Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A fantastic aerial display of vintage 1940s-1950's 'Warbird Heavy Metal' performance fighters - Grumman F8F Bearcat, Goodyear FG1D Corsair, Hawker Sea Fury/Fury II and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.
Filmed at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford's Flying Finale 2023.
Bearcat - The Fighter Collection's Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat, G-RUMM,was built in 1948 for the US Navy. She served at a number of Naval Air Stations before being modified to F8F-2P standard in 1952. The F8F-2 was an improved version using a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W radial piston engine, a redesigned engine cowling, taller fin and rudder, and four 20 mm cannons. The F8F-2P was a Photo-reconnaissance version of the F8F-2, with camera equipment and only two 20 mm cannons. 60 were built.
Following Navy service she was struck off charge in January 1957 and passed through two private owners in the US; the first from 1957 to 1972, and the second until 1981. The second owner fully overhauled and flew her once again in 1975. In 1981 it joined The Fighter Collection and is now the longest serving member of their fleet.
It wears the markings of Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat BuNo.95318, '201-B', flown by Lieutenant Commander Caldwell the Air Group Commander of VF-19, on board USS Boxer (CV-21) in 1947.
21 Bearcats survive of which 15 are airworthy. This is the only airworthy F8F-2P and the only airworthy Bearcat in the UK and Europe.
Corsair:- The Fighter Collection's Goodyear FG-1D/Mk.IV Corsair, KD345, civil registration G-FGID, wears the colours of a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm aircraft from 1850 Naval Air Squadron, based on HMS Vengeance, whilst deployed to the Pacific in December 1945.
It was built by the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, Ohio as C/N 3111 and allocated bureau build No.88297. Accepted by the US Navy on 9th April 1945, it was initially sent to Guam in the Pacific, allocated to the Aircraft Pool Airwing 2. Then went to a Repair Depot in the Philippines, possibly Samar, in October 1945 and was returned to the USA before going to various US Naval Air Reserve squadrons and then stored. It was sold in 1956 after 1652 flying hours.
Bought by ALU-MET Smelters in 1959 and then by legendary stunt-pilot Frank Tallman in 1960, it was sold again in 1966 and passed through a number of other owners until joining The Fighter Collection fleet in 1986.
It has never been restored and is one of the few still flying with original part fabric outer wings.
Thunderbolt:- Owned by Fighter Aviation Engineering and operated by Air Leasing, Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, 'Nellie B', G-THUN, wears markings representative of 'Nellie B', the aircraft of Lt. Col. James K. Johnson, Commanding Officer of the 48th Fighter Wing, whilst the Wing were based in Belgium and Germany between October 1944 and June 1945. The aircraft was assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron (The Mad Hatters) - one of 3 Fighter Squadrons with the 48th Fighter Wing.
Sea Fury/FuryII/ISS:- Although outwardly appearing to be a Sea Fury this is a land based ex Iraqi Air Force Hawker Fury II/ISS (Iraqi Single Seat), on the UK Civil Register as G-CBEL, and in the markings of the third Hawker Fury II prototype to fly - SR661 - which was also the first Sea Fury prototype. The original SR661 first flew at Langley, Berkshire, on 21 February 1945, powered by a Centaurus XII engine, had a "stinger"-type tailhook for arrested carrier landings but lacked folding wings for storage.
This is one of the few surviving airworthy Sea Fury/Fury's that still retains an original Bristol Centaurus engine, and is currently the only one in the UK to do so.
This Fury, construction number 37539 was made in 1953 as a new production model, without any of the naval features of the Sea Fury. Amongst other things both the tail hook and folding wings were deleted.
The aircraft was bought to Orlando, Florida, USA from Iraq in 1979 by Ed Jurist and David Tallichet.
In 1989 it passed to Laws/Coleman Warbird Museum, Coleman, Texas where it was rebuilt to airworthy condition, before flying again in April 1991, registered as N36SF. It was then shipped to the UK in September 1991, passing into the ownership of John Bradshaw at Wroughton until 2009.
During this time the aircraft flew in the markings of a Dutch Navy and latterly Royal Australian Navy aircraft marked as 361 and it was then also on the UK Civil Register as G-CBEL.
It was then exported to Australia where it was registered as VH-SFW. In June 2016 it was imported back into the UK by its new owners, Anglia Aircraft Restorations Ltd and re-registered again as G-CBEL.
The aircraft was refurbished and repainted, by Air Leasing Ltd.
