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Bearcat/Bu. 122629

Additional Images
Bureau Number: 122629
Construction #:
  D.1170
Civil Registration:
  N1031B
  N777L
Model: F8F-2
Name: Rare Bear
Status: Airworthy
Last info: 2002
   History:
Registered as N1031B by ??, 19??.
Crashed at Valparaiso, IN, 1962.
Earl Reinert/Victory Air Museum, Mundelein, IL, 1968.
- Wreck stored, Valparaiso, IN, (later Mundelein, IL), 1962-1968.
Lyle T. Shelton, Granada Hills, CA, 1968-2002.
- Registered as N777L.
- Rebuilt Long Beach, CA.
- Equipped with Wright R-3350.
- First Flight Sep. 1969.
- Flown as modified racer #70, #77/Able Cat (Later Rare Bear)
- Broke World piston engine speed record, Aug. 21, 1969.
-- 528 mph.
- Minor damage during forced landing, Reno, NV (repaired, Sept. 1992.
Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003.
 Photo Source(s):
Chuck Gardner - Warbirds Resource Group, www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org, 2002