The Beastly Propeller Fighter that Demolished Modern Jets
Ғылым және технология
Grumman’s lineage of feline-named naval fighters became synonymous with American aerial prowess during the Pacific Theatre of World War 2. These rugged and heavily armed and armored aircraft could take a beating and fight the enemy head-on with devastating effects.
As the war neared its end, Grumman introduced the most potent prop-driven fighter, the F8F Bearcat, described by many as an engine with a saddle on it due to its vast powerhouse.
Despite its smaller size, the Bearcat was a force to be reckoned with, outperforming its iconic predecessors. In fact, it was nearly 2,000 pounds lighter than the formidable F6F Hellcat, yet it packed a punch in terms of performance.
The Bearcat’s more petite frame outperformed all its peers regarding overall speed, climbing time, takeoff, and, most importantly, combat maneuverability.
With its ability to take off in less than 1,000 feet, climb to 10,000 feet in under 90 seconds, and execute tight maneuvers, the Bearcat redefined aerial combat. Its unmatched agility and firepower made it a lethal presence in the sky, representing the peak of propeller-driven fighter design just as jets began to take over the skies.
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Terrifiic fighter... but it clearly didn't "Demolish Modern Jets", so please - no false video titles, please.
@michaelpettersson4919
Ай бұрын
True, that would have to require going up against jets and win. In the transitional era such a victory could perhaps been possible in an odd engagement. During WW2 prop fighters did have to deal with german jets after all.
@josefhunne5500
Ай бұрын
@@michaelpettersson4919 ... and they only had a chance when technical problems occured in the jet or they were in approach for landing.
@stuartwillard6558
Ай бұрын
@@josefhunne5500 there is at least one known downing in air combat of a jet in the Korean War by a Sea Fury, a few others are claimed by piston engined aircraft I believe too. But as rule that statement is true.
@robertsmith9810
Ай бұрын
or the Harries mk one
@josefhunne5500
Ай бұрын
@@stuartwillard6558 m petterson was writing about ww2. korean aircombats jet vs prop ended very few times with a prop victory. How do germans speak: a blind chicken sometimes finds a cerial grain too ...
What has the video got to do about demolishing modern fighter jets? Nearly a waste of time especially mine. I thought you had something interesting to say about piston fighters and modern jets
@terry_willis
Ай бұрын
That's why he only has 8100 subs. 👎
@kennethcurtis1856
14 күн бұрын
Bye.
Stop click Bait video titles. They cheapen your product and piss us off.
@kpal2946
Ай бұрын
Yet still here you are.
@BrimHawk
Ай бұрын
@@kpal2946 Well.....yeah. Plane.
@johnhickman8094
Ай бұрын
@@kpal2946ò
@gregmacdonald7710
22 күн бұрын
Well, put ya own site up, or shut up!
@USCG.Brennan
5 күн бұрын
@@gregmacdonald7710 He's right Greg and you know it!!
I hate clickbait titles, though this video did introduce the Bearcat to me.
@maddhatter3564
24 күн бұрын
well that may be its only plus. fascinating history
@billfarley9167
21 күн бұрын
Introduce? Where in hell have you been?
Somebody needs to bone up on their aircraft ID. At .55 seconds they show an A1 Skyraider taking off then a few shots of the Grumman Tbf Avengers. Next, at 7.45 to 8.00 minutes they show more shots of A1 Skyraiders. Bearcat a jet killer? Maybe they can find some evidence, they did not show any in this presentation. I give the site an F!
I don't recall ever reading/hearing that Grumman's F8F Bearcat was a "jet killer." Oh well, the influence of "Dark Skies" is wide and pervasive.
@brettbuck7362
Ай бұрын
I despise the "dark xxxx" channels, they are garbage from start to finish. This one is a lot less offensive, I think.
@kpal2946
Ай бұрын
@@brettbuck7362 Why do you think that, I'm not a huge fan of the dark channels but they are better than a lot of other things on you tube.
@michaelshore2300
Ай бұрын
They confuse it with the Hawker Sea fury They look similar and the fury shot down Jets
@stuartwillard6558
Ай бұрын
@@michaelshore2300 indeed and was the aircraft that Eric Brown described as almost impossible to choose between it and a Bearcat in their qualities. I would presume by then (Korean War) Sea Furies were used in mostly land attack roles so would be far more likely to confront a Mig than a Bearcat which would really only be for Fleet defence and Nth Korean pilots rarely ventured over the sea leading to Sea Fury pilots if engaged would thus dive low and out to sea and shake them off reasonably comfortably.
@erickborling1302
Ай бұрын
The Grumman were all in the Pacific theater I believe. The japanese did not have any jets whatsoever. Everyone should already know this!
No robot speakers please......😮
@paulbriggs3072
Ай бұрын
I am glad to be your 20th thumbs up on that!
