HFF Bearcat Shakedown

[@stinkstank5177]

My grandmothers brother flew the Hellcat in the Navy, and near the end of the war flew brand new Bearcats from the factory on the east coast and ferrying them out to Alameda CA. He almost lived to 100, he had quite a life, he gave his Navy Wings to my brother who is a pilot today. Sadly in another year or two all those men from WW2 will be gone, but never forgotten!

[@dpeasehead]

The vibrations coming back through the cockpit from that radial were so intense that I needed a mouth guard just to watch the video.

[@tonyant]

Just found this via a friend.... My Dad flew this plane during the closing years of WW11. Thanks for sharing.

[@George-pp2hr]

Thats a great ride taste of pilots poit of view in this Grumman cat. Definately need head phones on for this. Super fantastic.👍✌️🇭🇲🦘🐨

[@briander43]

Man! I felt like I was right there! Just got my certificate and some day to fly something as beautiful and powerful as this. Thanks! Your videos are spectacular.

[@tyrefryingoat7068]

wow best video of my favorite aircraft. the partial power at start of take off role to get some speed over the rudder to counter torque gives an indication of power. it was airborne so quick after fullish throttle. Awsome vid!!

[@davidmcleod7757]

I love those bearcats

[@edwardbennett2312]

Nice video. Love the Bearcat. Carter gave me my check out in my Waco UPF-7. Always a pleasure.

[@paulsmith3487]

These things remind me of big over 1000cc motorcycles.rough as guts under 80kms,but smooth out up around 90kms and beyond.two different moto guzzis have me to in both arms,sadly I had to sell both.sad because both were brilliant handling bikes!

[@michaelgaliga6609]

Thank you!! Go Navy!

[@thedude1-wn2ij]

Beautiful beast!

[@thewilliam8342]

What a awesome noise !

[@garethbest2355]

@pilotseyephotography Awesome video- any chance you can post the whole thing without edits? Would love to sit in that cockpit at idle a little while longer....

[@stevelewis7263]

Still cannot beat the sound of the Rolls Royce Merlin

[@Juno58]

Radials and inline engines are two different worlds, i love them both. Did you ever hear a Bf 109s DB 605? It has a deeper growl than the Merlin.

[@stevelewis7263]

@@Juno58 Just watched it on you tube, very nice sound

[@jmflyer55]

I was just trying to explain to a young newer pilot, what I meant by “real” flying, and what it’s all about. Then I saw your video. I’ll send him here because here’s the answer to clearly see. After 40 years of flying, I flown many different aircraft. After climbing in a 727 day after day and later a 737, yes flying is still my passion, but airline flying is not “real” flying in my book. I’ve flown a couple of military fighters (jets) a very limited number of hours. And it always aggravates young pilots it seems, when I tell them I could take or leave flying an F-18. Doing so wouldn’t do anything for me, as to my live of aviation. On the other hand, I’d give my hind teeth to take your F-8 out for the day and make a little trip in it. That’s “real” flying. Seat of the pants, being almost part of the aircraft you get so know it so well and handle it so well, without hardly having to even think about it. And as for autopilot? I consider it an abomination on light aircraft, especially if someone equipped an F-8 with one! And so many young pilots want to argue me into the ground over this these days, I guess I just don’t get it anymore…? I’ll take a WW2 era aircraft any day, over a jet aircraft, particularly fighters. The wind noise, the wind in your face, the small of the fuel, the choppiness on a turbulent day on final, it just all makes for a wonderful experience of what flying was always all about, even when I went through all my training. No GPS, no LORAN, just good navigation skills required, dead reckoning, figuring winds aloft, ground speed, drift corrections, all long hand done while flying with no autopilot. And then scouring the horizon for your intended airport, just to see it sitting exactly where your good navigation skills said it would be. And let’s not forget our beloved “whiz wheel”…. haha. (E6B for you folks that don’t remember calling it a whiz wheel). But to me, even after all these decades of flying sophisticated aircraft, where we basically monitor & manage systems and do very little hand flying when necessary, I’ve always owned my own aircraft so I could continue to actually fly, instead of flying for work. I’ve never flown an F-8, perhaps someday I’ll be lucky enough to get that chance. Because time mark 01:30, is what it’s all about my friend. Thanks for sharing, it’s been a pleasure to watch. 👍👍👍🙂

[@TheJustinJ]

Rips off the runway in a three-point attitude, pilot then applies additional power.

[@jerzcrew81]

Still has the 20mm cannons mounted.

[@UncleSlimJimmy]

Those are the barrels. Not the cannons. I don't think the faa would allow an old warbird to have cannons mounted and all you have to do is load ammo and shoot the guns.

[@Juno58]

@@UncleSlimJimmy There are some warbirds with the guns installed, i.e. a Mustang and a P-40.

[@2-Hands]

​@@UncleSlimJimmyLook for a video of a P-51D called Twlight Tear firing her Guns.

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

Would of liked to see the landing

[@williamnovas9491]

Are those cowl flaps automatic?

[@Simonfreediving]

Nice video!

[@pietroseven8228]

Hm, the noise is significant!

[@slayer6936]

The French I think used it in Nam..

[@slayer6936]

I love this plan!! To bad it came out to late in ww2..!!

[@swarogswarog]

Тю, так никого и не сбил...

[@meinezikzes8482]

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