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Editor’s Note: Air Facts has long been a home for authentic aviation stories—especially those that capture a time, an airplane, and a way of flying that can’t be replicated. Few pilots embody that spirit more completely than Corkey Fornof. A lifelong aviator, airshow performer, and motion picture stunt pilot, Corkey grew up around warbirds, flew alongside legends, and experienced firsthand the raw performance—and personality—of aircraft like the F8F Bearcat. In this story, he shares one unforgettable flight that perfectly blends skill, humor, and the joy of flying.
I commuted from south Louisiana in my F8F Bearcat for the first few years while working for BD Aircraft. As I started the Bearcat for my commute this Friday afternoon, Bob Stone—Beechcraft’s chief test pilot—was taxiing toward me at the BD flight test center.
J.W.”Corkey” Fornof F8F Bearcat – G58B the last Bearcat built by Grumman.
At the time, Bob was testing the Beechcraft T-34C for the Navy. As a test aircraft, the turbine engine was a higher-rated 850-horsepower version, not the 550-horsepower version the Navy would ultimately receive. Bob was at our airport several times a week with the T-34C. Sometimes he and I would dogfight the T-34C and BD-5J, marveling at their performance.
Bob waved to me as he approached and, laughing, made the sarcastic remark, “Corkey, watch a real airplane take off and climb out,” referencing the Bearcat’s notoriety as the fastest record-setting climber. The record—from zero to 10,000 feet in 92 seconds—works out to roughly 7,500 feet per minute.
As I waved back, I said over the radio, “Bob, let’s take off together and race to 10,000 feet.” Bob agreed, and I followed him out to the runway. Canopy open, elbows resting on the canopy rails, I enjoyed the rhythm of 18 cylinders—rump, rump, rump.
One thing I always did before commuting back to Louisiana on Fridays was stop at a liquor store and buy approximately 21 cases of Coors beer. Coors was unavailable in Louisiana at the time, so I brought it back for friends and family. Twenty-one cases fit perfectly into the Bearcat’s gun bays, with the cans lying like cannon shells and the remainder tucked into the gun compartments.
What a sight: the T-34C and the F8F Bearcat sitting on the north end of Newton, Kansas, airport, with the westerly sun lighting us up at golden hour. The colors were magnificent—the metallic bronze and cordovan of the Bearcat, the white and orange T-34C, and the gold wheat fields behind us.
Bob and I both knew the Bear would run away, so we decided he would start first. Once he was several lengths ahead, I’d begin my takeoff roll. With a salute and a nod, Bob started. I gave him about 200 feet, shoved the throttle forward, and went after him.
The thrilling acceleration of the Bear is fantastic. You’re pinned in your seat, smelling the avgas as you hear 2,500 horsepower come to life, watching the airspeed climb rapidly and feeling the magic of flight.
Bob was getting airborne as I was and climbing at about a 45-degree angle. In the Bear, you’d better retract the gear quickly or you’ll exceed the gear speed. I was closing on Bob fast and told him I’d pass on his right side. Looking at each other as I went by, Bob said, “Corkey, that airplane is unbelievable.”
Still looking at each other, I started a max-performance climb and a left-hand turn around him. Within three turns, I was passing through 11,000 feet. Bob was at about 5,000. The Bear and I were high enough to begin overhead runs on the T-34C—and promptly did so.
Wow. What a feeling—to nose over straight down, pointed at a climbing airplane, as the airspeed quickly built to 350 knots (about 400 mph). The first pass went as I suspected: Bob continued climbing and tried to put his nose on me, but I had set my angles to attack from his tail, pull out, and climb back up.
Now on a 45-degree down line aimed at the T-34C, I started a 6-G pull back to the vertical—my high perch point—to repeat the overhead attack.
The second overhead pass was different. Bob had said the T-34C could out-turn the Bearcat, but he failed to realize I would fight my fight, not his. From above, he couldn’t turn as tightly as I could roll to keep my guns on him.
On the third pass, he stayed level to build speed, hoping to make it a head-on affair. Once again, I made my pass to put myself on his backside. His tight turning still never gave him an advantage.
After my third overhead attack—descending and ascending 4,000 to 5,000 feet each time in this high yo-yo maneuver—as I reached my perch point, I heard an excited Bob Stone yelling over the radio:
“BREAK IT OFF! BREAK IT OFF! Corkey, you have fuel pouring out of your wings!”
In a matter of microseconds, several thoughts raced through my mind. First, I leveled the Bearcat. Fuel from my wings? The Bearcat doesn’t carry fuel in the wings. Second, I worried the airplane was coming apart.
Then I looked out at the wings.
What I saw shocked me, sickened me—and made me laugh out loud. Pouring from the gun bays was the most beautiful golden foam and liquid imaginable. Yes, it was Coors beer. The foam drifted away like puffy clouds, floating around me in the air.
The rapid pressure changes from descending and climbing, combined with the high G-loads, had burst most of the cans. Bob started laughing as I explained what he was seeing. About then, the smell reached me in the cockpit. I remember thinking that if I had to land gear-up for any reason, the FAA would think I was drunk.
