GRUMMAN F8F-2 BEARCAT NAVY FIGHTER N7825C
52The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engine carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the air forces of other nations. It was Grumman Aircraft's last piston engined fighter aircraft.
The Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force acquired the “Bearcat” in 1991 when Lefty Gardner flew the airplane from Chino, California to the Camarillo Airport after the airplane had been sitting idle for about eight years. The Wing’s maintenance crew did a complete restoration of this airplane, making it one of the most prestigious airplanes of its kind. All the fluid lines, electrical wiring, and instruments were replaced, and the airplane was given a new blue paint job. After eighteen months of continuous restoration work, the airplane made its first flight in 1993, again with Lefty Gardner at the controls doing the test flight. This beautifully restored “Bearcat” is the hit of the many air shows that it attends.
Bearcat Crew: Gary Barber, Jason Somes, Shari Heitkotter