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Vertigo Studios F8F Bearcat

The F7-F Tigercat doesn't get of a mention in the US Naval history. It could only do one thing. That was to go in a straight line pretty fast. It was too heavy for the carriers of the day, it's tail hook design was marginal and it could not land on a Carrier worth a damn with one engine out. So they consigned them to the US Marines and let them figure it out. So little, was the F7-F was thought of by the Navy, that they only produced 297 of all variants.
However the Bearcat F8-F was so well thought of that they produced 1266 of them. It was called the zenith of piston engined fighters. It could do everything well as well as being compact, an important feature on a crowded Carrier deck. I liked the airplane a lot. I only wished it had come out a year earlier.
 
F7F:

Working on that one right now with Milton Shupe and associates. Mostly a FS9 project. The Navy's chief test pilot was quited as saying the F7F was the best damn fighter he had ever flown, despite some aerodynamic shortcomings. Not going to get int a my cat's better than your cat discussion. An interesting couple of planes by Grumman, covering most of the piston fighter bases....

According to Corky Meyers the genisis of the F8F was when LeRoy Grumman ( a very competent pilot in his own right) flew a captured FW 190 in England. His comment... this is the plane we should have built!

Cheers: T
 
You know Helldiver, I for one really appreciate your posts. Not many can speak right from the seat so to speak as you can as it's all based on experience and not just some info learned by reading and simply repeated. I served in the very early 70's and only managed to see a few older military props. I can only imagine what it was like to see many of these aircraft in their "hey days" and be able to see for real versus what I can only see, and experience, sort of, but only as a simulation hobby and an occassional airshow.

Anyway thank you kindly sir for sharing what many of us can only read about, if we're lucky!
 
The bearcat truly was one of the top piston fighters, along with the "H" model mustang and the last marks of the spitfire. Im so glad that someone is going to make a quailty model at last, and lets also hope for a AM6 Zero, that would be a fun flyer too. Now the wait begins..
 
FW-190 Bearcat
Speed 426 453
Ceiling 41,600 40,800
Rate of climb 3300FPM 6300FPM

\I guess Corky got his dream.
 
The bearcat truly was one of the top piston fighters, along with the "H" model mustang and the last marks of the spitfire. Im so glad that someone is going to make a quailty model at last, and lets also hope for a AM6 Zero, that would be a fun flyer too. Now the wait begins..

The Sea Fury always epitomised the pinnacle of piston engined aircraft for me, along with the Bearcat.
 
Hear Hear Chris H.

Whilst I have a big love for the Bearcat and the Tigercat the Sea Fury, however, really puts the zap on both of them.
 
With the newly released Fury, is it worth trying to pull in additional sales from another model :-S
 
A bit off topic, but in answer to you last question;

The recently released Fury is a race version. I think there are people which did not purchase this version because of this reason, who will purchase a full military version. However I have some doubts whether this number is really big enough to justify the efforts to develop a new Sea Fury model.

But I have these doubts about most warbird models. I am a regular visitor of the Dutch Flightsim Weekend. It always amazes me to see the small amount of people involved in virtual military aviation during this weekend. And when I deduct the modern warbirds lovers from this already small amount, there are only a six or seven left. (Which are of course all member here.....)

So when you want to go for sales (which I of course do not promote), I assume general aviation is a much bigger market.

With the newly released Fury, is it worth trying to pull in additional sales from another model :-S

About the Bearcat: Nice choice and the model looks promising!

Cheers,
Huub
 
The Bearcat is looking very promising indeed! The one thing I would suggest, is to keep the canopy design and the surrounding area a focus to ensure it is accurate, as it is such a focal point sitting atop the fuselage. I look forward to seeing how this area further develops, with the addition of the remaining windscreen framing to be done (with the forward armor-glass being very flat). I really like the cowling/engine/prop and landing gear work!
 
To have a proper Sea Fury in FSX would be WONDERFUL

having seen a Sea Fury and a Bearcat fly together at Duxford in the entertaing way that aircraft are flown at the flying legends airshow, there could be no better pair to have in sim.

These monstriously powerful aircraft deserve such attention that a quality model house can bring to the simulation.

Please make this happen
 
I think we would all be very appreciative of what ever we are offered be it Bearcat, Tigercat or Sea Fury.

Personally I would love to see all three! But then I am greedy.

Having looked at screenshots of the "Race" Fury and videos of it I am not that keen tbo, it looks some what toyish.
 
With the newly released Fury, is it worth trying to pull in additional sales from another model :-S

The way you guys do them.....
"Hell Yes!"...............................................................
I would be on board for it!
Along with the Bearcat life would be good.


Jeff
 
We are looking into the Canopy and also the arrest hook.

For the Airshow guys around we will be offering you a clean version, without the bomb racks and wing guns, so yes '2' versions will be in the final release.

However, the rarebear version wont be included for obvious reasons.

For the Racing / Airshow fans, please post your desired paintschemes, 2 of which will be included on release.
 
We are looking into the Canopy and also the arrest hook.

For the Airshow guys around we will be offering you a clean version, without the bomb racks and wing guns, so yes '2' versions will be in the final release.

However, the rarebear version wont be included for obvious reasons.

For the Racing / Airshow fans, please post your desired paintschemes, 2 of which will be included on release.

Sounds great, Dean! While I can't speak for the SOH community as a whole, I am sure TFC's Bearcat would be a good one to go with, for the U.K.-Bearcat fans: http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=G-RUMM&distinct_entry=true

There's plenty of U.S.-based examples to pick from: http://warbirddepot.com/images/calendar/fighter1_1280ma.jpg

Some great photo sources:
http://warbirddepot.com/aircraft_fighters_f8f2-cafsc.asp
http://warbirddepot.com/aircraft_fighters_f8f2-lewis.asp
http://warbirddepot.com/aircraft_fighters_f8f1-lewis.asp
http://warbirddepot.com/aircraft_fighters_f8f2-t-lewis.asp - (My personal favorite)
http://warbirddepot.com/aircraft_fighters_f8f-pardue.asp

There is also this Thailand-based flying example (very nice!) : http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=KH15-81/95&distinct_entry=true

Besides those shown here, other flyers include two owned by the Friedkin-family, one owned by the Tom Wood estate (factory-fresh), one owned by the Historic Flight Foundation, and one owned by the Lone Star Flight Museum (Blue Angels).
 
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