The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engined, carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy …

The Grumman F8F (G-58, Grumman Aircraft's design designation) Bearcat was a U.S. Navy/Marine Corps single-engine, fighter aircraft. It was introduced late in World War II as a …

After careful study of air combat operations from carriers, Grumman designed the F8F as a follow-on to its highly successful F6F Hellcat. The airplane featured a smaller airframe built around...

In July 1943 Roy Grumman proposed to develop a small fighter plane which could be used on large or small carriers, with a performance superior (in every way) to the F6F. The unsolicited …

Jan 14, 2013 · The Grumman F8F Bearcat was a squat, low-wing design with wide-tract landing gear, folding wings, and a bubble canopy. The new plane was also extremely light, which gave …

Jun 25, 2020 · The final production Bearcat was the F8F-2, introduced in 1947 with a more powerful R-2800-30W engine of 2,250 hp (1678 kW) and an automatic variable speed …

Nov 7, 2024 · Born of experience gained by study of fighter operations from carriers, the F8F was built smaller and 2,000 pounds lighter than its F6F predecessor, despite being designed …

In 1969, civilian Darryl Greenamyer set a speed record of 482.566 mph over a three-kilometer course in a modified F8F-2. In September 1996, John Penney boosted the record to 491.266 …

The final production Bearcat was the F8F-2, with a more powerful R-2800-30W engine of 2,250 hp and an automatic variable speed supercharger. The extra power required an extra foot be …

In 1948, Grumman introduced the F8F-2 Bearcat which included an all-cannon armament, enlarged tail, and rudder, as well as a revised cowling. This variant was also adapted for night …