Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

[supercub]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

Was Herlihy's Bearcat partially owned by a gentleman from Stockton CA? I believe he was a school principal. I flew out of Stockton in the mid to late 70's. This fellow that I mentioned above, was part owner in a Bearcat, he use to keep it under the sun shades at time. As I remember his partner was from Half Moon Bay. He also was partners on a P-38 with the raised back canopy (forget what they call it) that allowed for a second seat. Only two seater I've ever seen in real life.

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


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.

[Leo]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

P-38-M was the 2-seat night fighter version. I think that one was owned by a guy names Ennis back in the late 70's early 80's. Saw it at several N. Cali. shows, got to sit in it during a Travis AFB show.
If I remember right, without looking it up, it was not a true "M" model but an "L" that had the "M" second seat/canopy added. It went to CAF and crashed a while back but is being rebuilt.

[MRE]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

Supercub, I think you are thinking of Cecil Harp. A very nice gentlemen. Ah, the old days.

[supercub]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

Yes, that was the gentlemen's name. Thanks. I think in the 80's a different fellow owedn the red P-63 which was also based it at Stockton. At the Madera airshow one year, he clipped a P-51 after landing. All pilots were briefed to roll out to the end before turning off the runway. This guy with the P-63 ignored that and turned off early and clipped a Mustang. At think he had some other run ins with the FAA too.

Supercub, I think you are thinking of Cecil Harp. A very nice gentlemen. Ah, the old days.

[Leo]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

I know Bob Reiser (sp) owned the ex "Tipsy Miss" for a while back then. Never heard much about incidents but I did get a chance to talk to him, sit in the plane and look through his photo albums of his military days at a Travis AFB airshow around 80-81.

[supercub]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

Correct, that's the name of the owner and the plane.

I know Bob Reiser (sp) owned the ex "Tipsy Miss" for a while back then. Never heard much about incidents but I did get a chance to talk to him, sit in the plane and look through his photo albums of his military days at a Travis AFB airshow around 80-81.

[De Camara]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

Yes, that was the gentlemen's name. Thanks. I think in the 80's a different fellow owedn the red P-63 which was also based it at Stockton. At the Madera airshow one year, he clipped a P-51 after landing. All pilots were briefed to roll out to the end before turning off the runway. This guy with the P-63 ignored that and turned off early and clipped a Mustang. At think he had some other run ins with the FAA too.

Yep
We used to go to the Madera shows every year
Damn sad that they stopped havin those

We were there when Cotton Mouth P-51
Which was a “I believe” a fresh rebuild at the time
His wing tip hit the P-63’s ass end
As the 63 was sittin just off the runway after landing
But left the tail towards the edge of the runway
It was an obvious loud bang

I remember the 63 taxiing in and parking
You could see the buckling on the empenage area of the fuse
Just forward of the stab

And could see the missing wing tip off Cotton Mouth as he taxiid in

I seem to also remember those two pilots getting into it
Next to the ass end of the P-63
Guys broke them apart pretty quick

Yep
Memories

[Lon Moer]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

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


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.

I recently found these pictures of Herlihy's Bearcat with his wife in the back seat (C.Aro)

[supercub]

Re: Does anyone have any info on the Gulfhawk IV replica?

The owner of the P-63 was in trouble for not following what was outlined in the pilot briefing.
Then he flew the airplane home without any inspections or repair. The FAA investigated both actions, I don't remember the outcome.

Yep
We used to go to the Madera shows every year
Damn sad that they stopped havin those

We were there when Cotton Mouth P-51
Which was a “I believe” a fresh rebuild at the time
His wing tip hit the P-63’s ass end
As the 63 was sittin just off the runway after landing
But left the tail towards the edge of the runway
It was an obvious loud bang

I remember the 63 taxiing in and parking
You could see the buckling on the empenage area of the fuse
Just forward of the stab

And could see the missing wing tip off Cotton Mouth as he taxiid in

I seem to also remember those two pilots getting into it
Next to the ass end of the P-63
Guys broke them apart pretty quick

Yep
Memories