@kpal2946
Ай бұрын
@@paulbriggs3072 What is robot speakers, just wondering?
@Ugly_German_Truths
Ай бұрын
@@kpal2946 What does it sound like? A Text to speech software used to produce the "read lines" instead of an actual human being that knows how to put the emphasis on the right syllables and when to read through to a word instead of pausing right before it making the enunciation all weird.
To many pictures of A1 Skyraiders representing F8F Bearcats.
@stuartwillard6558
Ай бұрын
Yes noticed that.
@jayshaw63
Ай бұрын
Apparently, since they are both painted blue, it's all the same to the author.🙂 smh
@jk-kr8jt
Ай бұрын
Very true and disappointing, but the Skyraider is a special aircraft.
@DeereX748
Ай бұрын
I saw that too. Much larger and slower, not intended as a fighter
@gendaminoru3195
Ай бұрын
STOCK FOOTAGE drives me nuts in documentaries.
My Father ran Grummans Flight Test from 1941-1965. He invented a means of airborne stress testing using radio telemetry. One of the many Grumman practices that earned them the name Iron Works.
@joeblow8964
26 күн бұрын
As an old Grumman Pilot(F-14A/B), I appreciate the Grumman Iron Works...
If you can't provide in-context footage, then don't use random video of Avengers, Skyraiders and other non F8F. It only confuses the viewer.
@barnarus2547
Ай бұрын
You beat me to the comment. Ridiculous mish mash...maybe the creator doesn't know the difference....
The Bearcat never saw combat service with the US Navy, but the F4U Corsair, a WW2 warrior, saw its combat duty extended into the Korean War. That should tell you all you need to know about the Bearcat.
@mudguy1503
15 күн бұрын
The reason it didn't see service in Korea is due to the fact that it was built as a point defense fighter, not a long range plane like the Corsair. If the US hadn't dropped the atomic bombs and had to invade Japan, the Bearcats would have been fleet defense fighters to counter the kamikaze menace because it was fast, had a hell of a good climb rate and was very maneuverable. It could also be flown off of the escort carriers that couldn't handle the Corsair or Hellcat safely. By the time of Korea, fleet defense was handled by Banshees. My uncle flew Banshees off of Korea as CAP. He did tell me the Bearcat was the most fun prop plane he ever flew though.
@syramento
15 күн бұрын
@@mudguy1503Good info - thanks.
End of an era for piston engine aircraft Proper aircraft !
Interestingly though, the Bearcat held the 'time to climb' record until the F16 broke it, that alone is quite telling of the machine's ablities.
@HDSME
27 күн бұрын
It was a nasty bird but came to late
@jackpoage5419
16 күн бұрын
A highly modified Bearcat performed that climb.
@DelDredd
4 күн бұрын
I imagine the English Electric Lightning did it before the F16.
@HDSME
4 күн бұрын
@DelDredd let me guess your from uk lol
@DelDredd
3 күн бұрын
@@HDSME So?, I just looked up the Time to Climb, if it came from the Wikipedia page the figures do not make sense anyway, as the F8F-1 that supposedly did it had a lower power engine than the F8F-2 which could only manage 4,464 Ft/Min so no way could it get to 10,000 feet in 94 seconds with a Take off Run, probably Wikipedia errors. The Lightning Could climb over 4 times as fast in any case and came out before the F16.
The caption had me intrigued, so I watched it until the end .There is no. mention of combat with jets. I'll add this to the list of BS channels on KZread .
Gets a downvote for the clickbait title. Didn't bother watching the video after reading the comments.
@Ponchoman07
Ай бұрын
Well, it was interesting to learn about the Bearcat, but yes, sadly turned out to be just a clickbait title. Not giving it a thumbs up due to that.
@1982nsu
Ай бұрын
@@Ponchoman07 This video deserves a "thumbs up" but the click bait title compels me to give it a "THUMBS DOWN". I watch to the end expecting that a Bearcat of another air force shot down a jet post WW2.
Ensign eliminator is what my pre war naval aviator father called it. If it used full throttle when taking off torque would want to flip the plan. The -2 version had a taller tail to tame the slow speed roll near the ground on takeoff. That said he was a LCdr with two completed tours when he first flew it.
@shawntailor5485
Ай бұрын
I had heard it called that , what could it do with a modern engine ?
Lots of skyraider footage
Love this in a funny way the vid is about the Bearcat but I keep seeing the A-1 Skyraider ....LOL
@patriot692
12 күн бұрын
Agreed. I know I saw some Skyraiders. In some shots, in motion the Bearcats look quite alot like Skyraiders. 🙏🇺🇸
Video doesn't touch what the title promises: channel goes on my 'do not recommend' list.
