Pb, I remember that story and also remember that a number of sources discounted that story as being false. In your haste you may not have thoroughly read what I posted from Linnekin's book. He never said and I never said that Bearcats ever bested any Spitfires. All he said was they had an eight on eight and it was a wonder someone did not get killed. I expect he meant that in the melee it was a wonder no one had a collision. As far as the USN pilot and his claim about making a run before the Spit could get off the ground, that was just big talk and was never proven. As far as the Vampires are concerned, they came in low and level and the Bearcats, in a dive and with an angle were able to close but as soon as the Vampires began to pitch up, it was good bye Vampires. So what! I feel sure that Richard Linnekin's book "80 knots to Mach Two" is available used a or maybe even in your library. If you want to learn about what a graduate from Canoe U, a veteran pilot witha an aeronautical engineering degree and a former test pilot as well as a veteran of the Korean War has to say about the period of time when recips disappeared and jets came aboard, it is a great read. He tells what it was like to fly the N2S, SNJ, Hellcat, Bearcat, Corsair, Panther, Cougar, Skyraider, Crusader, Banshee, Skynight, Skyhawk, Phantom and a number of general aviation light planes. He even mentions Bill Leonard and his strength. His son is I believe on this forum. The Bearcat could from a standing start, on the runway, go to 10000 feet in around 1.5 minutes and the F8F1 was an honest 440-450 mph airplane at low altitudes, according to Linnekin.
