Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat - Taking Bearcat to the Next Level

[Nostalgistic]

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Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat

   Hell everybody. I’d like to suggest the Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat for US aviation in War Thunder. It was an improved variant developed after the F8F-1 series and was produced in fewer quantities in 1948 before being withdrawn from service in 1956.

Key Characteristics

• High-altitude naval fighter
• Revised cowling engine
• A taller vertical fin to counteract the torque
• R-2800-30W radial engine designed for continuous efficiency at middle to high altitudes

History

Since the first variant Bearcat of the F8F-1 with the R-2800-34W was in the service, the US Navy originally wanted the F8F Bearcats to be fitted with Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W. However, Pratt and Whitney faced production issues with the development of the -30W, which had delayed incorporating it into the production of Bearcats several times. Hence, they had to fit the -34W in the first version of Bearcat on the production line.

With two -30W engines in development accepted and later delivered, Grumman converted one production F8F-1 and one F8F-1B to the XF8F-2 prototypes and fitted them with the -30W engines. The main key feature of the -30W engine was the Automatic Engine Control, which connected the throttle and variable speed supercharger in one control, and it was approximately the same size and dimensions as the -34W engine.

The first flight of XF8F-2 was conducted on June 11, 1947, by Grumman test pilot Carl Alber. The -30W engine yielded more torque, and it was necessary to increase the height of the vertical tail by 12 inches to counteract the torque. The National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics proposed a 16-inch increase, but it required a complete redesign of the vertical tail. This alternative recommendation was rejected, and the 12-inch increase was chosen instead.

Before the last F8F-1 was produced and delivered in August 1947, the Navy awarded Grumman the contract to produce a total of 365 F8F-2s. The F8F-2 was designed with a taller vertical tail and featured a revised engine cowling and a reinforced canopy with an additional frame installed near the rear of the canopy. In return, the overall weight was increased. It received a clearance to have provisions to carry the same external stores as the late production F8F-1s.

With the -30W engine finally becoming available in quantity, the production and deliveries of the F8F-2 for the US Navy began in November 1947 and ended in April 1949.

During 1948-1949, some USN squadrons began transitioning their F8F-1 to the F8F-2 units. Under new squadron designation system, VF-34 “Blue Blasters,” VF-71 “Jolly Rogers,” VF-62, VF-63, VF-72, VF-73, VF-74, VF-91, VF-92, VF-93, VF-113, VF-122, VF-133, VF-152, VF-153/VF-193, VF-173, VF-191, VF-192, VF-193, VF-711, VF-712, VF-713, VF-718 and VMF-236 were the among known Fighter Squadrons to equip the -2 Bearcats. The VF-62 received the F8F-2s in 1948; however, the VF-62 replaced the F8F-2s with the F8F-1Bs in the early 1950s (I found no factual reason for this occurrence).

These squadrons were aboard the fleet aircraft carriers, where they performed flight and landing exercises. At the dawn of the jet age, the F8F Bearcats in service were severely limited and did not participate in the Korean War. These squadrons replaced the Bearcats with F4U Corsairs and jet fighters.

The Bearcats returned to the US and replaced the F6F-5 Hellcats as the advanced fighter trainers at the Naval Air Stations in the early 1950s. They were later replaced by jet trainers. In addition, the Marine Corps also received a few F8F-2s to equip advanced training units at three Marine Corps Air Stations: Quantico, Virginia; Cherry Point, North Carolina; and El Toro, California.

Some F8F-2 Bearcats remained in some Reserve squadrons, such as VF-671, VF-742, VF-916, and VF-921, until July 1955, when they were effectively replaced with the jet fighters. Ultimately, the last F8F-2s were stricken from the US Navy inventory and transferred to storage facilities in 1956.

In total, 293 F8F-2s were produced, with 12 F8F-2N night fighters and 60 F8F-2P photo-reconnaissance versions.

The F8F-2 can be visually distinguished from the early F8F-1 by the taller fin. Upon close inspection, the -2 has longer barrels of the 20-mm cannons and bumps on the upper surface of the wing. With the redesigned engine cowling, the -2 has three larger exhaust stacks and oil cooler exhaust vents, while the -1 has five exhaust fives and no oil cooler exhaust vents. Inside the cockpit, the -2 has a gyroscopically controlled range-finding Mk 8 Mod 6 gunsight, while the -1 has a fixed Mod 6 gunsight. The -2 canopy has an additional frame behind the headrest, while the -1 does not.

Specifications

Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat

General Characteristics

• Crew: 1 (Pilot)
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 27 ft 8 in (8.43 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
  • Span: 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
  • Wing Area: 244 sq ft (22.67 sq m)
• Propeller:
  • Type: 4-bladed constant-speed propeller
  • Diameter: 14 ft 7 in (4.45 m)
• Powerplant:
  • Type: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W Double Wasp air-cooled radial piston engine
  • Configuration: one-stage, speed-variable supercharger
  • Output: 2,500 hp (2,534.68 ps)
• Fuel/Oil:
  • Internal Fuel: 185 US gal. (700 L)
  • Oil: 17 US gal. (64.35 L)
• Weights:
  • Empty: 7,650 lb (3,470 kg)
  • Basic: 8,390 lb (3,806 kg)
  • Combat: 10,337 lb (4,689 kg)
  • Max. Takeoff: 13,460 lb (6,105 kg)
  • Max. External: 3,600 lb (1,632 kg)

