Grumman F8F Bearcat PDF eBook + Aircraft Flight Manuals

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  • 3 magazines, 2 manuals, & photos
  • PDF contains 874 pages
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February 1976

  • The 11th Hour Sopwiths
  • “Seek and Destroy”, Part 2 of “The Last of the Breed”
  • Bearcat, ultimate WWII dogfighter
  • Mach 3.0, Part II… Bell X-2

June 1987

  • Carrier Borne, Part II
  • EF-111 Radar Jammers

November 1987

  • America’s Army Air Corps
  • F8F Bearcat

Manuals & Photos

  • F8F Pilot’s Handbook, 1949
  • F8F Erection & Maintenance Handbook, 1948
  • Over 360 photos of the F8F Bearcat

Grumman F8F Bearcat

General Characteristics

  • Crew: 1 pilot
  • Length: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
  • Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in (10.92 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 9 in (4.21 m)
  • Wing area: 244 ft²
  • Empty weight: 7,070 lb (3,207 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 9,600 lb (4,354 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 12,947 lb (5,873 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W “Double Wasp” two-row radial engine, 2,300 hp (1,715 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 421 mph (366 kn, 678 km/h)
  • Range: 1,105 mi (1,778 km)
  • Service ceiling: 38,700 ft (11,796 m)
  • Rate of climb: 4,570 ft/min (23.2 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 39.3 lb/ft² (192.1 kg/m²)
  • Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (360 W/kg)

Armament

  • Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns (F8F-1 and F8F-1N); Four 20mm AN/M3 cannon(F8F-1B)
  • Rockets: 4 × 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets
  • Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs
XF8F-1
Prototype aircraft, two built.
F8F-1 Bearcat
Single-seat fighter aircraft, equipped with folding wings, a retractable tailwheel, self-sealing fuel tanks, a very small dorsal fin, powered by a 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W Double Wasp radial piston engine, armed with four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, 658 built.
F8F-1B Bearcat
Single-seat fighter version, armed with four AN/M3 20 mm cannons, 100 built.
F8F-1C Bearcat
Originally designated F8F-1C, re-designated as F8F-1B, 126 built.
F8F-1D
F8F-1s converted into drone control aircraft.
F8F-1(D)B Bearcat
Unofficial designation for export version for France and Thailand.
F8F-1E Bearcat
F8F-1 night-fighter prototype carrying APS-4 radar.
XF8F-1N
F8F-1 conversion into night fighter prototypes.
F8F-1N Bearcat
Night fighter version, equipped with an APS-19 radar, 12 built.
F8F-1P Bearcat
F8F-1 conversion photo reconnaissance conversion.
F3M-1 Bearcat
Planned designation for F8F aircraft constructed by General Motors.
F4W-1 Bearcat
Planned designation for F8F aircraft constructed by Canadian Car and Foundry.
XF8F-2
F8F-1 conversion with engine upgrade, revised engine cowling, taller tail.
F8F-2 Bearcat
Improved version, equipped with a redesigned engine cowling, taller fin and rudder, armed with four 20 mm cannons, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W radial piston engine, 293 built.
F8F-2D
F8F-2s converted into drone control aircraft.
F8F-2N Bearcat
Night-fighter version, equipped with an APS-19 radar, 12 built.
F8F-2P Bearcat
Photo-reconnaissance version, fitted with camera equipment, armed with two 20 mm (.79 in) cannons, 60 built.
G-58A/B
Two civil aircraft. The first was owned by the Gulf Oil Company for the use of Major Alford Williams, the second one was used by Grumman as a demonstrator aircraft and was flown by Roger Wolfe Kahn.

Thailand

Airworthy
F8F-1
  • 122120 – Tango Squadron, Foundation for the Preservation and Development of Thai Aircraft
On display
F8F-1
  • 94956 – Royal Thai Air Force Museum in Bangkok.

United Kingdom

Airworthy
F8F-2
  • 121714 – The Fighter Collection, Duxford.

United States

Airworthy
F8F-1
  • 90454 – Jens Meyerhoff in Fountain Hills, Arizona.
  • 95255 – Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas.
F8F-1B
  • 122095 – Quality Leasing Company in Indianapolis, Indiana
F8F-2
  • 121748 – Comanche Warbirds Inc. in Houston, Texas.
  • 121752 – Historic Flight Foundation in Mukilteo, Washington.
  • 121776 – BA1945 LLC in Wilmington, Delaware.
  • 122614 – Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas.
  • 122619 – Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas.
  • 122629 – Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas.
  • 122637 – Comanche Warbirds Inc. in Houston, Texas.
  • 122674 – Commemorative Air Force (Southern California Wing) in Camarillo, California.
G-58 Gulfhawk (two civilian built Bearcats)
  • G-58A – Steven Hinton in Chino, California.
  • G-58B – Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California.
On display
F8F-2
  • 121646 – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia
F8F-2P
  • 121710 – National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida.
Under Restoration
F8F-1
  • 90446 – to airworthiness by Texas Bearcats LLC in Dover, Delaware.
  • 95356 – to airworthiness by Texas Bearcats LLC in Dover, Delaware.
F8F-2
  • 121679 – to airworthiness by American Aircraft Sales LLC in Alameda, California.