were delivered to the French Armée de l'Air for use in the Indochina War, under the designation F8F-1D. Another 100 similar F8F-1Ds and twenty-nine F8F-1Bs were also supplied to the Thai Air Force.

Many features of the Bearcat's design were inspired by a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter that had been captured and turned over to Grumman for study. The main missions of the F8Fs were to establish superiority over the highly maneuverable Japanese A6M-5 Zero fighter and to defend the fleet against suicide (kamikaze) attacks carried out by Japanese pilots.

Design of the F8F

In short, as already started in the development, the F8F Bearcat had for its airframe & fuselage and All-metal structure, and low-wing cantilever monoplane featuring flush riveting and spot welding to minimize aerodynamic drag. It had a bubble canopy to grant the pilot exceptional all-around visibility. For the folding wings it used a new type of hydraulic folding wings (at about two-thirds span) for compact aircraft carrier storage. It also featured Safety Wing Tips, Designed with weak-point break-away wingtips meant to shear off if loads exceeded 9 Gs to protect the main spar, complete with balancing explosive charges. This system was later disabled and abandoned after a few structural and maintenance malfunctions.

Powerplant and Performances

Instead of building a larger airframe, engineers paired the 2,100 to 2,250 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine with a compact structure that weighed roughly 2,000 lbs (about 900 kg) less than its predecessor, the F6F Hellcat. This was the largest installed on a Navy piston-powered model so far, widely considered one of the finest piston-driven aircraft engines ever designed. First run was in 1937 and it was produced from 1939 to 1960, as America's first 18-cylinder radial engine. It became the backbone of Allied air power during World War II, with 125,334 units produced. Borth the 34W (F-1) and 30W (F-2) were used.

With 18 cylinders arranged in two staggered rows of nine there was a displacement of 2,804 cubic inches (46 litres) hence its name, while maintaining a remarkably compact diameter to reduce aerodynamic drag. Generating over 2,000 horsepower created intense heat. Pilots however struggled, requiring one hand to fluidly balance the boost pump, starter motor, primer, and safety switches while the other hand managed the throttle and fuel mixture.

Pratt & Whitney solved this by using automated milling equipment to carve ultra-thin, highly pitched cooling fins directly out of solid forged cylinder heads, multiplying the surface area for heat dissipation. To handle the immense offset energy generated by the pistons, the R-2800 used counterweights that rotated at twice the speed of the crankshaft, ensuring structural integrity at high RPMs. It was legendary for its ruggedness. Its air-cooled design eliminated the vulnerable plumbing of liquid-cooled alternatives, enabling the engine to continue running even after taking severe combat damage or completely losing a cylinder. It also evolved through several series (A through E), continuously pushing performance boundaries.

It had for example Water Injection (W/ADI) on later wartime variants with a water-methanol injection system cooling the fuel-air mixture, allowing short bursts of War Emergency Power up to 2,800 hp. Depending on the airframe, the R-2800 used internal single- or two-stage centrifugal superchargers. In the P-47 Thunderbolt, it was paired with a massive fuselage-mounted turbo-supercharger for unparalleled high-altitude performance. It is impressive to compare the airframes of the latter, the "Jug" and the nimble Bearcat.

Performances were stellar, a bit faster than the Corsair at 455 mph (732 km/h, 395 kn), for a stall speed of 95.1 mph (153.0 km/h, 82.6 kn) power off, at 11,428 lb (5,184 kg) in the fighter loading condition with one 150 US gal (570 L) drop tank. It had a favourable power/mass ratio of 0.22 hp/lb (0.36 kW/kg) making for a stellar rate of climb of 4,465 ft/min (22.68 m/s). Range was poor however at 1,105 mi (1,778 km, 960 nmi) and service ceiling 40,800 ft (12,400 m), but wing loading was high at 42 lb/sq ft (210 kg/m2). To compare, the Corsair flew at 446 mph (718 km/h) with Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W but 50 mph (890 km/h) in a dive. Its range was 1,560 miles (about 2,510 km) when equipped with external drop tanks.

Armament

Initially armed with four Browning M2 .50-caliber machine guns, later upgraded in variants like the F8F-1B and F8F-2 to four 20mm cannons. The Brownings are well known, they were ubiquitous in the Navy, but a Hellcat had three, the P47 had four. However given the small span, and weight issues, the Bearcat was equipped like the Wildcat it replaced, with four AN/M2 Browning machine guns (typically 450 to 430+ rounds per gun).

