Being from the Iron Works means the Bearcat would never have been "best" had it fought. Look at the lack of respect the "ace maker" gets relative to the Corsair glamorpuss.
The Bearcat was never going to be pretty enough for widespread accolades.
The Bearcat was never going to be pretty enough for widespread accolades.The Zero wasn't pretty either but gets plenty of acclaim due its performance. The Bearcat looked ungainly on the ground with its 12' prop. But in air it was plenty sleek, and the bubble canopy would have had pilots singing its praises.