Grumman F-8 Bearcat 86″ Wingspan

Grumman F-8 Bearcat

Grumman F8F Bearcat  Grumman was a major supplier of Navy and Marine aircraft. They build strong aircraft to handle the carrier landing and used radial engines. Unlike inline water cooled engines radial engines could take a bullet and keep running, a big benefit to pilots that were over water most of the time. The F8F was too late to see any combat in WWII.  The first action it saw was at the hands of the French in the Indonesian War with Vietnam. The F8F was designed along the F6F lines but was 5 feet shorter and lower. The plan was to build a lighter aircraft with the same engine, the most powerful available at the time.  Somewhat successful the F8F set a number of records including climb to altitude. In post war and in civilian hands it was popular with the air racing group. Some of the biggest names in air racing, Myra Slovak, Daryl Greenamyer and Lyle Shelton flew in and won major air race contests. Winning for decades at the Reno National Championship Air Races, Lyle Shelton clipped the wings and put on a huge 4 blade prop and dominated the races for many years in the famous Rare Bear. Lyle went on the set records in climb to altitude and 528 mph, the worlds record for piston powered aircraft.