Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat
Grumman · USA · first flew 1948 · fighter
The F8F-2 is the refined Bearcat with a taller fin, 20 mm cannon armament as standard, and aerodynamic refinements, representing the peak of the type's development before jets supplanted piston fighters on US carriers.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.61 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Taller, more angular vertical tail fin with a squarer top — the primary visual difference from the F8F-1's shorter, more rounded fin
- Four 20 mm M3 cannon in the wings as standard armament — larger muzzle openings in the leading edges vs the F8F-1's .50 cal ports
- Revised cowling with a slightly different oil cooler arrangement giving a marginally different frontal profile from the F8F-1
Against F8F-1: the taller, squarer fin top is the instant identifier. Cannon muzzle openings are larger than machine-gun ports. In profile, the fin change makes the F8F-2 look slightly more angular and purposeful than the F8F-1. Both marks are far smaller than any other naval fighter of the era — the compact 'bull' silhouette identifies the Bearcat family at a glance.
Specifications
- The Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat has a length of 8.61 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.92 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 678 km/h (421 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown 1948; 293 built plus 36 F8F-2P reconnaissance variants. Production ended as the jet age made piston fighters obsolete on US carriers. The F8F-2 entered USN service just as the transition to jets (F9F Panther, F2H Banshee) was accelerating. France received F8F-2s for Aéronavale Indochina operations. The F8F-2 is the more common surviving Bearcat, and 'Rare Bear' (Lyle Shelton's Reno racer) is an F8F-2.
Variants
F8F-2P (six-camera photo-reconnaissance variant, small number converted). No further production variants.
Where you'll see it
USN reserve squadrons 1948–1952, French Aéronavale Indochina. Warbird community worldwide — the Bearcat is an active airshow performer and Reno racer.
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