This is the fighter we needed in 1942- a 450mph Wildcat. Extremely fast at medium altitudes, out-climb anything and out-run most anything, and you can fit a lot of them on a carrier. The 'jet' reference should indicate that the F8F was used for comparison with early jets because of it's climb performance. 'Modern jet' wasn't even a term back then.
@Anderson88ProductReviews-ei1mj
10 күн бұрын
Ukraine needs these.
It never demolished a jet.
@RJHINKL64
Ай бұрын
The Bearcat was able to out climb all early jets until turbine technology advanced. It clearly demolished jets in this category.
@carlcushmanhybels8159
Ай бұрын
@@RJHINKL64 They should have mentioned this,
@eugeneoreilly9356
Ай бұрын
@@RJHINKL64 it never out climbed any operational WW2 jet.
@HDSME
27 күн бұрын
No but I believe it cloud
@maddhatter3564
24 күн бұрын
@@RJHINKL64 different definition of demolish, the text said it was a "jet killer" which it wasnt.
he irony of showing footage of skyraiders repeatedly combined with the click bait title title is that the skyraider DID demolish a pair of mig 17s in air to air combat during the Vietnam war
Bearcats had shorter range and were retired in 1947, but the Corsair continued on in development and production, like the Mustang, into the early 50's. Both served in Korea and the last actve Corsair squadron was taken out of service in 1962(?)
The F-8F did not see combat in WW2, so what "modern jets" were "demolished"? You oversold a great airplane. Most people that watched this already have interest, your headline is written for those that don't have a clue.
I need to find my high school history teacher and scold him for lying to me. Fighter squadron 19 was activated in late May 1945, but only days later the US opted to use atomic bombs to bring WWII to an end. My history teacher told me that was in early August of 1945.
@carlcushmanhybels8159
Ай бұрын
Well said, I caught that one too.
The F8F-2 was slower than it's contemporary the F4U-5 and the Corsair had a better climb rate. The Bearcat could out turn the -5 but US Navy fighter pilots learned how to deal with the more maneuverable Zero.
I love the sea fury!😂
@joelmclamore1898
Ай бұрын
It has a mighty roar!
@jean-mariejm7404
Ай бұрын
Me too. Seen it at Duxford ++++
Nice clip
At 57 sec, you are showing an A1 Skyraider taking while talking about the Bearcat. You don’t know the difference?
Ok feature on the plane. However, the text to speech numbers need to improve.
There is 2 things wrong that title
I'm sure there is not a lot of F8F video footage, but using F6F and Douglas Sky Raider video footage is misleading!
In 1968 my father's employer took me for a ride in his Bearcat. They did aerial photography. Later, he crashed the plane and died.
I didn't see a demolished jet. But good information about the F8F though.
Why so many images of AD-1 Skyraiders [Douglas] while talking about F-8F Bearcats [Grumman]? This video is clickbait w 1/2 truths.
Why the Skyraider footage mixed in with the Bearcat?
I Love to watch ANYTHING about the SENSATIONAL F-8F Bearcat.
4400fpm climb rate with the ability to reach 10.000 in 90 seconds, im confused..
@billfarley9167
21 күн бұрын
So is the author.
Cool!
I missed the part about it "demolishing" jets.
Great airplane. Cheapened by misleading title, and way too many clips of Skyraiders.
Looks a lot like the A1 Skyraider
I would have given this a thumbs up if the title hadn't been false. I hate being lied to. On the plus side it led me to learn that KZread has added "misleading" to the categories which videos can be reported for, and I do like learning new things.
Pinnacles of piston-prop design: F8 Bearcat and A1 Skyraider. An everlasting credit to their designers.
Was P-51 Mustang 🐎 That Shot Up a Early ME-262 German Jet.
@paulgreen6980
Ай бұрын
no it was Canadian Spitfires
Terrific fighter.... when/against who??
What are those things at 5:02 ? They look like Martin AM-1 Maulers.
Too many technical errors in the video, sorry.
While I think there’s a lot of whingers in the comments section, they are making some pretty valid points 😂
Designed specifically as a fleet defence fighter / interceptor . It was a one trick Pony . Short range, no ability to carry munitions , primarily a Kamikaze destroyer. Had the war progressed to invasion of the Japanese home islands I believe it would have been able to prove itself to be the right plane for that mission .
The postal service LLV is made by Grumman.tough little vehicle.drove it for 12 yrs
Sweet!
Please give suggestions for shows of F-8 Sabre & F9F Pather Jets and the combat missions of famous iconic figures that flew them. Of the likes of Adrin "Buzz" Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, John Glenn alsoTed Williams.
Hate to tell you this AD-1s are not F8Fs.
Thank You :)
If you want see one up close, and have time, go to the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA. They restored one a couple of years ago.
Misleading title. Needs regulation.