Later on the F-2 they were replaced by four 20 mm (.79 in) AN/M3 cannon. The latter was a derivative of the Spanish-Swiss Hispano-Suiza HS.404, used notably by France. In 1938 a versions was worked on in France which was passed onto British production, the American M1 as licenced for the USAAC and USN. For the sake of standardization the Navy was slow to accept this model, only on its large 2 to 4-engine patrollers. The Bearcat receive dthe last and best of these versions, the A/N M3 (postwar declined as the M24). It fired 20×110mm Hispano "A" 20 mm (0.79 in) round with a Gas unlocked, delayed blowback action for a rate of fire of 650–700 rounds/min and muzzle velocity of 870 m/s (2,900 ft/s), max range of 6,500 m (7,000 yd). The usual feed system was the 60-round M1 drum but in that case, linked belt inside the wings. It was devastating against any aircraft, as well as on ground targets.

The Bearcat was also used in a secondary role for ground attacks, and it was provided with racks under the wings for four 5 inches (127 mm) HVAR unguided rockets, or bombs of various types, generally four, for a total of 1000 Ibs or 454 kgs.

Specs F8F-2
Crew:	1 pilot
Fuselage Lenght	28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
Wingspan	35 ft 10 in (10.92 m)
Height	13 ft 10 in (4.22 m)
Empty weight:	7,650 lb (3,470 kg)
Gross weight:	13,460 lb (6,105 kg)
Powerplant:	P&W R-2800-30W Double Wasp 18-cyl. AC radial 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) TO, 2,500 hp (1,864 kW) CSL.
Propeller:	4-bladed Aeroproducts constant-speed propeller 12 ft 7 in (3.84 m) diameter
Maximum speed:	455 mph (732 km/h, 395 kn)
Stall speed:	95.1 mph (153 km/h, 82.6 kn)
Range:	1,105 mi (1,778 km, 960 nmi)
Service ceiling:	40,800 ft (12,400 m)
Climb Rate	4,465 ft/min (22.68 m/s)
Wing Loading	42 lb/sq ft (210 kg/m2)
Power/Mass	0.22 hp/lb (0.36 kW/kg)
Armament (F-1)	4x 0.5 inches browning M2 HMG
Armament (F-2)	4x 20 mm (.79 in) AN/M3 cannon
Armament: Rockets	4 × 5 in (127 mm) HVAR unguided rockets
Armament: Bombs	1,000 lb (454 kg)

In service

-In November 1943, the US Navy ordered two prototypes of the F8F, which first flew on August 21, 1944, 9 months later.
-In February 1945 the first Grumman F8F rolled off the assembly lines
-On May 21 of that year the first Bearcat squadron was declared operational.

From May to June 1945:

With the battles of Iwo Jima and then Okinawa, the USN was in dire need of an interceptor such as the Bearcat. Back in May, even if the war ended in Europe, which suddenly ended the need for these on escort carriers in the Atlantic, they were still needed in the Pacific. Given the gruesome performances of the Japanese at Peleliu, Tawara, Iwo Jima and already at Okinawa since April, the final prospects of a full scale invasion of the southernmost island, Kyushu, was on the horizon, some said for the summer or September-October. So there was still plenty of time for the Bearcat to give a good account of itself.

However the atomic bomb sealed its fate: In June-July there were plenty of pilots just starting to transition for the Hellcat. Thus the first trained pilots ended in the very first unit qualified on the Bearcat, Fighter Squadron 19 (VF-19). The latter (later redesignated VF-191) was appropriately called "Satan's Kittens" after it was established on August 15, 1943, flying on the Hellcat. By November 15, 1946 it would be Redesignated as VF-19A, then by August 24, 1948 VF-191 when "Satan's Kittens" became official. It still flew Grumman models, and after the Bearcat, the Panther and Tiger followed. They also flew the Crusader from USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) but it was first disestablished after Vietnam budget cuts on March 1, 1978, and shortly re-established under the Reagan Administraton between December 1, 1986 and April 30, 1988.

Pilots initially flew Grumman F6F-5 Hellcats from carriers such as the USS Lexington (CV-16), and this was the first operational squadron to receive the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat in May 1945. Pilots learned to transition from the Hellcat to to the Bearcat and qualified on USS Langley (CVL-27) in July-August, however the squadron arrived in the Pacific Theater, learning underway on August 1945 of Japan's reddition. Later, the same squadron transitioned again at the end of the Korean War on USS Princeton (CV-37), with the Grumman F9F Panther. While VF-19 was the sole late-war operational unit, the Bearcat quickly expanded to equip no less than twenty-four U.S. Navy fighter squadrons and several U.S. Marine Corps squadrons in the immediate postwar years, as well as serving with the Blue Angels demonstration team from 1946 to 1950.

