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[Gerd]

Please tell me recording conditions when F8F climb 10,000 ft in 91 seconds.
F8F-1 or F8F-2?
Full or Harf Fuel?

[Gerd]

Please tell me recording conditions when F8F climb 10,000 ft in 91 seconds.
F8F-1 or F8F-2?
Full or Harf Fuel?

I think that F8F is no ammunition and fuel reduced.
But,F8F is nomal the production  model of  F8F-1.

There was a Wiki-like following description.

An unmodified production F8F-1 set a 1946 time-to-climb record (after a run of 115 ft/35 m) of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) in 94 seconds (6,383 fpm). The Bearcat held this record for 10 years until it was broken by a modern jet fighter (which could still not match the Bearcat's short takeoff distance).

[Dinosbacsi]

Gerd, you talking with yourself? o.O

[tancw19]

Here is some date



f8f-2's date is upper, and F4u-4's is below

[Rudi_Jaeger]

Regarding the climb record, I saved the following text while doing research on the skins for my old N1K-F8F hacks:

===============
"The original Bearcat climb record was established during “Operation Pogo Stick", which was conducted as a demonstration during the Cleveland Air Race, on November 22, 1946. An F8F-1 piloted by Commander Bill Leonard set a new time to climb record, from a dead stop to 10K feet in 97.8 seconds, including a 150 foot take off run. Unfortunately, he didn't get to keep the record very long. Leiutenant Commander Butch Davenport came along about 15 minutes later and set the next new record of 94 seconds, also in an F8F-1, with a 115 foot take off run. Leonard's take off was into an estimated 30 kt head wind, by the time Davenport took off the head wind was over 40 kts. These wind speeds helped to reduce the time on the ground. Both pilots were assigned to TACTEST at the time; Cdr Leonard was TACTEST projects officer. Lt Cdr Davenport was the F8F project officer. The F8F’s used were the standard Navy aircraft, armed, with ammunition. The planes were modified, however, to allow full emergency military power with the landing gear down, something you couldn’t do in a stock airplane due to safety locks.

The rapid climb to altitude was the F8F's bread and butter. The plane was to have been the solution to the kamikaze problem ... rapid climb capability, firepower, speed, with more better maneuverability than the F6F or F4U.

It's been said that Leonard and Davenport trashed the engines on their planes, but that is not correct. This was not a spur of the moment stunt; they actually practiced back at NAS Patuxent River with the same planes used in Cleveland, doing three or four practice runs each. After the demonstration they flew those same planes back to TACTEST."
===============

Seems to be plausible enough, although I'm not so sure anymore about how long it held the record. I've read that the F-16 was the first to best it, which seems incredible; but I've also read accounts claiming as early as the F-86, and also some of the 'century' fighters. Regardless, it's a record that certainly commands respect to this day.. even though it's not a fair comparison with 'props v jets', it's some cool trivia nonetheless.

btw; She's looking great Gerd. It's been fun to watch the evolution of this beauty. Thanks again for the work you're doing with her.

[Gerd]

Thanks tancw19.
This perfomance chart was given same one  by stansdds.
F8F of chart can't this record 10000ft/91sec.

Thanks Rudi_Jaeger.
I am very interested in this information.
This F8F-1 is product model and normal armed & armament!!
But,I think F8F-1's fuel was reduced.

F8F-1's FM is very dificult.

[Metatron]

What an amazing climb rate.

[Cranky.1]

Thanks Gerd very nice 

[SAS~Tom2]

Thanks a lot Gerd, love it!
Tom

[Triad773]

Just had a chance to give it a try-- it IS quite a performer!

I am enjoying this and thank you for releasing it

Cheers

Triad

[tancw19]

Someone said it is 9215 pounds when F8F-1 made a climbing record(normal 9850 pounds), but I don't know which record it is.

[stansdds]

I would expect the F8F's used to establish the climb record had only enough fuel for the mission, had no ammunition, had the gun ports and shell ejection chutes taped over, and probably had the guns removed.  All of this would have resulted in a lighter and faster climbing aircraft.  As for the F-16 being the first jet fighter to break that record... I'm not surprised.  Piston engined aircraft accelerate rapidly.  As soon as you open the throttle, the power is there.  With turboprop and jet engines, you have to wait for the engines to spool up.  Jets tend to take long takeoff runs and the take off run is part of the climb time, so a high powered piston engined prop aircraft with a good headwind will be off the ground sooner than a jet.