F7F (P-65) Tigercat

[ysi_maniac]

Another idea: Super TigerCat

I have an old Monogram 1/72 TigerCat. I could increase wingspan and fuselage length somehow and equip it with Wasp Majors. 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

I would have to presume that if the USAAF/USAF had adopted the Tigercat as the P-65 it would have been built without the wing fold mechanism.  With that in mind I wonder how much more ordnance could have been carried under the wings and how many additional stores pylons could have been mounted to this stronger wing. 

[famvburg]

      There was a model of one, supposedly based on a real plan, at some model contest a few years ago. Something 'Doll' was its name, IIRC & the racer was supposed to have been powered by R-3350s.

Another possibility would be for a Reno style racer.

Regards,

Greg

[famvburg]

     I may have posted pics of mine in SEA camo, but it wouldn't have been with a Wyvern. I can get another pic, tho.

But.....

I know that somebody here built one some time ago in Vietnam era camo - I have a clear memory of it sitting alongside a Wyvern, also in Vietnam colours. I'm thinking 'bout doing one later this year, and ALSO thinking of finishing it in the same scheme, but with black undersurfaces and Air Commando stripes - from the Tamiya A-1 Skyraider.

But as usual, I could be persuaded otherwise.

As depart from my normal 'paints kits differently' mantra, in my minds eye I can see it wearing wingtip tanks, toting LAU-3 pods and festooned with 60's era aerials. So given that I'm seeing it firmly set in the 1960's..... who else would be using the Tigercat (doesn't have to be a CoIn machine) ??. It may be wishful thinking but didn't our own Mr. Helsig  do a couple of profiles in times gone by.

Right enough waffle, over to you lot.... give me some more ideas....

Ian

[jcf]

I would have to presume that if the USAAF/USAF had adopted the Tigercat as the P-65 it would have been built without the wing fold mechanism.  With that in mind I wonder how much more ordnance could have been carried under the wings and how many additional stores pylons could have been mounted to this stronger wing. 

The Army XP-65 wasn't actually a variation of the USN F7F, both were iterations of Design 51.

The story starts with the Grumman Design 46 of October 1939, a large twin 1,600hp R-2600 powered aircraft (two-stage mechanical superchargers or turbo-superchargers) for the Army. A derivative was offered for export in February 1940 as the Design 49.
The preliminary design work for these two projects worked to Grumman's advantage when they decided to submit a proposal to a 21 December, 1940 RFP for specification SD-112-18. Seeking to satisfy both Army and Navy requirements, Grumman incorporated most features of Designs 46 and 49 into the Design 51 proposal, which was submitted to BuAer 24 March, 1941, and emerged as the winner of the Navy competition on 14 May. By then the Army and Navy and had agreed to seek the development of twin-engined fighters differing only in details, the Army opted for turbo-superchargers, the Navy for mechanical superchargers. The Army version was to be pressurized and armed with two 37mm cannon and four .50 MG, whereas the Navy version was to be unpressurized and armed with four 20mm cannon in place of the two 37mm weapons.
The Army ordered two XP-65 prototypes on 16 June, 1941 and two weeks later the Navy ordered two F7F-1 prototypes. Subsequently, however, both services concluded that a single design would not meet their specific requirements and on 16 January, 1942 the Army dropped out of the program to allow Grumman to optimize the design to meet the Navy requirements. Among the many design changes that were incorporated into the mockup (which passed inspection September 1942) was a change from mid-mounted to shoulder-mounted wings. Detail design and construction of the prototype proceeded slowly, the engines were changed from R-2600 to R-2800 and the official first flight was made on 3 November, 1943 (there had been a 15 second hop the previous day following high-speed taxi runs).
- paraphrased from Grumman Aircraft since 1929, Rene J Francillon, 1989 Putnam/NIP

So basically, in engineering terms, the XP-65 died long before the configuration of the F7F was finalized.