The Cold War

F8F-1 Bearcats from VF-12A fly past USS Valley Forge (CV-45) on 28 April 1948.

During the postwar period, the F8F became one of the main fighters of the United States Navy, equipping a total of 24 fighter squadrons, while being usually rated as one of the best piston-powered fighters built in America. Analysts and aviation enthusiasts estimatd it have been outclassed only by the German Ta 152H and C, a derivative of the FW 190. Navy pilors soon appreciated its ability for aerobatics. Hence it was retained for its elite Blue Angels aerobatic group, from 1946 to 1950 (temporarily disbanded due to the Korean War). However already on the horizon Grumman started to swap on the jet era and delivered the Grumman F9F Panther. The McDonnell F2H Banshee also started to replace the Bearcat. In fact, it's in 1949 that both the USN and Marine Corps withdrew it from frontline combat, starting in 1949. It's in 1952 that it was retired from U.S. Navy support, reserve, and drone-utility roles (see late versions above).

But back in 1946, an unmodified F8F-1 set a climb record (after a takeoff run of just 30 meters) of 3,000 meters in 94 seconds. It held that record for 10 years until it surpassed by a jet fighter. Outside the US perhaps the most famous use was France in the Indochina War... USN and USMC units operating the Bearcat in 1950-54 but it was never deployed in Korea: Instead only F4U Corsair or F9F Panther were. Bearcats were kept on active carriers only to provide their CAPs, regardless of their use in the Atlantic or Pacific. Most F8F units in the period were indeed in the Altantic fleet. The reason why the Corsair was preferred, it was larger, faster, had a far better range and much better armament as well as far greater standardization.

In any case, all these pilots concluded that the snap-off wingtips were not working as expected. Under carefully controlled conditions in flight and on the ground it was OK, but in the field with repetitive stress of carrier landings, and because quality somewhat degraded showed that in mant case, only one wingtip would break away, completely unbalancing the aircraft and leading to a crash. Grumman found a parade, installing explosives charges to blow off the wingtips together. This was paid for by a ground technician in an accident. Eventually not only the wings were reinforced, but pilots were prevented to go beyond 7.5 g.

The French Bearcat in Indochina

In 1949 there were considerable parks of relatively new Bearcats, that were found useful under the new communism containment policy, to be passed on to the French in Indochina. At war since 1946, the force was short of aircraft. So from 1950, the Bearcat started to be delivered at the same time French pilots went to the US to train. They were used until 1954, so about eight years, and used for ground support, then training until 1956 when retired. In all, the French obtained some 209 Bearcats from 1951 onwards. Pilots which trained on it adored it, as there was nothing performing that well in the French park apart early jet prototypes.

Although it had been designed as an interceptor, the Vietnminh had no air force, so it was used exclusively as a fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Pilots however soon flew with their cockpit partially open due to poor ventilation with temperatures often exceeding 40°C. Under the military aid program, they were officially intended to replace the Grumman F6F Hellcats received in 1950, many already worn out.

They were delivered in two batches, with a first shipment of 44 by February 1951, then a second shipment of 46 in March 1951 for a total of 90 in Saigon. The F8F from there, became the standard aircraft for the French Air Force during the second and final phase of the war, and a grand total of 160 units were delivered (out of 197 authorized by the US Congress). In total, 209 were acquired, 103 lost either in combat or due to accidents. France had four carriers at the time that rotated, but none operated the Bearcat.

Indeed, none served with the French Navy, which remained committed to the Grumman F6F Hellcat until the end of the war. In 1951, the Navy supplemented its existing fleet—received in 1950 with additional units transferred from the Air Force. They were deployed in the following units: Groupe de chasse 1/9 Limousin, GC 3/6 Roussillon, GC 2/8 (puis GC 2/22) Languedoc, GC 1/6 Corse GC 1/8 (puis 1/22) Saintonge, Escadron de reconnaissance d'outre-mer EROM 80, GC 1/21 Artois, GC 2/9 (puis 2/21) Auvergne and Escadron de reconnaissance photographique ERP 2/19 Armagnac.

