**** DONE: 1/48 F7F-2N Tigercat – Night War of WWII

[T Bolt]

User Name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: Advanced
Kit: AMT Grumman F7F-2/2N Tigercat
Scale: 1/48th
Accessories: Some scratch building in the cockpits and CMK resin wheels

48 F7F-2N Tigercat BuNo 80323 from VF(N)-52 as seen during carrier qualifications on board the USS Antietam April 1945

The Tigercat was a bit too late to see combat during the war but it came close. VMF(N)-531, the first unit to fly the F7F-2N shipped out for combat duty in the Pacific in July 1945 and their ship was nearing Guam when the first atomic bomb was dropped.

I wasn't aware of the Tigercat until about 20 years ago when I was visiting the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. It that time they regularly flew several of their aircraft and this day it was the Tigercat. I remember walking out to the fence along the runway behind the museum and watching it take off and land and do several low flybys with the engines screaming. I've been a fan of it ever since and bought this kit as soon as it came out. I'm glad this GB will give me an excuse to finally build it.

 

[rochie]

Nice simple paint job Glenn, nice choice.

I read a book by a marine Avenger pilot, he got to fly an F-7f as the war was ending so it might have been the same one !

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Good one Glenn, and, like you, I've long admired the Tigercat, ever since seeing the one which used to be on the UK airshow circuit, back in the 1980's.
BTW, see my comments re the vinyl tyres, in the GB Discussion thread.

 

[T Bolt]

Not a lot of choice of color scheme with the -2N. Unless you want a gaudy bright yellow machine they used for testing your choice is blue, blue, or maybe blue.

Well anyway here is what came in the box. Nice surface detail, but a lot of flash which will have to be cleaned up.

 

[Wurger]

Looking good to me.

 

[rochie]

Does look good, decals look a bit thick though ?

 

[JKim]

Good choice! It will be a good comparison to the other twin engined NF's in this GB.

 

[fubar57]

Love that little hot rod. If you need details let me know.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Waiting to see the magic start.

 

[javlin]

This one almost came out of the stash for this build,Nice Choice Glenn

 

[T Bolt]

Love that little hot rod. If you need details let me know.

View attachment 307375


Geo

Thanks for the offer George. I have plenty of exterior shots and a few of the forward cockpit, but almost nothing of the rear cockpit. The only thing I could find was a shot through the canopy of the Tigercat that use to be at the AirZoo but it had been totally gutted and rebuilt to take a passenger. Anything you have on that would be helpful.

 

[fubar57]

Check your email Glenn.



Geo

 

[T Bolt]

You da man George!! That's just what I needed.

 

[T Bolt]

It Begins
Started with the wings. The intake had a very sad rendering of a screen set in a few millimeters that I removed (sorry, forgot to take a picture) I figured an empty dark hole would look better, and that way I could do a better job of shaping the openings. The picture shows it after I did most of the shaping work on the inlets and glued the wings together. Still need to clean up the wing joint and the corners of the inlets

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[Wurger]

 

[le_steph40]

8)

 

[Airframes]

Good start Glenn.

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far Glenn!