The aircraft is powered by a Bristol Centaurus 18 engine as originally fitted to production aircraft. These engines are no longer produced, very few survive and they are increasingly rare.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © 2024 StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
A fantastic aerial display of vintage 1940s-1950's 'Warbird Heavy Metal' performance fighters - Grumman F8F Bearcat, Goodyear FG1D Corsair, Hawker Sea Fury/Fury II and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.
Filmed at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford's Flying Finale 2023.
Bearcat - The Fighter Collection's Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat, G-RUMM,was built in 1948 for the US Navy. She served at a number of Naval Air Stations before being modified to F8F-2P standard in 1952. The F8F-2 was an improved version using a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W radial piston engine, a redesigned engine cowling, taller fin and rudder, and four 20 mm cannons. The F8F-2P was a Photo-reconnaissance version of the F8F-2, with camera equipment and only two 20 mm cannons. 60 were built.
Following Navy service she was struck off charge in January 1957 and passed through two private owners in the US; the first from 1957 to 1972, and the second until 1981. The second owner fully overhauled and flew her once again in 1975. In 1981 it joined The Fighter Collection and is now the longest serving member of their fleet.
It wears the markings of Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat BuNo.95318, '201-B', flown by Lieutenant Commander Caldwell the Air Group Commander of VF-19, on board USS Boxer (CV-21) in 1947.
21 Bearcats survive of which 15 are airworthy. This is the only airworthy F8F-2P and the only airworthy Bearcat in the UK and Europe.
Corsair:- The Fighter Collection's Goodyear FG-1D/Mk.IV Corsair, KD345, civil registration G-FGID, wears the colours of a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm aircraft from 1850 Naval Air Squadron, based on HMS Vengeance, whilst deployed to the Pacific in December 1945.
It was built by the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, Ohio as C/N 3111 and allocated bureau build No.88297. Accepted by the US Navy on 9th April 1945, it was initially sent to Guam in the Pacific, allocated to the Aircraft Pool Airwing 2. Then went to a Repair Depot in the Philippines, possibly Samar, in October 1945 and was returned to the USA before going to various US Naval Air Reserve squadrons and then stored. It was sold in 1956 after 1652 flying hours.
Bought by ALU-MET Smelters in 1959 and then by legendary stunt-pilot Frank Tallman in 1960, it was sold again in 1966 and passed through a number of other owners until joining The Fighter Collection fleet in 1986.
It has never been restored and is one of the few still flying with original part fabric outer wings.
Thunderbolt:- Owned by Fighter Aviation Engineering and operated by Air Leasing, Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, 'Nellie B', G-THUN, wears markings representative of 'Nellie B', the aircraft of Lt. Col. James K. Johnson, Commanding Officer of the 48th Fighter Wing, whilst the Wing were based in Belgium and Germany between October 1944 and June 1945. The aircraft was assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron (The Mad Hatters) - one of 3 Fighter Squadrons with the 48th Fighter Wing.
Sea Fury/FuryII/ISS:- Although outwardly appearing to be a Sea Fury this is a land based ex Iraqi Air Force Hawker Fury II/ISS (Iraqi Single Seat), on the UK Civil Register as G-CBEL, and in the markings of the third Hawker Fury II prototype to fly - SR661 - which was also the first Sea Fury prototype. The original SR661 first flew at Langley, Berkshire, on 21 February 1945, powered by a Centaurus XII engine, had a "stinger"-type tailhook for arrested carrier landings but lacked folding wings for storage.
This is one of the few surviving airworthy Sea Fury/Fury's that still retains an original Bristol Centaurus engine, and is currently the only one in the UK to do so.
This Fury, construction number 37539 was made in 1953 as a new production model, without any of the naval features of the Sea Fury. Amongst other things both the tail hook and folding wings were deleted.
The aircraft was bought to Orlando, Florida, USA from Iraq in 1979 by Ed Jurist and David Tallichet.
In 1989 it passed to Laws/Coleman Warbird Museum, Coleman, Texas where it was rebuilt to airworthy condition, before flying again in April 1991, registered as N36SF. It was then shipped to the UK in September 1991, passing into the ownership of John Bradshaw at Wroughton until 2009.
During this time the aircraft flew in the markings of a Dutch Navy and latterly Royal Australian Navy aircraft marked as 361 and it was then also on the UK Civil Register as G-CBEL.
It was then exported to Australia where it was registered as VH-SFW. In June 2016 it was imported back into the UK by its new owners, Anglia Aircraft Restorations Ltd and re-registered again as G-CBEL.
The aircraft was refurbished and repainted, by Air Leasing Ltd.
The aircraft is powered by a Bristol Centaurus 18 engine as originally fitted to production aircraft. These engines are no longer produced, very few survive and they are increasingly rare.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © 2024 StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
