null
1-855-215-2914
Free Shipping on orders $75+ (Shipping Details Here)
loginLogin
Cart Cart

Aviation Oil Outlet Aviation Oil Outlet

  • CUSTOMER SERVICE
    • Contact Us
    • Credit App
    • Quote Request
    • Shipping Info
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Products
    • About Us
    • Mission
    • FAQ
  • RESOURCES
    • Videos
    • Articles
    • Email Sign-up
  • login
    Login
  • cart
    Cart
    • Aviation Lubricants By Application
      • All Aviation Lubricants By Application
      • Aviation Piston Engine Oils
        • Straight Grade Mineral Oil for Engine Break-in
        • Straight Grade Ashless Engine Oil for Normal Use
        • Multi-Viscosity Mineral Oil for Engine Break-in
        • Multi-Viscosity Ashless Engine Oil for Normal Use
        • Multi-Viscosity Grade Oil for Light Sport Aircraft
        • Aviation Oil with Lycoming LW 16702 Additives
      • Aviation Turbine Oil
      • Aviation Hydraulic Oil
      • Aerobatic Smoke Oil
      • Aviation Greases
    • Aviation Lubricants By Weight
      • All Aviation Lubricants By Weight
      • Aviation Grade 65, SAE 30
        • Straight 65 Grade Mineral, Break-In Oil
      • Aviation Grade 80, SAE 40
        • Straight 80 Grade Mineral, Break-In Oil
        • Straight 80 Grade, Normal Operation Ashless
      • Aviation Grade 100, SAE 50
        • Straight 100 Grade Mineral, Break-In Oil
        • Straight 100 Grade, Normal Operation Ashless
        • Grade 100 with Lycoming LW 16702 Additives
      • Aviation Grade 120, SAE 60
        • Grade 120 Mineral, Break-in Oil
        • Grade 120 Ashless for Normal Operation
      • Aviation Oil SAE 10w-40
      • Aviation Oil SAE 15w-50
        • Multi-Grade 15w-50 Ashless for Normal Use
      • Aviation Oil SAE 20w-50
        • Multi-Grade 20w-50 Break-In Oil
        • Multi-Grade 20W-50 Ashless for Normal Use
      • Aviation Oil SAE 25w-60
        • Multi-Grade 25w-60 for Engine Break-In
        • Multi-Grade 25w-60 Ashless for Normal Use
    • Lubricant Accessories
    • Shop By Brand
      • AeroShell
      • BlueSky Lubricants
      • Mobil
      • Phillips 66 Aviation
    • About Us
      • Our Products
      • About Us
      • Mission
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Online Sales
      • Online Shopping Security
      • Terms Of Use
    • Resources
      • Videos
      • Articles
      • Email Sign-up
      • Bookmark Our Site
      • Get Our Free Web App
      • Site Map
    • Customer Service
      • Customer Service
      • Return Policy
      • Contact Us
      • Credit App
      • Quote Request
      • Shipping Info
      • FAQ
      • Paypal Resource Page
    • Login Create an Account


    1-855-215-2914
    The Flight Blog - Read Articles The Flight Blog - Read Articles
    Back to Blog Homepage
    Plane of the Week: Grumman F8F Bearcat

    Plane of the Week: Grumman F8F Bearcat

    By Sarah Simonovich on Dec 30th 2016

    The bearcat, also known as the binturong, is a viverrine mammal from Southeast Asia-it is closely related to neither bears nor cats. The Grumman F8F Bearcat, on the other hand, is a single-engine carrier-based fighter aircraft that was introduced late into WWII.

    The Bearcat aircraft concept was conceived when Battle of Midway veteran F4F Wildcat pilots and Grumman Vice President Jake Swirbul met at Pearl Harbor on June 23, 1942. During the course of the meeting, Lieutenant Commander Jimmie Thach emphasized the importance of -climb rate- in a good fighter plane.

    Besides climb performance, another goal for the aircraft was that it should be able to operate from escort carriers. At the time, this was limited to the F4F Wildcat and the Grumman F6F Hellcat (which was too large and too heavy).

    After analyzing carrier warfare in the Pacific Theater of Operations for over a year, Grumman began to develop the G-58 Bearcat in late 1943.

