Warbird Information Exchange

Hello everyone! Can anyone of you eagle eye warbird watchers confirm if F8f Gulfhawk 4th is still with Steve Hinton at Fighter Rebuilders? Will it be painted as GH4th? Who owns her? Any Pic.s? Thanks

Not sure if this is the one you're talking about but it was in the restoration hangar with the A-36 a few weeks after the airshow.

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

that plane used to be a streached out 2 seater. it then was at Ezell Avaition [because they have the jigs] where it was put back to the orginal 1 seater. then shipped out to Hinton to be finished.

Here are the pictures from Oshkosh 93, viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28500

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... 21707.html

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45-47=-2

Was this Bearcat a Gulfhawk or just painted as one. The F8F "Bob's Bear" is listed as a Gulfhawk G-58-B (I knew this F8F when Bill Ross owned it)

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... n700a.html

By the way "Bob's Bear" was not owned by Gulf Oil this was my question before. What was a Gulfhawk ? I don't think there were gun bays in them. Were they used as both Gulf Oil and Grummen personal aircraft ?

Thanks & Happy Hoildays
Steve

The Gulfhawks were aircraft built specifically for the Gulf Oil Company by Grumman. The Hawk 1A (Gulfhawk 1) was a production model. The Gulfhawk II was a one-off G-22 (a hybrid of the F2F and F3F) modified for long range flight by Grumman. The Gulfhawk III was a 2-seat F3F modification called the G-32. The Gulfhawk IV was a G-58A (F8F modification), but there were actually 2 built, the G-58A for Gulf, and the G-58B for Grumman's president Roger Wolfe Kahn. From what I've read and found, the two aircraft were nearly identical with the modifications mainly being things for the comfort of the individual pilots (like instrument layout).

More info on the Gulfhawks - http://longislandearlyfliers.org/news_a ... fhawk.html

I believe this "Gulfhawk" was restored from one of the ex-Kaman Aircraft F8F crosswind machines. They were used to develop Kaman's helicopters. When it was restored and painted as "Gulfhamk IV", the rollover structure was removed and it had a second seat added behind the pilot with a slightly elongated canopy.

Gulfhawks were that names given to each of Gulf Oil's demonstration aircraft starting in the 1930's. I belive the first was a Curtiss Hawk biplane, now in the NASM Collection, along with a Grumman F3F, (G-32) also in NASM's hands. The original Bearcat "Gulfhawk" was a strictly civilian model and never assigned to the Navy. I think it was a G-58B. All were all Gulfhawk's painted Orange. The original "Gulfhawk IV" is restored and at Bob pond's facility in Palm Springs, though it is painted in Navy colors.
Jerry

Opps! looks like Capflyer has quicker fingers!!!!!

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

On eof them, not sure which, was stored in the Gulf Oil Hangar at the Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh for many years.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Gulfhawk IV is still at Fighter Rebuilders as of last month. I took pics but haven't got around to uploading them. I have no info on current owner or paint scheme plans.

The original Gulfhawks were civil versions of fighters flown at airshows before and after WW2 by Al Williams. Gulfhawk 1 was a modified Curtiss F6C and is in the NASM. Gulfhawk II was a Grumman G-22 (based on F2F/F3F hybrid) and is also in the NASM. Gulfhawk III was a G-32, sort of a 2-seat F3F, which was impressed into the military when the war started. Gulfhawk IV was a G-58A (civil F8F-1) which was written off in a crash in 1947.

Pond's Bearcat is a genuine civil G-58. Elmer Ward's replica of Gulfhawk IV was not, it was a composite rebuild of at least two military F8Fs. Sure was a beauty in that orange paint though.

August

Thanks for the answers this explains alot I worked on both the G-32-A and the G-58-B

thanks again
Steve

The G-58-B that was owned by Bob Pond was built up at Grumman from parts for use by Grumman. As I was told it was used by pilots who visited bases in support of Grumman Military aircraft and programs.
Grumman also managed to get the FAA to License it in the Limited Category as a civil produced aircraft rather than experimental as a Military Surplus or designed for Military use.
At least that is what I was told when I worked on it after Bob purchased it.

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Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
benstear.org
#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

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Don't Be A Dilbert!

Photo taken back in May.






MRP

I've heard "through the grapevine" that Stephen Grey is the current owner of that Bearcat. Can someone confirm that?

As far as I know, it is indeed Stephen Grey's aircraft. It has certainly been published as such, but this might have changed recently of course.

Cheers,
Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

It was the personal a/c of Roger Kahn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Wolfe_Kahn

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