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20 inch F8F Bearcat kit
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$ 25.00
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20 inch F8F Bearcat kit w/ GWS Brushed Motor Combo
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$ 47.50
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20 inch F8F Bearcat kit w/ 9g Brushless Motor Combo
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$ 68.00
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The GWS Motor Combo has a list price of $25.00
The 9gm Brushless Motor Combo has a list price of $45.00
The kit includes everything you need to build the airframe. Detailed instructions are provided on a CD
included with the kit. To complete the model as shown, you will need
- a micro receiver
- two 5g micro-servos
- motor and appropriate speed controller (included with our motor combo)
- a LiPo battery pack (we use a 2-cell 450mah)
- paint, glue etc.
- yogurt cup to make the cowl (optional)
Our kit has a 20" wingspan, and can be used with a variety of different motors depending on the
desired performance. With our 9gm brushless, the model weighs about 4.3 ounces. We intended this model to compete with the popular "Cox Warbird" models, so it's the same
size and has a very similar airfoil design. This is a small and very nimble fighter and is best suited for flying at indoor venues.
The model can be powered with a variety of small motors :
- a GWS 12mm "IPS" motor (EDP 50XC) with a direct drive 3x2 prop (or a 4x2.5 prop with a propsaver)
- a Feigao brushless inrunner motor (12mm x 30mm can)
- a Cox Warbird motor with the Corsair prop for scale appearance
- any small brushless outrunner motor, such as the 9gm unit we offer
F8F Bearcat History
The F8F Bearcat was the last piston-engined fighter produced by Grumman, and is widely considered to be the
epitome of that genre. The designers basically created the smallest and lightest airframe they could, for the largest engine that was available.
With a massive 2100-HP radial engine and a giant 4-bladed propellor, the plane had unmatched speed and climb
capabilities and set records that early jet fighters could not match. It arrived too late to serve in WWII with the US Navy, but served
into the early 1950's and some planes saw combat in the service of other air forces, such as in Thailand and Vietnam.
An interesting story about the Bearcat - in 1946 it set the "Time to Climb" record.
This was “Operation Pogo Stick" conducted as a demonstration at the Cleveland Air Race, November 22, 1946.
An F8F-1 piloted by Comdr. Bill Leonard set a new time to climb record, from a dead stop to 10K feet in 97.8 seconds, including a 150 foot take off run.
Unfortunately, he didn't get to keep the record very long. Lieut. Comdr. Butch Davenport came along about 15 minutes later and set the next new record
of 94 seconds, also in an F8F-1 in a 115 foot take off run. Leonard's take off was into an estimated 30 kt head wind, by the time Davenport took off the
head wind was over 40 kts. These wind speeds helped to reduce the time on the ground. The F8F’s used were the standard Navy aircraft, armed, with ammunition.
The planes were modified, however, to allow full emergency military power with the landing gear down, something you couldn’t do in a stock airplane due to safety locks.
The CURRENT world record for the class is held by Lyle Shelton in his "Rare Bear." It was set in 1972, and he went from standstill to 3,000 meters in 91 seconds.
That is 9,842.5 feet in 91 seconds from a standing start.
About ten Bearcats are still airworthy, and can be seen on the warbird airshow circuit. Perhaps
the most famous Bearcat is "Rare Bear", which has been highly modified from the original production
configuration for Unlimited-class pylon racing. This aircraft set the all-time speed record for piston
engined fighters at 527mph, and is a regular highlight at the Reno Air Races.
We have a couple of REALLY COOL pictures of two Bearcats in our photo gallery -
parked on the apron and
roaring past.
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