N700A was purchased by Bill Fornof in 1969. By 1970 it was painted in the Cadillac Bronze scheme to match his other F8F N7700C. For the 1970 airshow season Bill's son, Corky Fornof, flew N700A as part of a two aircraft display while his Father flew N7700C. Their routine was loosely based on US Navy Blue Angel maneuvers, including head on passes as well as two ship overhead formation maneuvers. This airshow may have been their first public showing, as it was early in the airshow season as well as being at their home airfield.

Although still wearing the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories logo, N700A was owned by Bill Fornof when the slide was taken. He had purchased the aircraft earlier in 1969. Mr. Fornof, in fact, used this aircraft for his airshow performance on the date the slide was taken. N700A was built in 1950 as a Grumman owned and operated civilian G-58, and never saw USN service. It was sold to Cornell in 1959, who sold it to Mr. Fornof in 1969.

Grumman's civil version of the F8F Bearcat rests at the Planes of Fame at Chino. Aircraft was part of a Bearcat aerobatic duo flown by the Fornof's, father and son team.

The Bearcat is joined in the sun by the Dauntless. So nice to see them outside. Carries "8BP" on the left wing underside.

"Bob's Bearcat" at the Palm Springs Air Museum. This aircraft was never in military service. Note the "8BP" on the left wing underside.

Civil-built in 1950 as a Model G-58B demonstrator. No military service. Still airworthy in 2018. Carries "8BP" on the left wing underside.

In 1969 J. W. Fornof and his son John William "Corky" Fornof Jr formed the first civilian high performance aerobatic team with these two matching Grumman Bearcats. N700A was a G-58B civilian version of the Bearcat built by Grumman as a company demonstrator and flown by Roger Wolfe Kahn, manager of the technical service and sales division of the company. Fornof Sr's Bearcat (N7700C), seen parked behind, was former US Navy 121608 c/n 982. This aircraft crashed during a performance June 5, 1971 when a wing section separated due to metal fatigue.