At Mail Call, DANIEL STARNES was heard saying to ALL...
DS> Anyone out there have details and/or experience with the F-7
DS> Tigercat?  I've seen a model of one but am having trouble finding any
DS> more information about this plane.
     Squadron/Signal Publications in Carrolton, TX recently put out a
book on the Tigercat which I believe was titled "F7F Tigercat in
Action". These books are used extensively by modelers, but they
include a lot of good information. You can contact them at...
Squadron/Signal Publications
1115 Crowley Dr
Carrollton, TX 75011
They also have an e-mail address...
mailorder@squadron.com
Another book that has some good generalized historical and technical
information on the Tigercat (including a technical specification
breakdown and 3 view line drawings of the difinitive variants) is "The
American Fighter, The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft
from 1917 to the Present", by Enzo Angelucci with Peter Bowers,
Copyright 1985, Orion Books, NY.
     According to the latter, the Tigercat came about as a result of a
USN request for what would be their first twin-engined fighter, with
tricycle landing gear, and torpedo bomber capability to go in to
series production. The order for two prototypes was placed at the same
time the go-ahead was given for production of their F6F Hellcat. The
hope was to have the Tigercat available for service aboard the MIDWAY
class Large Aircraft Carriers when they came into service. They were
also evaluated by the US Army Air Forces as the XP-65.
     As it turned out, the F6F was given a higher priority, so the
first prototype Tigercats weren't available until late '44. The USN
Board of Inspection and Safety however decided not to certify them for
carrier use. As such, for the most part the 365 units that were built
were largely relegated to USMC service (as the F4U Corsair had
initially been). The first unit to receive them was VMF(N)-533 - a
night fighter unit on Okinawa - in Aug 45 (the day before Japan
surrendered).
     Two USMC Tigercat units - VMF(N)-513 and 542 - were deployed in
Korea until 1942 when the arrival of the Mig-15 signaled the end of
their usefulness. After their retirement from active service,
surviving examples were taken into hand by private collectors and the
US Forestry Service - which after some modifications - were used as
water bombers.
     The definative variant was the F7F-3, with 189 built. They were
equipped with 2 P&W R2800-34-W @ 2100 hp, water injected each. They
had a wingspan of 51 ft 6 in, a wing area of 455 sq ft, a length of 45
ft 4 1/2 in, Height 16 ft 4 in, Empty Wt 16,396 lbs, Gross Wt 21,906
lbs, Max TO Wt 25,720 lbs, Max Speed 460 mph, Cruise Speed 222 mph,
Landing Speed 91 mph, Climb in 1 min 4,530 ft, Service Ceiling 40,700
ft, Range 1,200 mi, Max Range 1,572 mi, Normal Fuel 455 US gal, Max
Fuel 755 US gal, and an Armament of 4 20mm cannons (wingroot), 4 .50
in MG (nose), and 2,000 lbs of bombs.
     There were six operational models. The single place "Carrier
based Fighter Bomber" F7F-1 and 3, the two-place "Carrier based Night
Fighter" F7F-2N, 3N, and 4N (with a longer nose and no MGs to make
room for the radar ariel), and a single place "Carrier Based
Photorecon" F7F-3P (again, with no MG's to make room for the cameras).
     That's the basics. For more you'll need to look into some of the
aforementioned books.
     Hopes this helps
Derek "Tiger" (/\)akefield
iscandar@chatter.com
... Answers: $1, Short: $5, Correct: $25, dumb looks are still free.
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