New to the Austrian Flying Bulls in 2026 and appearing for the first time as part of their team at the International Sanicole Airshow is an aircraft beautifully painted in the colours of another legendary display team that celebrates its 80th anniversary this year and will no doubt prove to be an absolute showstopper: the Grumman F8F Bearcat.
Built by Grumman, the company behind some of the most formidable “Cat”-series fighters — including the Wildcat, Hellcat and Tomcat — the Bearcat was the ultimate expression of piston-engine performance. Although it arrived too late to see combat in World War II, it proved its strength in the Indochina War in French service and later became a dominant force at air races like the renowned Reno Air Races, thanks to blistering speeds exceeding 700 km/h.
But the Bearcat’s true legend was forged in the skies above cheering crowds. From 1946 to 1950, it was the aircraft that defined precision aerobatics for the newly formed US Navy Blue Angels demonstration team, who are actually celebrating their 80th anniversary this year. Its breathtaking power, razor-sharp agility and unmistakable presence made it an icon of aviation history.
Now, in 2026, you can witness that legacy reborn. Experience the roar of its radial engine, the elegance of its lines, and the spectacle of a living legend in flight during the International Sanicole Airshow at Hechtel-Eksel in Limburg, Belgium, on 12-13 September 2026.
Credits: Flying Bulls
