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Summary: Grumman F8F Bearcat aircraft Airplane blueprint for the Grumman, F8F, Bearcat ... Aviation history and aircraft blueprints/plans. While Grumman's Hellcat was wresting air superiority from the Japanese at high altitudes, its low-level performance was still somewhat behind that of the lighter Japanese types. To fill this gap in Navy fighter ranks, Grumman undertook the design of a scrappy, light-weight fighter that would combine nimble maneuverability with rapid climb characteristics. The Navy expressed its interest in the project by awarding a development contract for two XF8F-1's on November 27, 1943. Their faith in Grumman's engineering capabilities is reflected in the fact that no full-scale mock-up was required-just the engine mounting and a detailed cockpit. Grumman set about their task with such rapidity that the Bearcat was in the air on August 21, 1944-just ten months after the contract was approved.
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