I flew the Bearcat today and it is everything I hoped it would be. The first flight was with the 4 blade prop. This flight was cut short due to the engine going over redline temperature. I have the alarm set for 150C (300F) and the engine reached about 155C max. I'm not sure if it would have continued to get hotter if I had continued the flight. I may try it again and see if the temp stabilizes below 160C.
The next 3 flights were with a 22x10 wood prop and the max temp reached was 148C, with the average temp around 140C. The plane performed very well as you would expect. Smooth and stable with nice aerobatic capability. The Saito radial provides just the right speed and power for great flying fun.
The only glitch today was a hinge on one of the inner gear doors pulled out.