A few seconds later, Bob came back on the radio:
“Oh yes, that’s Coors Bear. I just flew through one of the beer clouds. Heading for the next one now.”
It looked like Bob was having too much fun flying through the beer clouds. I flew through two myself, just for the hell of it.
I told Bob, “That Coors is for you—enjoy. I’ll see you next week and buy you one in a bottle.” I was headed to Houma, Louisiana.
When I landed and taxied to my hangar, several friends pointed at the still beer-dripping Bearcat and made exaggerated sniffing gestures. We pulled out all the cans. Only seven survived—and even those were badly deformed. The rest were ruptured beyond recognition.
Thank God Grumman zinc-chromated their fighters. We rinsed the wings with fresh water, washed the exterior, and put her to bed.
Raised in south Louisiana, Corkey’s passion for aviation began early and was cemented by time spent around warbirds and airshows. He learned the value of hard work through the family automobile business while also serving as plane captain for his father’s airshow performances in the F8F Bearcat and later the P-51 Mustang.
Corkey rebuilt a North American T-6 from the ground up and soloed under the instruction of family friend Charlie Hammonds. His first aerobatic airshow performance took place in 1967 at Spaceland Airpark, where he flew the P-51 Mustang at a charity event sponsored by NASA astronauts Pete Conrad and Neil Armstrong, with narration by Frank Borman and Shorty Powers.
In 1969, Corkey and his father formed the first civilian high-performance aerobatic team, flying Grumman F8F Bearcats until Bill Fornof’s tragic fatal accident in 1971. Corkey continued to carry forward a lifelong connection to aviation, airshows, and warbird flying.
- Bearcat to Beercat - January 28, 2026
I think you meant to say that you maintained currency by flying frequently between home and your place of employment. Not that you wee using n experimental exhibition airplane for personal commuting.
Your comment is appreciated. I hope you enjoyed the story.
My Bearcat, N700A, is a Grumman Model G‑58B—the very last G‑58 built, serial number 1262. N700A was never in the Navy and was never licensed in the Experimental category; it has always been in the Limited Category. Our other F8F Bearcats were in the Experimental Exhibition/R&D category. The operating limitations placed no restrictions on personal use.
I’ve owned and flown several aircraft in the Experimental Exhibition category in airshows and routinely used them for transportation. Examples include my BD‑5J, Christen Eagle, Bellanca Viking, and LoPresti Fury.
Corkey, Thanks for another great story! Your Bearcat performance at Cleveland in the late 70’s was one of my all time favorites. I also got to see your show with the Sonic Aerojets at Boca Raton. You may remember talking with me at Oshkosh a few times when you were flying the Fury. You were so kind to introduce me and my young boys, Miles & Henry, to Bob Hoover. The boys both fly now, Miles is with Republic Airways and Henry is working on his instrument rating. I taught them the old fashioned way – in our Taylorcraft at our farm, Flyers Park (OH20). I think your life story would make a fantastic book! Thanks Again for your inspiration and generosity!!
Greg,
Thank you for your kind words. When I receive messages like yours, they become rewards that outshine any award I could ever be given. It was a pleasure introducing you and your sons to Bob Hoover. Bob and my dad polished me into the pilot I became. They always taught me that it was a privilege to do what I do, and that I should promote aviation by encouraging others to pursue their interest in it. Learning to fly at the farm in a Taylorcraft will give you and your boys lifelong memories—well done.
One year at Sun ’n Fun, a lady approached me and thanked me for her career. She reminded me that more than forty years earlier, after she watched me fly my Bearcat show in Eufaula, Alabama, she had asked me to autograph a picture for her. She still had that picture with her and asked me to sign it again. She explained that it had hung in her home all those years because it held special meaning.
She told me she had just graduated from high school at the time and had no idea what direction to take in life. She loved flying but had been told that girls didn’t have a future in aviation. I told her to go for it—that girls can fly, and if she wanted it badly enough, she could do it. She said my show and words inspired her to chase her dream. She worked hard, refused to take no for an answer, and had just retired as a senior captain at United Airlines.
Like your message, her story remains one of my greatest rewards.
Greg, enjoy your boys, the flying, and the farm. I’m proud if I’ve inspired them in any way.
J.W. “Corkey” Fornof
I saw Bill and Corkey at the 1969 Florida National Air Races. I was just a kid, there with my father, Bill Whitesell and his sons. Bill was there with his FG1D Corsair. I think Corkey was flying a mustang and Bill the Bearcat. There were other warbirds there too: a P-63, a Wildcat, and a pair of F9Fs . The warbirds were supposed to do a fly over during the airshow, but we had arranged a little detour. We took a boat a little ways offshore and the entire flight of warbirds buzzed the boat twice before performing their flyby. It was awe inspiring, mindblowing experience for a 14 year old kid. I still have an 8mm movie somewhere.
