The Best American Fighter of WW2

The Grumman F8F Bearcat pushed single-engine fighter performance to new heights, becoming the fastest piston-engine fighter ever built. Despite its incredible capabilities, it missed its chance to shine in World War II.

Origins

By 1943, Grumman was a dominant player in carrier-based fighter design, with successes like the F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat. Planning ahead, the company sought to create a lightweight, high-performance replacement. Dubbed the G58 internally, the design featured a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine, four .50-caliber machine guns, a bubble canopy, and excellent climb rates. The Navy was impressed, awarding Grumman a contract for two prototypes, designated XF8F.

Design

The Bearcat was compact—shorter than the Hellcat and slightly smaller than the Wildcat. It boasted a 424 mph top speed, a climb rate of 4,800 ft/min, and carried 162 gallons of fuel. First flown in August 1944, the prototype exceeded expectations, though early instability issues needed fixing.

The Navy, impressed by its potential, ordered 2,023 F8F-1s, with General Motors contracted to build an additional 1,876 under the F3M-1 designation.

Cancellation

The Bearcat began arriving in May 1945, with plans for deployment aboard the USS Langley. But by August, Japan had surrendered, and the war ended before the Bearcat could see combat. Out of the initial order, only 700 were completed before production was canceled.

Though its combat career was short, the Bearcat served briefly as a frontline Navy fighter and inspired experimental variants, including night fighters, reconnaissance planes, and even export models for France and Vietnam.

The F8F Bearcat remains a testament to what might have been—the ultimate single-engine piston fighter of WWII that never had its moment in battle.