Grumman F-8F-1 „Bearcat“ - the American deck fighter

The Grumman F-8F “Bearcat” (American, World War II deck fighter), developed by Grumman from 1943 to 1944 for the U.S. Navy as a light aircraft fighter, operating at low and medium altitudes. It had to replace the aging F-6F “Hellcat”, which was also designed by Grumman. Serial production of “Bearcats” continued from the beginning of 1945 to the beginning of 1948, producing 1,014 aircraft. Fighters of this type began supplying for fight units in May 1945, but did not take part in the battles of World War II. The F-8F was one of the main deck fighters of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps deck fighters in the first postwar years, but in the late 1940s, when the jet fighters began to appear, the F-8F was removed from the combat sub-lists and completely abandoned in 1955. “Bearcat” has not been involved in any armed conflict. With their removal from U.S. armament, these types of fighters began supplying the French AF, that used them in the Indochina War. Also sold to the Thai AF, a small number of this type fighters was taken over by the South Vietnamese AF, where they were used until the early 1960s.

A moderately sophisticated model, that requires meticulousness and care for any experience modeler. Only inexperienced and beginners are advised to work under the supervision of a more experienced colleague and not to make the engine, cab details, chassis intake, cab cover opaque.