Oops. I stand corrected. I did enjoy the story
Corkey, your story brought a smile, great reading with my morning coffee!
I hope there will be more, I’m sure your career is filled with them. Thanks for this one
Not nearly as fun or impressive as Bearcat story, but similar “what the $&/?” moment…setting up for a few spins at 4500′ agl, had the nose parked up, power back and about to go full cross control…heard the radalt “deedle deedle” first thought was “can’t be, have plenty of altitude” followed by “this bugsmasher doesn’t have a radalt!! wait, maybe it’s the stall horn…no way, deedle is NOT a horn, wait, I don’t have a stall horn either!” aborted that spin set up since I obviously had some mental fog to resolve…and realized my wife was calling my phone (ringer on), perfect timing at power back to hear it…d’oh!!
Never realized how far down that radalt tone was subconsciously embedded after a career of low levels and the boat…or that the ringtone had such a powerful connection in the right context!
born and living in south Louisiana (Hammond)- my Dad flew during WW2 and and always loved to fly – Hammond Airport was built from WW2, many times pilots would come by for fuel, food, etc..
As a commercial/airline pilot now, it’s always part of my wonderful flying memory to have met and watch flying for Corky, having flown to
“north” Louisiana.
Fly Safe!!
Hey Noel, you’re pretty much a legend yourself my friend… although Corky is in a totally unique category at the top of aviation legends… enjoyed the story
In the summer of 1960 I was working as a summer intern in Baton Rouge between my junior and senior years at the University of Texas. I had a student permit and about 50 hours total time. Ryan Airport had an FBO and a C150 for rent. One day I was hanging around the airport after flying the C150. The Bear Cat was on the ramp. Another kid and I were marveling over the Bearcat and had been doing so for about half an hour. Bill Fornof came to get his airplane after some sort of business meeting in town. The guy at the FBO said to Bill: “These kids have been hanging around for an hour give them a show”. Bill, looked at us and headed for the Cat. He moved to the end of the runway and we heard him talk to the tower requesting a “maximum performance takeoff”. Wow! We watched the Cat start its roll and quickly left the fround staying parallel to the runway leaving about three feet of propeller clearance. The gear came up. The Cat stayed at three feet. As I recall the runway at Ryan was pretty long, likely more than 5000 feet. When the Cat got to the end of the runway it looked it was going mach 0.8. At that point the nose pitched up in a split second and the Cat went vertical until it was out of sight. 65 years later I can recall every second of that maximum performance take off. Rest in Peace Bill.
…great story Sir. In the summer of 2024 I was replacing some headlamps in my car when I heard an infamous and old familiar rumble to the north west of my house. My house is located close to (CIC), Chico CA. It was very different than the sound of Cal Fire tankers ( modified S-2 trackers and alike) or U-2’s out of Biele. When I looked up I saw to my disbelieve the silhouette of an F-4U and Immediately had recollections of watching “Black Sheep Squadron” on TV with my dad as a kid. RIP Col Boyington. A split second later I saw a second silhouette and I was sure it was a Cat but I had not seen one airborn since 1985 at an airshow in Geneseo NY. I called the FBO and asked if there were two war birds in the pattern and they said no, they were on the ramp. I then said I will be down in ten. As a fellow pilot, I was given a tour of both and while we did not get Max performance departures, it still was an experience. They came down from Redmond OR if I recall and needed fuel as they were on their way to NAS Lemoore for an airshow honoring all eras of Naval aviation. Fly USN!
Your story reminds me of a friend that was in the Navy flying A-4s out of Florida. He flew to the 10th High School reunion landing at SalinaKs. After the reunion he was going to return to Fla and did about the same thing by loading up all the empty weapons openings with Coors beer. No air to air war fare, but after flying in the upper altitudes and landing in Fla He found that nearly all the cans had burst and he too was dripping beer all over the ramp. I still give instructions at Abilene, KS some 60 miles north of Newton and visited BD several times during this era. Hope all goes well with you and keep the greasy side down. Jim Price K78
In 1967, I instructed out of a grass strip at Amelia, not too far from Houma. I had seen your dad perform in the Bearcat, and dropped in one day with my student to say hello. I explained to her that he was the famous Bill Fornof and told her about the fabulous Bearcat. He was in the hangar with the aircraft, and was very friendly and welcoming. That was a day I will always remember. The aviation world was saddened by his passing.
I remember seeing him in the Bearcat at an airshow in Knoxville Tennessee in about 1974 or so. The Blue Angels were there in the A4s and the Red Devils were flying the S1s. Amazing show.
Corkey,
Great story. I’m old enough to remember when there was no Coors east of the river.
Blue skies,
Saw Corky perform at Huntsville,AL International Airport for it`s grand opening in 1967. MY what a PERFORMANCE ! The Bearcat and Corky were both spectacular ! Thinking that I enjoyed them more than the any other act- except maybe the Blue Angels in then F4 Phantoms! Wonderful story Corky ! Write a book ! Wade Russell, KHSV, AL