# blue angels aircraft (Bearcat)



## sunny91 (Apr 30, 2005)

hi: i have founded this aircraft for the eye pleasure.
excuse my poor english, i am french..

bye,

sunny91


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## cheddar cheese (Apr 30, 2005)

Great pics! 8) Dont worry about the English, its fine. You speak English better than I speak French!


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Apr 30, 2005)

hey very unusual pics, i never new the blue angels used them.........


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 30, 2005)

Pretty cool.


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## evangilder (Apr 30, 2005)

The second Blue Angels plane, the first was the Hellcat. I didn't know anyone had created a restored version. Very nice! I have an old rare black and white shot of the Hellcat Blue Angels somewhere.


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## BlackWolf3945 (May 1, 2005)

Those shots are from an airshow in Galveston last weekend (23-24 April 05).

Here's a shot of an original Blues Bearcat...





Blue Angels/USN Photo


And here's 'Beetle Bomb'...





Image source/credit: unknown web


Fade to Black...


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 1, 2005)

beetle bomb??


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## evangilder (May 1, 2005)

Very nice! 8)


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## cheddar cheese (May 1, 2005)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> beetle bomb??



My guess as to the name of the plane.


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## Nonskimmer (May 1, 2005)

Interesting colour scheme. I think the painters got the directions screwed up.


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## cheddar cheese (May 1, 2005)

I think it looks pretty cool! 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 1, 2005)

no but i thought there might be some reason for the name.........


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## evangilder (May 1, 2005)

There is an old Spike Jones song called "Beetle Bomb" about a horse race. I wonder if it is somehow related. That's real similar to the color scheme they used on the SNJ. Maybe a training aircraft of some sort?


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 1, 2005)

possibly the flight's continuation/conversion trainer??


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## BlackWolf3945 (May 1, 2005)

When the Blues used the Bearcat as their main display bird they had an
SNJ which was painted up to look like a Zero, hence the number '0' on 
the tail. 'Twas yellow overall and had the red meatballs...







The SNJ was used as part of a dogfight routine. At the end of the routine
the 'Zero' would trail smoke, a dummy pilot with parachute was thrown
outta the rear cockpit and the plane would probably disappear behind 
some trees or some such. Just like Hollywood...

Anyhoo, at some point a yellow Bearcat replaced the SNJ. The meatballs
were gone, replaced by the 'US Navy' in blue and the dummy pilot was
carried under the belly of the plane in a pod.

I dunno the origin of the name 'Beetle Bomb' but the Spike Jones tune 
providing inspiration is probable.

When the team switched to jets I believe they kept this routine for a while
but eventually dropped it. Perhaps they discontinued it after the team was
reformed following the Korean War... I really dunno. 

The Bearcat was the team narrator's mount and its use continued after 
the dogfight routine was dropped, eventually being replaced by a TV 
Sea Star.


Fade to Black...


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## evangilder (May 1, 2005)

Wow, a piece of Blue Angels history! That's pretty interesting. Could you imagine trying to throw a dummy from a Hornet now?!


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## R Leonard (May 1, 2005)

Here’s another F8F-1, bureau number 94880, assigned to NATC in 1946. This particular airplane set a climb to time record, from a standing stop to 10000 feet, of 100 seconds at the Cleveland Air Races on November 22, 1946. Here’s a funny little triva question: How long did that record stand?






Rich


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## plan_D (May 1, 2005)

A day 'cos it beat it's own record the next day.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 2, 2005)

really??

because i was gonna say until the lightening beat it.......


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## Smokey (May 2, 2005)

http://www.orgsites.com/ca/cafsocalphoto/_pgg4.php3

The Bearcat holds the piston-powered world record for it's time to climb. That record is 91 seconds from brake release at sea level to 10,000 feet. It is said to have held this record for almost three decades until finally beaten by the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/memories.html

Considering the age difference, the Lightning's performance was totally outstanding when introduced into service, and when it finally bowed out, it could still out-climb most of its successors. Its initial rate of climb was 50,000 ft per minute. The Mirage IIIE climbed initially at 30,000 ft per minute; the Phantom F-4M managed 32,000 ft per minute; the MiG-21 could only manage 36,090 ft per minute; the F-16A's initial rate was 40,000 ft per minute, and the Tornado F.3's 43,000 ft per minute. So the Lightning reigned supreme. Only later was it surpassed; the F-15 Eagle, and the MiG-25 both have initial climb rates as good or better. The Lightning's time to FL 360 in re-heat was 2.5 minutes, in this respect the Eagle produced a similar figure, though this could vary depending upon its configuration.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 2, 2005)

hang on the EE lightening beat it didn't it??


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## plan_D (May 2, 2005)

If the Lightning reigned supreme in climb rate [as we all know] then how would it not beat the Bearcat? The Lightning can out-climb a F-16.


