SkyMax Flying Heroes SM1011
Grumman F8F Bearcat Diecast Model
USN Blue Angels, #2, 1946 |
| 1:72 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Grumman F8F Bearcat | | 4.75" | | 6" |
The Blue Angels were originally formed in April 1946 as the Navy Flight Exhibition Team. They changed their name to the Blue Angels after seeing an advertisement for the New York nightclub The Blue Angel, also known as The Blue Angel Supper Club, in the New Yorker Magazine. In August of that year, the team upgraded from the F6F-5 Hellcat to the F8F-1 Bearcat. The Bearcat was designed to be one of the fastest piston-engine fighters in service and it quickly became a favorite among aviators, especially for its impressive speed, climb rate, and maneuverability. Painted in a striking blue and yellow livery, the Blue Angels showcased the Bearcat's capabilities in breathtaking aerobatic demonstrations that dazzled spectators and solidified the Blue Angels as a premier flight demonstration team.
Designed to emulate a captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and to outperform the Japanese A6M5 Zero, the Grumman F8F Bearcat was first flown on August 21, 1944. This single-engine US Navy aircraft was Grumman's last piston-engined fighter, possessing a number of innovative features including uniquely "detachable wingtips," which would snap off if g-forces reached a certain level. Though the Bearcat was considered one of the best-handling piston-engined fighters in history, it didn't become operational after the end of WWII. Still, the Bearcat earned an important place in history through its postwar service with the US Navy and its use by the Blue Angels aerobatic performance team. © Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
SkyMax's 1:72 scale F8F Bearcat is constructed almost entirely from diecast metal, with value pricing and just the right number of features. The fuselage is designed with a near-seamless blend of plastic and diecast metal, featuring a removable bubble-top canopy and a clear view of the pad-printed instruments and control stick. Cooling fins on each of the cylinder heads can be seen inside the engine cowling. The solid metal wing has crisp panel line details, simulated fabric-stretched ailerons and air intakes with internal piping. Other details include a center-mounted fuel tank, rockets, bombs and machine guns with wing clearance blisters (not available in air show releases).
© Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The SkyMax "Flying Heroes" range presents detailed, ready-made diecast models of military aircraft. SkyMax offer the more price-sensitive collector a cheaper alternative to models from leading manufacturers like Corgi and Century Wings.
SkyMax"Flying Heroes" diecast airplanes feature:
- Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear.
© Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
