Blue Angels F8F-2 Bearcat For Sale by Platinum Fighter Sales

For sale: Platinum Fighter Sales presents John O’Connor's 1947 Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, beautifully painted in “Blue Angels” markings.

Moreno Aguiari
Moreno Aguiari
Photography by Brian Silcox
AirCorps Aircraft Depot

If there is a piston-engined fighter plane that best embodies the definition of a hot rod, it would have to be the Grumman F8F Bearcat. Its small frame, powerful engine, and incredible handling characteristics have made it a favorite for all those fortunate enough to have flown one. The rare opportunity to purchase a pristine example of this magnificent breed has appeared, once again, at Platinum Fighter Sales; this being an F8F-2 painted to represent a Bearcat once flown by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels aerial demonstration team.

Blue Angels pilots and F8F Bearcat Blue Angels e1699810771161

Grumman built this Bearcat as construction number D.1162. The US Navy soon accepted it as Bureau Number (BuNo) 121776 on November 18, 1948. However, by this point, the U.S. Navy was already transitioning into jets so, like many other Bearcats of the period, the aircraft remained in Stateside units and aircraft pools, from Fighter Squadron 113 (VF-113) at Naval Air Station San Diego in California, to Marine Fighter Training Squadron 20 at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, to aircraft reserve pools at NAS Alameda, California, NAS Norfolk, Virginia, and NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. The US Navy struck the aircraft from their inventory on January 9, 1957 with only 606 flying hours logged.

Grumman F8F 2 Bearcat Bureau Number 121776

On January 22, 1960, BuNo 121776 was acquired by Kaman Aircraft, based out of Bloomfield, Connecticut. The company used this and another surplus F8F-2 (BuNo.121707 – now at the Planes of Fame Air Museum) as static wind generators for crosswind helicopter testing. Even though Kaman never flew these F8Fs, they still registered them with the FAA for proof of ownership; BuNo.121776 became N1030B and BuNo.121707 N1027B.

Grumman F8F 2 Bearcat Bureau Number 121776 part 2

In 1970, however, Kaman no longer needed their Bearcats, so they donated them to the United States Marine Corps Museum (now the National Museum of the Marine Corps) in Quantico, Virginia, which preserved them in storage. While BuNo.121707 left Quantico in 1978, BuNo.121776 remained in storage at Quantico until 1996, when H. Wells purchased the airframe and almost immediately sold it to Air SRV Inc. and the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas. With the new registration N68RW, BuNo.121776 made its first post-restoration flight on January 15, 2003, at Bluebird Aviation in Milton, Florida. The fighter flew in the colors of F8F-1 BuNo.94996, an example of the type that once flew with the Blue Angels. The fighter made numerous appearances at air shows across the United States, even at the Reno Air Races with the legendary Nelson Ezell at the controls. However, it did not compete in the Unlimited Class.

Blue Angels Over Corpus Christi. Image via U.S. Navy Blue Angels Over Corpus Christi. Image via U.S. Navy

Another highlight in BuNo.121776’s airshow days involved the occasions it flew in formation with F/A-18 Hornets serving with the Blue Angels, showcasing the historical legacy of the legendary demonstration team. Founded in 1946 and gaining its name from a New York City nightclub, the Blue Angels originally debuted in June 1946, initially flying the venerable F6F Hellcat but transitioning onto the Bearcat just two months later. An aspect of the early Blue Angels performances featured a mock dogfight staged between the Hellcats (and later the Bearcats) with an SNJ Texan trainer. Painted to represent a Japanese A6M Zero in an all-yellow livery, the SNJ was dubbed the Beetle Bomb. Later, the SNJ was replaced with another Bearcat which inherited the Beetle Bomb nickname and also performed in mock dogfights. When the team switched over to the Grumman F9F Panther in 1949, the Beetle Bomb Bearcat remained as part of the act. However, following a fatal accident on April 24, 1950, the Beetle Bomb routine never again featured in a Blue Angels demonstration.

Blue Angels F6F Hellcat F8F Bearcat and F A 18 Hornet 2017
Lead Solo Pilot of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, Commander Frank Weisser participated in a heritage flight alongside an F6F Hellcat and F8F Bearcat aircraft over the Salton Sea and Imperial Valley, March 9, 2017. The Hellcat and Bearcat were the first two aircraft models used by The Blue Angels shortly after the team’s inception in 1946. Photographed by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ian Cotter. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

According to our findings, only 22 F8F Bearcats remain. Six of these belong to government-owned collections (four in Thailand and two in the USA). The remaining 16 are civilian-owned, with 15 residing in the USA. This Grumman F8F Bearcat underwent a complete restoration, which was finalized in 2005. The aircraft has flown only 240 hours since its restoration. Its Pratt & Whitney R2800-83AM4AD engine has just 73.9 hours since being overhauled by J.R.S. This exceptional aircraft, restored to museum-quality standards with over 12,000 meticulous man-hours, is presented in stunning “Blue Angels” colors. It is offered for sale at $3,250,000. For more information about this aircraft for sale, visit Platinum Fighter Sales

Blue Angels F8F 2 Bearcat For Sale by Platinum Fighter Sales 2
Photography by Brian Silcox
Aircorps Art Dec 2019
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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
1 Comment
  • I happened to be passing through Galveston from a photo trip to Mississippi to work with Aeroshell Team. At Lone Star Flight Museum, Ralph Royce “assigned” me to accompany Tommy Gregory and Stew Dawson to the paint shop at Tomball Airport near Houston, where we were to shoot the photographs you see here. These were the last of the film (Kodachrome 64) images I shot, after 30 years of using it. The weather had been marginal through the morning, but improved as we flew southbound. A high thin scattered layer reflected off the fresh blue paint.

    Brian Silcox

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