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## mosquitoman (May 2, 2005)

The only thing that can outclimb a Lightening is a NASA rocket


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## cheddar cheese (May 2, 2005)

Or GI's scaling the cliffs at Pointe-du-Hoc...


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## plan_D (May 2, 2005)

Even the NASA rockets have trouble. When a Lightning gets off the runway vertically, it's rocket vs. rocket.


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## Smokey (May 2, 2005)

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/memories.html

Considering the age difference, the Lightning's performance was totally outstanding when introduced into service, and when it finally bowed out, it could still out-climb most of its successors. Its initial rate of climb was 50,000 ft per minute. The Mirage IIIE climbed initially at 30,000 ft per minute; the Phantom F-4M managed 32,000 ft per minute; the MiG-21 could only manage 36,090 ft per minute; the F-16A's initial rate was 40,000 ft per minute, and the Tornado F.3's 43,000 ft per minute. So the Lightning reigned supreme. Only later was it surpassed; the F-15 Eagle, and the MiG-25 both have initial climb rates as good or better. The Lightning's time to FL 360 in re-heat was 2.5 minutes, in this respect the Eagle produced a similar figure, though this could vary depending upon its configuration.


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## plan_D (May 2, 2005)

You have actually already said that but that contradicts the previous statement that the F-16 broke the record. How would it, if the Lightning can climb faster?


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## Smokey (May 2, 2005)

I was just giving 2 different souces. I think the bit about the F16 is just a myth, and I was wondering if R Leonard was going to give that as the answer to his trivia question.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 2, 2005)

either way i'd rather be in a lightening than anything else trying to intercept a flight of russian bombers heading our way with a big fat nuke adressed "To whomever it may concern"..........


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## plan_D (May 2, 2005)

I've heard a few people, normally Americans, state that the F-16 broke the Bearcat's record. I find it hard to believe that the EE Lightning would fail to break it when it can climb faster than most modern fighters.


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## BlackWolf3945 (May 2, 2005)

Getting back to the actual topic of this thread...

Here's a couple more shots of 'Beetle Bomb'...






Image source/credit: *Wings of Fame Volume 8*





Image source/credit: *Wings of Fame Volume 8*

A bit more info on 'Beetle Bomb'... it served not only as the 'enemy' in the
dogfight routine but was also the solo ship, demonstrating the full capabilities
of the Bearcat. It was lost in a crash in 1950 and replaced by another Bearcat
painted in the regular scheme.


Fade to Black...


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 2, 2005)

my god that's one small rudder for such an aircraft........


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## evangilder (May 2, 2005)

It was small on the F8F-1. It's larger on the F8F-3 though.


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## R Leonard (May 2, 2005)

And back to Bearcats climb to time



> How long did that record stand?
> 
> 
> 
> > A day 'cos it beat it's own record the next day.



No, but a good guess. Actually, this record only stood for about 30 minutes, until Butch Davenport took off in another NATC F8F, using up about 115 feet of runway, and roared off to 10000 feet all in 97.8 seconds. Davenport’s take off run was 30 feet shorter than the earlier attempt, taking advantage of a increase in headwind of about 15 knots that has come up in the meantime.

Some sources, including official USN, state that these events took place on November 20, 1946, but no, both attempts were on the 22nd. I’ve the log books of the pilot of first F8F. 

Here's the pilot of the first, 100 second, F8F, standing in front of his plane:






And here's a group of pilots at NATC:






Left to Right: Bill Martin, Director TacTest; Jim Davidson, first USN aviator to land and take off a jet from a carrier; Pete Bolt, test pilot; Bill Leonard, Assistant Director/test pilot; Butch Davenport, test pilot. Planes in background are, left, Ryan FR-1 and, right, F8F-1. I believe the F8F is Leonard’s not Davenport’s as in the first picture from a couple of days ago you can see the tail of the FR-1 in the background. Photo series was taken before going off to Cleveland. Davidson and Bolt went along as extra pilots. 

Rich


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## mosquitoman (May 2, 2005)

What's an FR-1?


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## R Leonard (May 2, 2005)

Ryan FR-1 - Late war design single seat fighter. Had a Wright R-1820-72W up front and a GE J31 turbojet in the rear. Max speed 404 at 17800 feet; cruise at 152. Service ceiling 43100. Range 1620 miles. Armament 4 .50 cal MG. 66 delivered between Jan and Nov 45. Initially assigned to VF-66, then with VF-1E after VF-66 was disestablished. Saw limited sea service, mostly in trials status. Withdrawn from fleet duty after 30 Jun 47.

Rich


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## plan_D (May 2, 2005)

Obviously, I had no idea about that. Cheers, mate.


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## mosquitoman (May 3, 2005)

Thanks Rich


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## evangilder (May 3, 2005)

Almost looked like a T-28 from the shot.


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## cheddar cheese (May 3, 2005)

I like the FR-1 8)


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