For close air support, the F8F-1’s machine guns and the F8F-1B’s cannons were frequently employed, with weapon convergence set at 600 meters or less. In a bombing role, they still could carry up to 250 kg, often napalm canisters. There had been however several ground accidents while filling the latter. For reconnaissance missions they had K-17 and K-22 cameras mounted inside a modified ventral fuel tank. The French never operated the specialized photo-recce versions. The final French fighter groups woth the Bearcats were disbanded in the spring of 1956.

Surviving ones were transferred to the air forces of South Vietnam and Royal Thai Air Force. None were returned to France. In nowadays presentations, there is sitll one in French colours, accustomed to La Ferté Alais airfield near Paris for yearly meetings and airshows. It was piloted by Mike Freers at Duxford in UK, but was sold in 2005 back to the US.

The Vietnamese Bearcat

The Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) inherited surviving French aircraft in 1956. They were 28, donated, chosen among those in the best shape. France had no plane to repatriate them. It's likely more were kept in park to be cannibalized. The Vietnamese permanently retired their Bearcats in 1960, replacing them with newer Douglas A-1 Skyraiders.

The Thai Bearcat

The Royal Thai Air Force was the last military arm to operate the aircraft, they had been delivered from parks from the USN officially retiring their fleet in 1960. The RTAF was the largest and most significant post-WWII operators of the Grumman F8F Bearcat, locallally called the "Type 15 Fighter" it served as the backbone of Thailand's air defense and ground-attack capabilities from 1951, when Thailand purchased a total of 204 Bearcats. The fleet consisted of aircraft acquired directly from US Navy surplus, supplemented later by surviving units from French forces following the French Indochina War. The RTAF operated multiple variants, the F8F-1 (.50 caliber MG) and cannon-armed F8F-1B.

They were in multiple frontline units across the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Wings. One notable unit was the 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron based out of Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base. Initially they flew with the iconic US Navy overall midnight blue scheme featuring RTAF roundels, but later they started to be repainted in an air superiority grey. The very last one was retired in 1962 but a few aircraft were retained for secondary or support roles, with sporadic use as late as 1972...

The Bearcat Today

A small number of F8Fs survived:
F8F bearcat rare bear

11 are airworthy
8 are restored and on static display
12 are being restored or are planned to be restored

Bearcats have been popular in air racing. A Bill Stead-sponsored Bearcat won the first Reno Air Race in 1964 while a heavily modified F8F nicknamed Rare Bear (owned by Lyle Shelton) dominated that event for decades, even when challenged by Daryl Greenmyer's Bearcat. another famous contender with numerous wins and many speed records. The Rare Bear managed to break many records, including the 3 km World Speed Record for piston-powered aircraft (850.26 km/h in 1989) and the new climb record (3,000 meters in 91.9 s, in 1972, breaking the 1946 record cited above).

Gallery:

F8F-1, Naval Reserve 1950.

F8F-2 Bearcat, VF82 USS Midway

F8F-1 of VF1L USS Saipan 1947

F8F-2 VF-61 Jolly Rogers, USS Franklin Roosevelt 1949

F8F-2 Bearcat USS Valley Forge (CV-45) 1949. V01 Commanding Officer CVG-11

F8F Blue Angels 1946

F8F-1B GC-122 Saintonge, Indochina

F8F-1 st Fighter Sqn. VNAF 1960

F8F-2 Thai 1960

Photos

On USS Valley Forge Sept. 1949

Blue angels Bearcats

F8F Bearcat VF-31

F8F-2P of VC-62 over USS Midway in 1952, close to retirement the same year.

French Bearcats at Tourane AB Indochina 1954

F8F-1s on USS Leyte (CV-32) in 1946

F8F-1 on USS Monterey, CVL-26, 1951

Bearcat F8F-2, VF-111 USS Valley Forge, CV-45, 27 April 1949.

Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat of VF-32 in flight, 1949

Fury and Bearcat at Flying Legends 2017

F8F-2P at Duxdford By Clive R Martin from Addlestone Surrey, England CC BY-SA 4.0,

US Navy Bureau No. 121710. On display at National Naval Aviation Museum, Warrington, Florida, USA. 20th October 2018

Bearcat F8F-2 in a museum

Skyraider and Bearcats deployed as observers in Operation Upshot, nevada nuclear test 1953.

Src/Read more about the Grumman F8F:

Video:

Grumman F8F Bearcat US Navy Superprop - Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles

Sources:

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