Originally posted by F4UDOA:
Widewing,
In you story posted on the F8F Bearcat on your Web page here
http://home.att.net/~C.C.Jordan/Grumman.html
You mention some test done with the Bearcat against the Spit V and the Zero as well as some sustained turnrate numbers in contrast to the F6F. Do you have these reports handy? Could you post them or email them to me. It the kind of thing that should be available to all if they still exist. I'm curious about the low speed performance of the F8F. It has a great reputaion with very little actual data surrounding it.
Thanks
F4UDOA
In 1943, the RAF tested a FAA Hellcat I against the Spitfire Mk Vb, and the Bf 109F.
Somewhere buried in my files is a summary of that test. I will see if I can find it and I'll post it here. I recall that the Hellcat was able to hang with the Spitfire in sustained turn rate, and easily turned inside the Messerschmitt. In climb, the Hellcat was better than the Spitfire once they got into medium altitudes. It was also a match for the 109, but only over a limited altitude range (I don't recall the specifics). Speeds were virtually a dead heat between the Hellcat and 109 at medium altitudes, with the Spitfire being only slightly slower. I recall that the 109 held a slight edge a high altitudes.
The Bearcat was extensively tested by the Navy and proved to be extremely agile, being capable of beating up on a captured Zeke 52 until speeds bled below 160 mph. I wrote to the Grumman History Unit asking for specific
flight test data, and received a phone call in return. I discussed the F8Fs performance with a volunteer (an older gentleman) who quoted from a test document he had on hand.
I will be prowling the Cradle of Aviation Museum's library and archives in early March. I will add your questions to my list of things to search for. I have some other sources for Grumman and Navy test documents and I'll make a note to ask for copies of anything deemed useful.
My regards,
Widewing
