Grumman F8F Bearcat

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Grumman F8F Bearcat (Aero Series 20)

By Edward T. Maloney

Publisher: Aero Publishing 1969 55 Pages

ISBN: 0816815768

PDF 11 MB

One of the most popular Navy fighters of all time is the Grumman "Bearcat." Born of battle. This tried and tested carrier fighter was the pride of the fleet from 1945 until it was retired with the coming of jet fighter aircraft.

The F8F was born in wartime secrecy. It was designed as a "Hellcat" fighter replacement and to out-perform the premier Japanese fighter the A6M-5 "Zeke" Zero Fighter.

in the summer of 1 9-13 F6F-3 "Hellcats" were being turned out on Grumman production lines Chief Grumman Engineer, William Schwendler, and his staff worked on Grumman design number 58. This new carrier fighter was designed to fill a major gap in current Navy fighters. This was to be a light weight interceptor in the low to medium altitude ranges, but with maximum maneuverability and speed. It was to be the approximate size of the pre-war F4F "Wildcat/7 but capable of hitting enemy aircraft in its climb up from carrier decks. It was a typical Grumman design — short, and stubby and powerful.

On November 27th, 1943, a contract was awarded Grumman Aircraft and Engineering Corp. for two XF8F-1 prototypes. The first XF8F-1, Bureau Number 90460, made its maiden flight June 25, 1944. It featured the first bubble canopy designed for a Navy fighter. This feature greatly improved visibility. The Bearcat utilized the tried and proven Pratt and Whitney R-2800 series engine with water injection.

On August 31st, 1944, the XF8F-1 was flown by Grumman test pilot, Robert Hall. He was very enthusiastic about the Bearcat's splendid performance. He stated he had never flown any aircraft quite like the Bearcat.

The first prototype crashed during initial testing and further tests were conducted with the number two XF8F-1.

A number of modifications were made to improve performance. A dorsal fin was added to the vertical fin to improve direction stability. The tail surfaces were rounded and the stabilizer was length­ened. The Bearcat sat in a rather nose-high attitude because it employed a 1 2 ft. 4 in. four-bladed propeller.