    The F8F was heavily influenced by the larger F6F. It has been debated whether or not if the Focke-Wulf FW 190 influenced the design of the Bearcat.

    Grumman F8F Bearcat Specification Table

    Design & Development

    Climb performance is related to the power-to-weight ratio; to maximize performance, aircraft developers look to use the most powerful engine available with the lightest possible airframe. The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine (which provided 2,00 horsepower) was the most powerful engine available. Grumman used this engine in both the Wildcat and the Bearcat. For the Bearcat, however, the fuselage was cut by about 5 feet as well as vertically behind the cockpit. Also compared to the Hellcat, the Bearcat had a vertical stabilizer of similar height, but increased aspect ratio, which made it look thinner. The main wing had similar span, but lower thinness.

    While the Hellcat used a 13'1- 3-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller, for size reduction purposes, the Bearcat instead used a 12' 7- Aeroproducts four-bladed propeller. Initial design plans called for the Bearcat to have a maximum weight of 8,750 lbs. fully-loaded. Due to the structure, however, this would have been impossible. Instead, the aircraft was developed with an empty weight of 7,070 lb. and a loaded weight of 9,600 lb.

    Production & Operation

    The Navy placed a production order for 2,023 aircraft on October 6, 1944 (based on second prototype). In Febuary 1945, they awarded another contract to General Motors for 1,876 slightly modified aircraft. The GM aircraft (designated F3M-1) had a R-2800-34W engine and a small increase in fuel capacity.

    The F8F prototypes first flew August 21, 1944, only 9 months after they were ordered. The first production aircraft were operational by May 21, 1945, but WWII was over before they ever saw combat service.

    The first time the Bearcat saw combat was during the French Indochina War; nearly 200 F8Fs were delivered to the French in 1951. When the war was over in 1954, 28 surviving bearcats were sent to the Republic of Vietnam and entered service in 1956. The VNAF retired their Bearcats in 1963 in favor Douglas A-1 Skyraiders and North American T-28 Trojans.

    Besides their use in combat, Bearcats have also been a popular aircraft for air racing. In 1964, Mira Slovak won the first Reno Air Race in a stock Bearcat (sponsored by Bill Stead). Lyle Shelton also dominated the event for several decades in Rare Bear, a highly modified F8F.

    The F8F Bearcat was Grumman's final piston engine fighter aircraft and was used by US navy, US Marine Corps, and air forces of other nations. Modified versions of the F8F have broken speed records for piston-engine aircraft and are popular among warbird owners.

    • #Plane Of The Week
    • #aircraft of vietnam
    • #aviation
    • #Bearcat
    • #combat aircraft
    • #escort carriers
    • #F6F
    • #GM
    • #Grumman
    • #Grumman aircraft
    • #Grumman F6F
    • #Grumman F8F
    • #Grumman F8F bearcat
    • #Grumman Hellcat
    • #Hellcat
    • #Pacific Theater of Operations
    • #US
    • #sarah simonovich

    You might also be interested in:


    Newsletter | January 2023
    by Aviation Oil Outlet on Jan 12th 2023

    Do You Use Our FREE Web App? Now you can save our website as an app on your
    monthly newsletter
    Newsletter | November 2022
    by Aviation Oil Outlet on Nov 22nd 2022

    Other Smoke Oils Pail in Comparison to Bluesky Bluesky White Lightning Smok
    monthly newsletter
    Newsletter | October 2022
    by Aviation Oil Outlet on Oct 28th 2022

    Shop One of Our Most Popular Products - In Stock While Supplies Last One of
    monthly newsletter
    !

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales

    aoo logo
    Aviation Oil Outlet
    454 South Main Street
    Wilkes Barre, PA 18703
    United States of America

    1-855-215-2914

    E-mail:
    sales@aviationoiloutlet.com

    Follow us on Social:

    Customer Service

    • Contact
    • Credit Application
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Quote Request
    • Returns
    • Shipping Information
    • Sitemap

    Resources

    • About Us
    • Accessibility
    • Brands
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Online Shopping Security
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions of Online Sales
    • Terms of Use
    • Video Library

    Account

    • Account
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • Order History

    © 2023 Aviation Oil Outlet

    payment method icons Bizrate
    ​