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How good was the Bearcat?
The Bearcat also packed a significant punch — to the tune of four M2 . 50-caliber machine guns. If that wasn’t enough, the Bearcat was also able to haul five-inch rockets or a 1,000-pound bomb. The Bearcat’s primary mission was to intercept enemy planes.
Was Bearcat used in ww2?
The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engine carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the air forces of other nations.
Is F8F Bearcat good?
The F8F has very good acceleration and climb rate, thanks to its powerful engine. The Bearcat is also a very hardy aircraft able to sustain several hits from enemy cannon and machine gun rounds before being decommissioned.
Did F8F Bearcat see combat?
The first F8F air wing arrived in the Pacific theater literally days after the war ended, and the Bearcat was never to see combat in U.S. hands—not even in Korea, where its relatively basic armament wasn’t good enough for strafing and the longer-legged F4U Corsair was judged to be a better fighter-bomber.
When did the first F8F Bearcat become operational?
On May 21, the first Bearcat-equipped squadron, VF-19, became operational. Despite VF-19’s activation, no F8F units were ready for combat before the end of the war in August. With the end of hostilities, the US Navy canceled the General Motors order and the Grumman contract was reduced to 770 aircraft.
What ever happened to the Navy Bearcat?
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 Armée 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.
Is the Grumman Bearcat still in use?
It was Grumman Aircraft’s last piston engined fighter aircraft. Modified versions of the Bearcat have broken speed records for piston-engined aircraft. Today, the Bearcat is popular among warbird owners and air racers .
When did the svaf stop flying Bearcats?
The SVAF employed the Bearcat until 1959 when it retired them in favor of more advanced aircraft. Additional F8Fs were sold to Thailand which used the type until 1960. Since the 1960s, demilitarized Bearcats have proven highly popular for air races.
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