Warbird Information Exchange

Ok gents, there is an ongoing discussion on one of the R/C boards regarding the color of the leading edges on Blue Angel Bearcats. Was it yellow, silver, natural aluminum, polished aluminum, or what? Does anyone have color pics or a reliable source confirming what was used? I am not, of course, referring to the all blue scheme but that which came a bit later. TIA

I don't know when these were taken but they both are forms of evidence





Trey

Rob, I always assumed it was as you state, natural metal on the leading edges. However, the b&w pics that I've come across really tell another story. They just don't have the look of natural metal, unless it is a very dull natural metal (not likely I would think). They look more like silver paint to me. I guess I always assumed they were natural metal because most of the jets had natural metal leading edges. Beetle Bomb also has silver leading edges, not sure if they are paint or natural metal on that one either.

Trey, very nice color pic. Got one like that showing the later paint scheme?!

When the Blues picked up the Bearcats at Bethpage they had blue leading edges. They were also new aircraft, the only time the time has ever had new aircraft.

They performed the first Bearcat show for the Grumman employees.

Source : Butch Voris, and AMM3 Bob Boudreaux

http://www.blueangels.org/History/Voris/FirstBlu.html

http://www.blueangels.org/History/Enlis ... dreaux.htm

Ive seen them with and without a different color on the leading edge. I had a helping hand with the LSFM Bearcat. Personally like them blue.

_________________
Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly!!

http://www.390th.org/
www.LSFM.org

Trae

Guys:

I would assume that you have the book "Reflections of Blue" by Carol Knotts -ISBN 0-933424-24-8?

There is a photo dated August 1946 (Grumman, Bethpage plant) showing the F8Fs in an overall color -as Rob stated, standard scheme.

4 other photos show the airplanes already with the numbers on their vertical surfaces, and U.S. Navy lettering, and there is a wing leading edge band.

Page 16 has a photo thus captioned:

"May 1949: Lt. George Hoskins and his crew chief AD1 D.R. Miller prepare for takeoff. People at the Denver Air Show were able to get a close-up view of the new paint scheme of yellow cowling name and leading edge."

Saludos,


Tulio

Elroy, thanks for the photo's of Gumby the Bearcat driver...

Cheers,

Lynn

Ralph told me that he sent the pictures of the Bearcat after it was painted off to Butch Voris shortly before he died. Butch said , " perfect ".

I was really hoping to have him see him in person for the LSFM airshow. Its very sad. But yes he did know about it before his passing.

_________________
Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly!!

http://www.390th.org/
www.LSFM.org

Trae

It would have been nice.

Nice Legs Elroy

I collect on the Blue Angles, however only the Grumman F8F Bearcats they flew.

From Lynn Mc Donald, retired Historian for Grumman, I found that the leading edges of the Blue Angles' Grumman F8F Bearcats, as well as the Grumman F9F Panthers, etc., , was a product known as Corogard, a very tough coating which stayed on the applied surface, even if it was a high rate of speed.

Corogard was pioneered by Grumman and came in Aluminum and Red colors. It was the Aluminum color Corogard that was applied to the leading edges of the Blue Angles' Grumman F8F Bearcats.

Cordially,

Kenneth D. Wilson
Evansville, IN

_________________
Been interersted in airplanes for the last 60 years, USAF 1954-58, 19th BW SAC

Gumby better not fly too far with the lower cowling removed !

Geez, I would have loved to see that show. Any vintage Angels video you guys know of? The jets are amazing but I'd love to see the state of the art at that time.

Thanks,

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

He was just doing some taxi tests.

_________________
Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly!!

http://www.390th.org/
www.LSFM.org

Trae