Got to notice let's check it out.
They have gotten better with robotic narration, but it still has a way to go to become indistinguishable from real human speech.
Bearcat had very short range, so, even if jets had not been coming on-line, it would never have replaced all the Corsairs (or Hellcats) I've always thought Grumman missed the opportunity... to stuff a PW R-2800 in a WILDCAT, stretch the tail and lengthen the wings put bigger fuel tanks and bigger landing gear on it, then put the whole thing in a wind-tunnel to optimize top speed. Grumman did put a more powerful motor in the FM-2 "Wilder" Wildcat, but that wasn't an PW R-2800!
@billdang3953
25 күн бұрын
Wonder if there was any thought on using the P & W Wasp major engine ?
The title is a lie and cannot be defended or expained. And some of the film is Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack / bombers. But the Bearcat was no match for, say, a MiG-15. Interestingly, the UK Sea Fury had one MiG-15 kill, but one has to consider pilot quality. The ability to engage, disengage, and avoid combat entirely were all in the MiG's favor. The MIG pilot must have been inexperienced and over-committed., or remarkably unlucky. That said, an A-1 Skyraider, ground attack-bomber, got one MiG in Vietnam, so maybe its not just the hardware...
@billdang3953
25 күн бұрын
I have heard that a Corsair bagged a MiG in Korea as well.
Fun fact: I was really surprised to learn the other day that some of the radial engines used to power American WWII fighter planes also found their place on commercial DC--6's and Constellations.
"Two zero zero horsepower"...really? Your channel and narration blow.
The Bearcat never seen combat!!!
It beat contemporary jets, NOT "modern" jets.
He'll cat killed the most aircraft and was slightly behind the Bearcats in performance
Rare Bear a Reno Air Race fave for decades.
Not sure it would have really stacked up against the Hawker Sea Fury
Bad title. It did NOT demolish "modern" jets, only some of the EARLY jets.
Where on Long Island were the Cats made?
I would be happy to own a Grumman canoe.
@UguysRnuts
Ай бұрын
I have a very pretty Grumman sailing and rowing skiff with a Torqeedo electric motor.
"Demolished Modern Jets?" Talk about a CLICKBAIT and phony title!!!
What aircraft company built the A1 Sky raider
@tomnalley3644
18 күн бұрын
Douglas Aircraft Corporation
More dross on the interweb.
(07:53) Those aren't Bearcats.
I'm sitting here and thinking about Trojan T-28. That plane would give most of the jets a run for the money.
Yes , the bearcat but you strayed quickly
The F6F Hellcat had a 19 to 1 Kill Ratio IN WAR TIME AIR COMBAT encounters ...... it was not outclassed by ANYTHING THEN* regardless of weight. Secondly THE FIRST WW2 JET ( ME 262 ) was shot down by a BLACK PILOT in a P-51 Mustang !
If the war had continued into the fall of 1945, I think the Bearcat would have been most useful on the Independence-class light carriers replacing the Hellcats and the escort carriers replacing the FM-2 Wildcats. Leave the F6F and F4Us on the Essex-class for strike escort.
If I remember right, Rare Bear hit 6000 HP on fuel injected alcohol. I got to talk to one of the men who built up that powerpoint.
It was a highly modified Bearcat that climbed to 9,800 feet in 91.9 seconds.
It was the Sea Fury that downed the Mig15. It was faster than the Bearcat.
Who built he a1 sky raider
F8F was 700 kg lighter than F4U with an engine of the same power, and nearly one ton lighter than Sea Fury with an engine of the same power as the R3350. There is a record of the prototype taking off at 35 meters. Air combat performance is determined by speed, climbing ability, and appropriate wing area.
If it demolished modern jets ..... how come it's not around now ? , drop the click bait it's childish
Why doesn't anyone do a video on the F7F Tigercat?
@paulbantick8266
Ай бұрын
Yeah! With the DH Hornet to compare it with...
WHy footage of Sky Raiders at one point?
This video deserves a "thumbs up" but the click bait title compels me to give it a "THUMBS DOWN".
7:52 Not Bearcats
If only this fighter had been available for frontline service by mid 1944….
No Click Bait, please, if you want me to watch any more of your videos
click bait title, lots of mistakes, DOWN VOTE.
Fantastic research and footage on a classic.
Far too long a video caused by repeating the same quotes over and over again.
Click Bait Title. Great plane, didn't need the lies to get people to read it. Pull this video or fix it. Thumbs down.
I wish you'd SCRAP the Bot & narrate by a person who can talk well. It was quite a while before a Jet could beat it from tarmac to 10,000 ft. 91 sec.
Jeder kolbengetriebene Jäger war der Me 262 hauchhos unterlegen!!!
Phony title. Bad dog.
Clickbait
should have used this in Korea and Veitnam