Tigercat

[Hawkeye]

I started this project as a version of the F7F-3N Tigercat converted to special ops in SEA circa 1967-70. The camo I did last night was an as I went and turned out nice but it isn't typical US of the era...What country best fits this scheme? I could change the AO to some other jungle in the world.




Still trying to decide whether a black or off white underside is best. Night ops are possible but that would mean dealing with the exhausts to dampen their visibility and I'm really not up to that task.

[Logan Hartke]

Oh, that looks very nice.  Make it Dominican Air Force.  Those colors fit them perfectly.  They could get them in 1963 through MAP
instead of the T-28 Trojans they actually got.  They could replace the A-26s in the FAD.  You could even give it a sharkmouth like many aircraft in the FAD have used.

Cheers,

Logan

[philp]

Central and South America would be perfect places for this.

Logan already mentioned the Dominican Republic.  Some others would be Columbia, Ecuador, El Salvador, etc.

[Hawkeye]

I'll have to see if I have any decals in my stash for the Dominican AF. I may have. Good suggestion. We'll see what else is suggested.
Thanks!

[sequoiaranger]

Nice 4-color camo.

Hand-painted, or done with the "putty" mask method?

[Hawkeye]

Nice 4-color camo.

Hand-painted, or done with the "putty" mask method?

Airbrushed. I didn't use putty on this one. Instead I use another old school technique...paper masks using those advert cards that come in the mail or are included in the spine of magazines. They are nice and stiff and cut easily with a scissors. I created several random patterns and held them in place either with my digits or reversed clothespins. You can double your patterns by simply flipping them over! This also allows you to do mirror patterns on each side.





Once done they go into the trash.

[tigercat2]

Your tigercat looks great!!  What kit did you use?

The cammo scheme is outstanding.  In the what if world, anything goes, so it could be a USAF or USN 'cat for use in some 3rd world area.

I have done a few 'cats in all sorts of schemes.  I always thought that the USAAF should have purchased many of them (as the P-65),  IMHO they would have been excellent as close support aircraft in VN in the 60s.



Wes W.

[Hawkeye]

Your tigercat looks great!!  What kit did you use?

Wes W.

It is the AMT kit. I scored several of them at a secret location. Bought them all! They were on sale! All were marked down...get this from the original price the kit sold for when it first appeared on store shelves. Now you know why the location is a SECRET!

[tigercat2]

For one of my jungle-themed cats, I used 4 bladed props (from a 1/72 scale Typhoon).  Adds a new look, IMHO.  Also, the shark's mouth is from an F-105 sheet from Microsoft.


Wes W.

[Hawkeye]

I've been picking through my spares stash to see if I have some props that are suitable both three and four blade. The kit's are loaded with flash and may not survive the cleanup. I had a five blade from a Spit...but only one 

[tigercat2]

You could use the one 5 bladed prop and then have "severe battle damage" on the other engine that would have caused the prop to depart the aircraft - seems a bit extreme to purposely beat up such a beautiful model, however.


Wes

[John Howling Mouse]

Arggggh....you guys are killing me with all these magnificent TiCats and here mine sits, waiting for me to figure out how to attach a dissimilar canopy.
Why do I always get bogged down at the canopy stage?

More importantly, this paint scheme of yours is incredible, Hawkeye.

[tigercat2]

What sort of canopy are you planning for your 'cat?   I once did an F-15 canopy on a 1/72 Tigercat, cut down the fuselage behind the canopy and it looked pretty good.  That was in 1977, and it is long gone, unfortunately.



Wes W.