Riverside Airshow 2010
CAF SoCal Wing Grummans

The Southern California WIng of the Commemoraive Air Force has the F6F Hellcat "Minsi III" and the F8F Bearcat. The F6F was designed using lessons learned from fighting against the Japanese in the F4F Wildcat. From their first action in September of 1943 until the end of WWII, the Helllcat saw service in almost every major engagement in the Pacific. The Hellcat produced 305 aces. Minsi III was the aircraft of Commander David McCampbell, the US Navy's top scoring ace.

The F8F Bearcat was en route to the Pacific when WWII ended. The climb rate of the Beacat was 6,000 feet per minute, an impressive rate for a piston aircraft that outclimbed the early jets. The F8F went on to serve in Korea and with the French in Indochina.