south vietnam operated grumman f8f bearcats??

[tom d. friedman]

I received a high profile aviation memorabilia catalog's xmas issue & was cruising through it as usual torturing myself by looking at everything I want but can't afford .... & was baffled to see a 1/72 scale kit of the Grumman f8f bearcat in south Vietnam markings of the 1st fighter squadron south Vietnamese air force for sale!! I've never heard of bearcats operating in Vietnam!! I know some post ww2 aircraft did, skyraider, b-26 invader, among others, but never heard of a bearcat being used in combat. can anyone verify this with pics & combat operations history?? 1st I've heard of this!!

[mike furline]

Most of the first column of survivors are in SEA.
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... istry.html

They were used in the late 50's to early 60's.
http://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=19209.0
http://www.vnafmamn.com/vnaf_aircraft.html
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... 95338.html



Thailand also had some.
They have one recently restored flyer.
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthre ... w-Thailand
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... 94956.html

[Ken]

What Mike said. Bearcats preceded Skyraiders and I don't recall if they were operated concurrently or if it was a pure transition of types.

Ken

[JohnB]

Sure they did (as did Thailand).

[Mark Allen M]

Grumman F8F-1 VNAF Saigon c 1960's


Grumman F8F Bearcat VNAF 1966-68

[tom d. friedman]

were they used in ground attack?? i can't imagine a bearcat duking it out with a north vietnamese russian supplied mig 17 or 19!!

[davidwomacks]

With a very skilled pilot I think a bearcat could hold its own against a mig 17. The bearcat could out turn the mig and the mig 17 didnt have missiles. My dad flew in Vietnam and has told me stories about skyradiers shooting down migs and sky radiers werent designed to be fighters whereas the bearcat was.

[famvburg]

IIRC, in Korea a sea Fury took out a MiG-15. I'd think if a Skyraider could do it, a Bearcat would really have a chance.

[Warbird Kid]

IIRC, in Korea a sea Fury took out a MiG-15. I'd think if a Skyraider could do it, a Bearcat would really have a chance.

And a Corsair!

[John Dupre]

The Bearcats were left behind by the French. Nguyen Cao Ky who was the head of the South Vietnam Air Force had been a Bearcat pilot. Before the Bearcats the French had used Bell P-63s and Supermarine Spitfires.

Navy Skyraiders downed two Mig 17s on separate occasions. I think in one instance it was one on one and in the other two ADs teamed up to get the Mig.