General Performance

• Power-to-Weight: 0.24 hp/lb (0.54 ps/kg)
• Wing Loading: 42.36 lb/sq ft (206.8 kg/sq m)
• Maximum Speed: 446 mph (718 km/h)
• Rate of Climb: 4,465 fpm (22.7 m/s)
• Service Ceiling: 38,200 ft (11,643 m)
• Max. Range: 1,595 miles (2,567 km)

Engine ratings:

• Takeoff:
  • 2,250 BHP @ 2,800 RPM @ S.L.
• Combat:
  • 2,500 BHP @ 2,800 RPM @ S.L.
  • 1,800 BHP @ 2,800 RPM @ 23,250 ft
• Military:
  • 2,250 BHP @ 2,800 RPM @ S.L.
  • 1,600 BHP @ 2,800 RPM @ 22,000 ft
• Normal:
  • 1,720 BHP @ 2,600 RPM @ S.L.
  • 1,450 BHP @ 2,600 RPM @ 22,000 ft

Performance @ Combat Power w/ Combat Loading Condition:

• Airspeeds:
  • Sea Level: 336 knots (387 mph; 622 km/h)
  • Critical Altitude:
    • 375 knots @ 15,000 ft (432 mph; 695 km/h @ 4,572 m)
    • 388 knots @ 28,000 ft (447 mph; 719 km/h @ 8,534 m)
• Climb Performance:
  • Rate of Climb: 4,465 fpm (22.7 m/s) @ S.L.
  • Time to Altitude: 5.5 minutes to 20,000 ft (6,096 m)

Performance @ Normal Power w/ Combat Loading Condition:

• Airspeeds:
  • Sea Level: 293 knots (337 mph; 543 km/h)
  • Critical Altitude:
    • 342 knots @ 15,000 ft (394 mph; 633 km/h @ 4,572 m)
    • 363 knots @ 28,000 ft (418 mph; 672 km/h @ 8,534 m)
• Climb Performance:
  • Rate of Climb: 2,930 fpm (14.9 m/s) @ S.L.
  • Time to Altitude: 7.4 minutes to 20,000 ft (6,096 m)

Stall Speeds:

• Power off: 82.6 knots (95.1 mph; 153 km/h)
• Off + No Fuel: 74.9 knots (86.2 mph; 138.7 km/h)
• Power on: 70.3 knots (80.9 mph; 130.2 km/h

Wing/Power Loadings:

• Clean Loading: 42 lb/sq ft (205.06 kg/sq m)
• Fighter Loading: 46.8 lb/sq ft (228.5 kg/sq m)
• Bomber Loading: 55.2 lb/sq ft (269.5 kg/sq m)
• Escort Loading: 52.6 lb/sq ft (256.8 kg/sq m)

Armament

• Guns:
  • 4 x 20-mm AN/M3 cannons (205 rpg; 820 rounds)
• Bombs:
  • 1 x 1,600-lb bomb on centerline
  • 2 x 1,000-lb bombs on underwings
• Rockets:
  • 3 x Tiny Tim rockets
  • 4 x 5-inch (127-mm) HVAR rockets
• Drop Tank:
  • 1 x Mk.5 150-gal drop tank on centerline
  • 2 x Mk.4 100-gal drop tanks under wings

Supplemental Data

Diagrams

Cockpit

Images

Conclusion | Why it should be in the game

   The F8F-2 was a development of the F8F-1 with a couple more changes and has marginally better performance. It was a significant naval fighter for the US Navy before the Korean War. They were used as intermediate naval fighters and trainers in the late 1940s and early 1950s before the jet fighters at the dawn of the Jet Age.

   Both F8F-1 and F8F-2 had tradeoffs in their respective flight performance. The F8F-2, with a different engine and supercharger gearing, is an improvement in the middle to high altitude operations; the F8F-1 and -1B struggled at high altitudes but performed best at low altitudes with superior speed and climb rate. The F8F-2 is slightly slower and has a mediocre climb rate compared to the -1B at low altitude. However, in the long run, the -2 has a higher sustained power output and has fewer overheating issues than the -1B due to the Automatic Engine Control and redesigned engine cowling. In summary, the F8F-2 is suitable for middle-high altitude operations, whereas the F8F-1B is suitable for low-medium altitude operations. A quotation perfectly describes this contrast: “Perfectly balanced as all things should be.”

   The F8F-2 would be an excellent opportunity to add as the all-rounder Bearcat for the US aviation tree. Therefore, I feel it deserves its place as a high-altitude superprop in War Thunder, and it is a long-overdue addition to the Bearcat family. It can go to the folder with the F8F-1B in the US aviation tech tree.

Sources

• Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat Standard Aircraft Characteristics (1 September 1949)
• AN 01-85FD-1 Pilot’s Handbook for Navy Models F8F-1, -1B, -1N, -2, -2N, -2P Aircraft (1 December 1949)
• Aircraft Number 99: F8F Bearcat in Action (1990)
• Naval Fighters Number Eighty: Grumman F8F Bearcat (2008)
• Grumman F8F Bearcat - Wikipedia

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

[jon_man1199]

A +1 from me, more Bearcats would be nice to see! Also gotta say at this rate, you’ll soon probably have suggested every US Aircraft ever built, haha

[DarkLordMagus]

Sounds like a good idea.

[Nostalgistic]

Updated the formatting for better readability.

[AstralTitan]

+1 for me
but it would be nice to fix the F8F-1

[HVSM7m]

id like the f8f-2

[Ayrek2023]

+1 great idea

Thanos, he is Inevitable

[RWGWAG-live]

+1

[鲁邦三世]

+1，Battle Pass Grand Prize!