Academy 1/48 F8F-1/2 Bearcat French Air Force (12201)

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Academy 1/48 F8F-1/2 Bearcat French Air Force (12201)

Fully engraved panel lines & rivet details. Highly detailed cockpit interior & landing gear bay and authentic decal markings included.

The Grumman F-8F Bearcat, developed towards the end of World War II, was one of the
most successful piston-engined aircraft to serve with the U.S. Navy. It was the last in
the line of single-seat, single-engined fighters originating from the F-4F Wildcat.
The F-8F Bearcat was designed to serve primarily as an interceptor fighter; to protect
aircraft carriers from attack. It was smaller than the U.S. Navy? F-6F Hellcat which made
it ideal for aircraft carrier operations. It had excellent maneuverability, good low-level
performance and high rate of climb required of a carrier-based interceptor.
Being twenty percent lighter than the Hellcat, the Bearcat had a thirty percent greater
rate of climb than its predecessor. When the XF-8F-1 prototype was flown for the first time, it was immediately recognized that Grumman more than achieved the specification

requirements and crowned this achievement by starting delivery of production aircraft
in February 1945, only a few short months after the first flight of the prototype. The first
aircraft was delivered to U.S. Navy Squadron VF-10 in May 1945. This squadron, as
well as other recipients, was still in the process of familiarization with their new fighters
when VJ-Day put an end to World War II. Production of the Bearcats ended in May 1949.
By this time they were serving with twenty-four U.S. Navy squadrons but by late 1952, all
had been withdrawn. The French Armee de I?ir and the Royal Thai Air Force were

supplied ex-U.S. Navy Bearcats, playing a significant role in the conflict in Indo-China.

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