The ever cheerful Howard Pardue checking out the Gulfhawk replica...
Neal
I suspect you're referring to the other civilian Bearcat, which ended up with Bob Pond.
The ever cheerful Howard Pardue checking out the Gulfhawk replica...
Neal
Something else unique about the replca IV was they modified it so as to incorporate a very small 2nd seat. I forget the gentlemans name that owned it, but his wife rode with him in the rear seat. I believe I heard it said that this was the only time a Bearcat had been modified with a second seat. Does anyone know that for sure?
Brian
Elmer Ward was indeed the owner, and a nicer guy you could never meet. We happened upon him and his family working on the Bearcat in a Chino hangar a year or so before it was finished and Elmer made us feel like old friends. Even invited us to jump up into the cockpit. I too would love to see the airplane returned to the Gulfhawk paint scheme but something tells me that with the current consortium of owners that will not happen.
I don't have any proof, and I could be wrong, but it seems to me that I recall one of the Bearcats owned by "Chubb" Smith and "Bubba" Beal had a second seat installed as well. No?
Another reason for the rear seat was that Elmer planned to install a second set of controls in it so that he could continue to fly it even after his medical had expired. Elmer was a great guy. Highly thought of, dearly missed!
I can not vouch for truth of it, but seem to remember someone saying that the Friedkin F8F N198F had a "hell hole" installed in the early 90s. Wouldn't have been very comfortable, but who'd say no to a ride in a Bearcat?
T J
...Bob Kucera's N212KA "Race 99" had a second seat complete with door and window...
Big question is where these two seat Bearcats F8's or G58's. Much easier to put a second seat in a G58. The one Hinton owns is a G58; just looked it up.
G-58A Gulfhawk G-58A - Steven Hinton Chino CA. So it's not a replica; it's the real deal! One of two built.
Last edited by Wild Bill Kelso; 05-30-2013 at 02:55 PM.