As to Tigercat 'derivatives:
Design 66, Torpedo Bomber (3-view attached)
Design 67, mixed-power with an I-20 turbojet mounted in the aft end of each nacelle, estimated 505mph at 20,000 ft.
Design 80, high-speed executive transport using the wings and powerplant installation of the F7F.

Jon

[ysi_maniac]

What if Chance Vought produced an aquivalent to Tigercat, but based on Corsair I ?

EDIT: F4U CORSAIR

vvvvvvvv

[famvburg]

       Technically speaking, the "Corsair I" is a biplane scout from the '30s, the OSU, IIRC, so I'm guessing you mean the F4U, which everyone knows as the Corsair. I read in some F4U book a few years ago that Vought's original design for the F6U was a design similar to the F7F, so I can imagine something like an F7F with Vought characteristics, not an inverted gull wing tho, but similar in vein to Vought's proposal for the ASW a/c that was won by the Grumman S2F, where the Vought a/c looks kinda like an S2F.

What if Chance Vought produced an aquivalent to Tigercat, but based on Corsair I ?

[tigercat2]

The photos of the Tigercats with the Wyvern in SEA markings was mine; I am sure it is here somewhere in the What If archives.  I am currently switching to a new computer system, and will be several days before I can upload more photos.


I have also thought that the Tigercat would have made a superb aircraft for many roles in the SEA conflict.



Wes W.

[Radish]

Don't forget Israel......

[tigercat2]

Here is the thread with the Wyvern in SEA cammo.  If the aircraft had a reliable turbo prop engine, it seems as if it could have been a supplement/replacement for the A-1.

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,5921.0/highlight,wyvern.html



Wes W.

[chrisonord]

When I can eventually find a 1/72nd scale Tigercat, I want to convert it into a turbo prop modern day COIN aircraft.
Keep the nose guns, put wing tip tanks on, fit a FLIR turret under the nose or rear fuselage. Weaponry can consist of the usual free fall bombs gun/rocket pods, but it could also carry Hellfire and maverick missiles. A maritime patrol aircraft would also be a good option, with the turbo prop engines, and armed with Sea Skua's, Penguins and a pair of heavy rocket pods and a FLIR turret. The nose could be modded to house a radar, and the guns could be housed in a belly pack.
But I have yet to find one ...............bugger
Chris.

[sequoiaranger]

Chris-----PM inbound!

[famvburg]

      There are several on eBay..........

When I can eventually find a 1/72nd scale Tigercat, I want to convert it into a turbo prop modern day COIN aircraft.
Keep the nose guns, put wing tip tanks on, fit a FLIR turret under the nose or rear fuselage. Weaponry can consist of the usual free fall bombs gun/rocket pods, but it could also carry Hellfire and maverick missiles. A maritime patrol aircraft would also be a good option, with the turbo prop engines, and armed with Sea Skua's, Penguins and a pair of heavy rocket pods and a FLIR turret. The nose could be modded to house a radar, and the guns could be housed in a belly pack.
But I have yet to find one ...............bugger
Chris.

[elmayerle]

For a different Tigercat, how about one with Centaurus engines and five-bladed props?  In, say, SEAC markings as operated either from land or from a RN or RAN fleet carrier?

[famvburg]

      Here's my "F-65C".

But.....

I know that somebody here built one some time ago in Vietnam era camo - I have a clear memory of it sitting alongside a Wyvern, also in Vietnam colours. I'm thinking 'bout doing one later this year, and ALSO thinking of finishing it in the same scheme, but with black undersurfaces and Air Commando stripes - from the Tamiya A-1 Skyraider.

But as usual, I could be persuaded otherwise.

As depart from my normal 'paints kits differently' mantra, in my minds eye I can see it wearing wingtip tanks, toting LAU-3 pods and festooned with 60's era aerials. So given that I'm seeing it firmly set in the 1960's..... who else would be using the Tigercat (doesn't have to be a CoIn machine) ??. It may be wishful thinking but didn't our own Mr. Helsig  do a couple of profiles in times gone by.

Right enough waffle, over to you lot.... give me some more ideas....

Ian