Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

[Chad Veich]

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.

Can't be an original G-58, sorry. The original G-58A Gulfhawk was destroyed and the G-58B is the late Bob Pond's aircraft.

[John H]

That's right Chad. Elmer's was a-2 former wind machine at Kaman in CT, along with the ex Lone Star Bearcat that was at Reno in 2011 that's done up in Blue Angels colors.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Can't be an original G-58, sorry. The original G-58A Gulfhawk was destroyed and the G-58B is the late Bob Pond's aircraft.

Well I read it on the internet so it must be true.

[Chad Veich]

Well I read it on the internet so it must be true.

Of course you're right Bill. My bad!!!

[Wild Bill Kelso]

It was right next to the story about Elvis is a wood shop Teacher in Fargo ND.

[p51dplt]

The Bearcat in question is being restored to a stock F8F configuration. It has been put on the back burner while Fighter Rebuilders concentrates on the F7F project and a F-86 for customers. I have the control feathers for it in my shop for recovering and they still have the orange paint all over them. I too would love to see it go back to the Gulfhawk colors.

[Race 29]

Well I read it on the internet so it must be true.

Bonjorno!!!

Race 29

[Lon Moer]

Sorry about resurrecting this thread, but I came across it when researching ...Bob Kucera's N212KA "Race 99" Bearcat.

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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

This was true, but it was in the early '80s when John Herlihy owned it (and he owned it a lot longer than listed on the Warbird Registry).
At the time Herlihy owned the F8F and a P-51 "This Is It". When he sold the Mustang he told us that "I only kept the Mustang because it had a second seat so I could take my wife along when she wanted to go. After putting the second seat in the Bearcat, I didn't 'need' the Mustang anymore".
But I see that the current owner not only doesn't have a back seat, it also has the rollover bar.

This, again, comes back to "not my money, not my toy", but when people are putting "hidden" back seats in Hellcats and Corsairs, it seems kinda dumb to take out the back seat in a Bearcat.



I also remember when Herlihy's F8F, P-51, Getchell's Sea Fury, Gary Harris's F4U-7, a T-6, a Baby Lakes and a couple other small planes were all packed into the one 'big' hanger at Half Moon Bay like a puzzle.

[N22252]

It was right next to the story about Elvis is a wood shop Teacher in Fargo ND.

Fargo, North Dakota, Eh?.... Does Mr. Presley's class feature any guest lectures on sheet metal work by professors Odegaard and Beck? Sign me up!

[Leo]

My first T-6 ride was with Ron Reed who was from that hangar. Waaaaay back in 79.